Elden Ring is the property of FromSoftware and Monster Girl Encyclopedia is the Property of Kenkou Cross. I do not own any of these properties.
Chapter 4: Journey
Elt stretched his hands up as he finished setting up his own tent for the day. Looking on at it, it was old, and tattered, and there were places that were just stitched together. Honestly, it looked less like a tent and more like a bunch of cloth stitched together and made to resemble a tent.
Looking around, he could see similar designs from the rest of his peers. In contrast, looking over to the tents just a few meters away he could see that they were in much better condition. It shows the class disparity between his unit and the Order of the Ice Flower.
Not that he minded; despite its less regal nature, his tent and the rest of theirs did the job well. Once he was done setting up, he sat on a rock just a few meters away to enjoy his stale bread.
He wished he had some jam with him or even salt just to add a little more flavor but such things were a commodity out here.
As he ate, he felt a presence right next to him. Turning his head, he was met with the familiar sight of his scarred, white-haired captain.
"Heya, so… how was your little date?" Mersé stated with a grin as she patted his shoulder.
Elt's face deadpanned at that. He bit his lips as his cheeks puffed in embarrassment. His cheeks flushed before he turned back to Mersé to speak.
"So this was your plan all along, huh?" He asked with a raised brow before he shook his head.
"First off, it's not a date… secondly, it went… okay," Elt stated. A smile came to his face at the memory. He would've been satisfied if that was the last time they both interacted. It was sweet and bitter, and a nearly decades-long promise was fulfilled.
Mersé noticed the smile; a grin came to her face as she leaned in towards him. Not minding the distance between them both as she got a bit too close for comfort.
"Damn, so what was she like? Did her heart swoon when you talked to her? Did she blush and act all girly?" Mersé asked with a grin. Yep, she was gonna use this information against them both the next time she met either Elt or Wilmarina casually.
Elt looked on at Mersé, his face was practically asking if she was serious about that question. If he actually thought about it, however, he would've realized that she did in fact somewhat act like that around him.
"No, I don't think that's the case anyways. She probably doesn't think that much of me… I-I even made her cry… so…" Elt stuttered out. Even he doesn't fully believe that Wilmarina didn't feel anything towards him. But he knew that it was for the best that she didn't.
And so for his and her sake, he'll move on from here and find someone else. Seeing this, Mersé 's features softened before she patted him on the back.
"It's tough, ain't it? I've never really felt any form of romantic attachments before, but even I can tell that it hurts." She confessed as she leaned back on the rock.
"You wanna know if a person who doesn't understand romance's perspective is in your situation, Elt?" Mersé muttered as she turned to him. Curious, Elt's blue eyes landed on her own before he gave her a short nod. Looking on at him, she gave him a small smile before she spoke up.
"Between you and me, if you asked me before if you've ever had a chance, then I would've said no. You're not that good looking, your skills barely lasted you 10 seconds against me, and frankly, you're not the sharpest tool in the shed." Mersé began, with every word Elt's form seemed to sink further and further into their stone seat.
"But that's just what you'd see on the surface. Deep inside, you're a genuinely good person, Elt. A bit stubborn, a little reckless at times, but that never detracted from all your positive qualities. If anything, anyone would be lucky to have you as their lover. And that's not even counting your sudden upgrade. You probably don't think so, but you're more than worthy to stand next to her in my eyes." She confessed.
He blushed at those words, his hands twitched as a smile came onto his face. He didn't know whether to accept her words or not, but still it did make him feel a little bit better.
"You know, for someone who doesn't know anything about romance. You're pretty good at making me blush. Keep this up, and I might fall for you." He joked. At those words did Mersé 's face flush, and her eyes turned away from him before she felt her face heat up.
"Dumbass, don't say something like that so suddenly." She stuttered before she shook off her blush.
"Alright… still, even if you think that. Everyone in the capital probably doesn't." He muttered. Mersé 's expression returned to how it was before an idea popped in her head.
"You're right; no one in the capital would accept it… but we're not in it right now, are we?" She asked rhetorically.
Elt stopped what he was doing, he turned to her with an incredulous expression.
"...What are you trying to imply?" Elt asked, his brow raising at the thought before Mersé explained.
"From what I can tell, it'll take at least a week for a round trip from the capital to our mission destination. It's only the first day, meaning you'd have at least a week to just be together. Come on, Elt… I'll help out." Mersé offered with a grin, which Elt turned down.
He would've wanted to, to be honest. But he found that to be exceedingly cruel to both him and Mary. Let's say they did interact together and talked like how they used to. After that, they'd be back to square one. Nothing would've changed, and that one week would've just been another memory he'd look back in with pain.
"I… appreciate it, Lady Mersé but… I don't think I want to do that to her. Don't worry about me though, I'll be fine…" He started with a pained smile as he finished his bread and got up. It was cold out and so he prepared for himself a cloak to wear.
Mersé looked on before she nodded sadly. It was his decision, and so she'd respect it. Her brow rose at his actions. Curious, she opened her mouth to ask.
"Where are you going?" She asked. It was getting late; monster attacks would've been a lot more common during the night.
"Out for a walk… I feel like I need it, if you don't mind I'd like to go alone." He started before he placed his cloak over his shoulders. He fixed it before grabbing his sword and sheathed it on his side. With a wave goodbye, he walked out of the camp.
Mersé would've followed, but she let him go off on his own. With him being able to match her, he should be able to get out of anything short of a high-tier monster. Besides, as of now, they were still deep in Order territory. Any high-tier monster would've been noticed by the soldiers that usually patrolled this area often.
Unfortunately, Mersé wasn't the only one who noticed Elt leave the camp.
Elt walked through the woods as he turned to look at the sights around him. Just as he thought, the sights were far different from anything in the castle. He had never really seen anything quite like it, the sun's rays piercing through the trees and only covering a portion of the woods. Fireflies flying around provided another sense of light, and the trees themselves stood as tall as the eye could see.
Frankly, Elt has never been outside of the capital much. And whenever he was, he was on missions, so he didn't have the time to enjoy the sights simply. It's the first time he's basically just walked around the woods without much of a direction to go on. Just him and the calming ambience of nature around him.
So why does it feel like he's done it before? Elt shook his head; he chalked it up as one of those visions and opted just to write it down later on. He didn't come here to watch the trees or nature but to think.
And so, he tried to find a good spot for him to just ease his mind in. And it didn't take long before he found what he was looking for.
As he turned the corner, his eyes widened at the sight that he beheld. It was an open clearing in the forest, but that wasn't what caught his eye. Rather, it was the beautiful flower bed that was scattered all over the ground. It looked like a scene straight out of a fantasy novel.
He smiled, one as bittersweet as it was content at sight. He moved over and sat down near a tree before he picked a few flowers from the bed. Fireflies whizzed by as Elt decided to make something he hadn't made in years.
The last time he made a garland was years ago when he was still a child. Back when his parents still lived. His life as a soldier had taken most of his time; he simply never had the time to make one again.
This flower bed also reminded him of the royal garden that he used to play in with Fran and Mary. Strange, even as he tried his best to move on from his childhood life, always found a way to remind himself of what he had.
He looked down at the garland he had made, a simple necklace made from a few random flowers he could find. He hadn't made one in years, and yet it was still a finely crafted piece of art. He wondered if he should start selling these, he seemed to have a talent in making them. He leaned back onto the tree, making more garlands as he thought.
'Would mom and dad be proud? Their little boy's all grown up now… wherever you are; I just want you to know how much I miss you.' Elt thought; he hoped that they were happy up there. He had no doubts that they were; they were the kindest people Elt had ever known.
Even when Priest Noscrim threw them away, they never hated him for it.
This flower bed was just giving him a lot of memories. But… there was one that stood out, one that he himself could not recall.
As he tried his best to remember, did his vision shift again.
He got up from his spot, clutching his head as pain ripped through his mind. He grits his teeth as he struggled his way through the clearing, only to fall at the center.
When he came to, he looked up and saw himself in a different place entirely.
No longer was he in the flower bed he found in the forest, but rather in a dark and dreary chasm with a tree that stretched atop the place. Flowers littered the area but the sights neither gave him ease nor comfort. In front of him was a woman with a blade longer than Elt's body. She had red hair, and a mask covered her face. Her body was marred by rot and decay, yet her stance and form looked dignified as it was powerful.
Elt stood, sweat on his brow and blade in his hand as he readied himself for the coming onslaught.
He looked upon the blade in his hand and his eyes widened.
His blade wasn't anything he had ever seen before. From its looks alone, he could tell that it wasn't natural. Regal in appearance and expensive in its looks, it was no ordinary blade in his hands.
His clothes were different too, the armor he wore was heavier, and it looked far more expensive than anything he could afford.
When he heard her voice, all that was left in him was dread.
"I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella. And I have Never Known Defeat." That was the last thing Elt heard before his consciousness faded once more.
…
Elt woke up with a startle; looking around, he saw that he was in the original position he had sat in. He breathed out a large amount of air from his lungs as he looked up at the sky. These dreams and visions are getting more and more frequent. What do they all mean?
Elt was about to get up and go back. After all, if he blacked out here, it could spell disaster. He got up from his position before he stretched his arms and looked around.
As he was about to leave, did he feel that something was… off… it was a feeling he was both familiar with and unfamiliar with.
Either way, he knew what the feeling meant. It was a feeling he felt too many times to count in The Lands Between, and it appeared as though it followed him here. After dying for the umpteenth time to an enemy he didn't notice or didn't expect, he developed a sort of 6th sense when it came to an unexpected enemy. That 6th sense was now giving off the same feeling he's always had.
That feeling only meant one thing, he was about to cross blades.
And then he heard it, a sound he had not heard in a long time. The ethereal noise of magic he had long since forgotten.
As soon as he heard that noise, he rolled under a barrage of blue crystals. He grits his teeth as he was grazed in a few places before he pulled out his blade to look around for his attacker.
The tree that was unfortunate enough to bear the onslaught collapsed. Elt took a few paces forward; he was out here all alone without any support from anyone. This meant that he had to fight on his own.
"Tarnished, did you really think you could escape this?" A deep raspy, and accented voice spoke up.
It was then that his attacker revealed himself. He wore an ornate set of armor, it was one of the more pristine and elega types of armor. It reminded him of what Heroes usually wore, but even with their extravagant clothes, the man's armor before him was just strange.
In his hand was a staff and on the other was a blade. A helmet covered his face, but even Elt could tell that this man intended to cross blades.
"Especially after everything you've done." He muttered before he charged. With speed far beyond anything Elt could've matched before, he quickly moved. Instead of dodging or running away, he met the charge head-on.
Their blades clashed, causing sparks to illuminate the forest. They exchanged blows, parries, and dodges, but if the fight had any witnesses, then it was clear who was at a disadvantage.
Elt grit his teeth as his arms were scratched by the man's blade. He moved far faster and stronger than even Mersé and he was struggling to just keep himself standing, let alone land a blow. His cloak moved violently as he tried to dodge, parry, and minimize the damage done to him by these relentless attacks.
"What happened to your strength, Tarnished. Where was the man who defeated the demigods? Who had slain the Elden Beast?" The man asked with a tone that noted his disappointment at the whole thing. It was clear that he was expecting more of a fight from him. The man held his blade out before swinging it towards Elt, seeing this he immediately intercepted it with his own blade. The strike caused sparks to fly as the blade slid down the edge of the blade and was stopped by the guard.
Elt was pushed back, the man pushing his blade against his as Elt struggled to keep himself from getting beheaded.
"Who are you?" Elt asked, the man suddenly shifted and struck Elt with the hilt of his blade, the strike caused him to stagger and fall down as a blade was placed upon his neck.
"How easily you forget, Tarnished." The man spoke before he pressed the blade onto Elt's neck causing blood to drip down onto the ground. Elt had to think, to get out of this situation lest his head is separated from his neck.
He only had one idea, a stupid one, but it just might work. Without hesitation, did Elt kick the man back. The man did stumble, being pushed back a few meters before he charged back in and thrust his blade at Elt's neck, which he narrowly dodged.
They danced once more, parrying, striking at dodging one another's attacks in a symphony of steel and magic. But even now, Elt fought at a disadvantage.
He couldn't beat him physically; then he could at least try to convince him to back off.
"Why are you doing this, I don't even know who you are!?" He shouted, which only elicited the man to hasten his barrage of sword strikes.
Elt managed to hold on, and after a while, he even managed to fight on even footing. Managing to block and hold the man's blade in a lock, which this time they were somewhat evenly matched.
"Your ignorance insults me. What happened to your strength? Your drive? You were far more powerful than this the last time you and I crossed blades." The man muttered to which Elt decided to respond.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Can't we just talk this out!?." Elt retorted as he finally managed to gain some even footing.
"This is why we are crossing blades. Let me remind you of what was sealed in your mind by beating it out of you." The man stated before he kicked Elt with great force, causing him to move back a few meters. Elt managed to keep his footing, but he stumbled a bit.
"If my efforts prove unsuccessful, then you were never worthy of the title of Elden Lord, to begin with." He continued on as he marched his way towards Elt's form. He knocked Elt's blade back before grabbing him by the throat and slamming him onto a tree.
"Ugh-" Elt sputtered out, spit and blood mixing together as he looked up at his armored attacker. Tree bark and splinters shot out from the impact, managing to pierce through some of Elt's exposed skin.
He clutched his attacker's arms, trying his best to free himself from his grip.
"As I thought, a Tarnished is incapable of becoming a Lord... not even you..." He spoke up.
Elt's eyes widened, 'Those words... where did I hear those words?' Elt thought.
Staring into the man's eyes allowed him a peak through his mind. Finally, a name came through.
"...Sir Gideon…" Elt muttered out.
He recognized the man; he recognized the armor, the staff. The sword was new and his voice sounded a little different, but even still he knew who this man was. Sir Gideon Ofnir, The All-Knowing. Even back then, he didn't know much about Sir Gideon Ofnir. But as he moved through the lands between did Elt see more and more of who Sir Gideon Ofnir was and he hated it.
Ordering the deaths of entire villages, casting out his own daughter once she had run out of uses. Poor Nepheli was devastated after that, he reminded him too much of…
He paused that thought, it was for another day.
"Ah, so you do remember," Gideon muttered as he pushed Elt harder into the tree bark.
"Then I shall make this clear, Tarnished. What happened here is between you and me, if I find out that you had told anyone else about this information then I shall personally destroy them and send each of their heads to you, One. By. One." Gideon stated as he looked down at Elt's form. He let his hands go only for him to lift his leg before pressing it onto Elt's chest. It elicited a gasp as his lungs were pushed inwards causing a sudden outtake of air.
Blood gushed out of his mouth as he looked on at Sir Gideon with a defiant look. He hid his shaking hands, not wanting to let the man see even an ounce of fear in his body.
"I don't like the look on your face, didn't your parents ever tell you to respect your elders? Though knowing you, respect seems to be the last thing on your mind." Sir Gideon stated with a snarl as he pressed his foot on Elt. This caused Elt to grit his teeth in pain as he looked up at Sir Gideon, he didn't have the strength to speak. Not that he could, even if he did considering the amount of force being pressed into his chest.
"Still, killing you like this brings no meaning to me. If ever we cross blades once more like tonight, see to it that you can fully remember who I am." He stated before he looked down at Elt further, he pushed his leg even further down threatening to crack his ribs and shatter his innards with the sheer force of it alone. Elt was in an unbearable amount of pain, but that did not stop his defiant look nor did it stop him from looking Sir Gideon in the eye.
"That being said, there's a reason why I'm here... Tarnished, when the time comes, stay out of our way. This is your first and only warning." He gave Elt one more push with his foot before removing the pressure on his chest. Elt collapsed on the ground, getting on his knees as he breathed in a heavy intake of air.
When he looked up to see where Sir Gideon was, he was gone.
Elt took a moment to collect his bearings. He clutched his neck before he looked up at the woods. His blood dripped down, and the cut on his neck is still present as leaned his back onto the tree he was slammed into.
'...Dammit…' He thought to himself. How was he here? His memories were still a blur but that fight had opened a lot of it.
He didn't get the full picture yet, but even he knew not to take the man lightly. He got up, looking around for Sir Gideon vut finding nothing. Where the hell did he come from? It was like he just appeared out of nowhere before disappearing. He furrowed his brows, he felt as if he knew the answer but he just couldn't remember it.
It wasn't the first time he was invaded by another after all.
Elt shook his head, now's not the time to be caught up in his thoughts. He turned to his head and picked up his blade. He patted the blade to rid it of the dust before he sheathed it back.
He took one last look around to check if Sir Gideon had truly disappeared. He narrowed his eyes at the sight, what a sour way to end this night...
He pondered whether or not to tell Mersé, but the man's threat seemed far too real for him to just take lightly. He needed to get back to camp first before anything else happens.
Seeing nothing, Elt went back to camp.
When he returned, it was already late at night, half of the men were already asleep while the other half were on patrol. He didn't exactly feel like sleeping after all that happened, so he decided just to find a spot where he could write.
Eventually, he came across a somewhat isolated place where he could write. It wasn't too far off the camp, it sat on a hill that overlooked it and from here he had a great view of the stars in the sky. The moon hung over him as if staring down at him with its primordial sights. The stars that surrounded it twinkled in and out of view, cloisters of which bunched together to form entire swathes of light to illuminate the darkened lands.
It was a beautiful sight, and he could've sworn that he even saw a small shooting star fly past. Oddly enough that gave him the shivers, this time there was no vision that accompanied it but the sight made him cringe despite its beauty for some unknown reason.
In any case, he pulled out his journal before he began to write. He started with the most recent vision, a field of flowers and a red-haired woman wielding a large blade. He wrote down what the place looked like, to even her words.
Malenia, from the visions and the way she stood, it was clear that they fought in some way. And if he had to guess from that vision, he lost to her horribly... multiple times.
Still, the visions were vague, and they weren't concrete. But it wasn't the only strange thing he encountered that day.
Sir Gideon Ofnir, how did he know that name? How did he know his story? Why did he dislike him so much even though he didn't remember meeting him? Much like before, his memories of Sir Gideon Ofnir weren't concrete. But Sir Gideon's appearance did confirm one thing in Elt's mind.
Whatever these memories were, whatever they meant, they were real. It wasn't just some dream and these people he doesn't remember meeting, doesn't remember fighting, they were all real.
Elt grimaced at the thought. From what his vision told him and from his encounter with Sir Gideon, they were strong enough to rival even the heroes in strength, perhaps even stronger.
Even worse, they all might have a bone to pick with him. And from what Sir Gideon said, they weren't above harming those close to him.
Elt wiped the dust and dirt away from his face in frustration. As if he didn't have enough problems, now he had to deal with a bunch of powerful dream people who may or may not want him dead.
He heaved a heavy sigh before placing his book back in his pockets. He leaned back on the rock before he looked on at the horizon.
It was a beautiful sight, and it eased his mind for some reason. The moon and the night sky gave him a calming feeling, it reminded him of a friend he cherished but whose name was lost to him.
Despite his memories coming back ever so slightly, most were still locked behind a seal.
"El...?" A voice sounded from behind him. Turning around he was met with the all too familiar sight of a blue-haired heroine. Her stance and posture were the same as before but her face was morphed into an expression that showed concern.
"Ah, Lady Wilmarina…" He muttered weakly. He wasn't sure if he was mentally prepared to talk to her after everything. He wasn't allowed to even speak to her, let alone about everything that occured.
Not that she'd be able to understand everything.
She approached slowly, stopping just a fair distance away from him. She observed him before she noticed his injuries on his neck. She pursed her lips at the sight before she spoke up.
"What happened?" She asked, her tone friendly and cordial. But hidden beneath was a sense of concern and worry.
Elt blinked before his eyes widened and he held his neck. The injuries of his fight with Gideon hadn't healed yet.
"I uh- I got into a bit of a spar, looks like my opponent might've lost control and hit me over here. It's alright, I'm okay now." He reassured her with a small smile. Technically the truth, just frame it in a way that made it sound like it was a simple sparring accident. However, his words just caused her to frown even more.
Looks like she wasn't buying it. Not like he'd be able to lie to her anyways. Wilmarina knew every one of his little habits. The way he tried to play something off as to not worry her was one of them.
She looked back at the camp, seeing if anyone was watching them. With no one apparently watching them both did she move in and sit next to him.
Seeing this, Elt blushed but didn't protest. After their little interaction, he was a little more comfortable with it.
"If there's anything worrying you, you can tell me. As a hero… as your hero, your concerns are mine as well." Wilmarina started with a small smile.
Elt smiled at that, he shouldn't feel too special. If it were anyone else, she probably would've done the same thing. But he couldn't help but feel happy.
That being said, he couldn't just tell her what was going on. He wasn't even sure if he could tell Mersé , let alone someone like Wilmarina. He hated keeping things from her, but their interaction yesterday didn't change the fact that the walls they built were still present.
Elt couldn't say anything to her, he tried to open his mouth but no words could come out. This wasn't something he could just explain out of the blue. What was he supposed to say? That he suddenly became strong enough to fight off heroes and that he's been having weird dreams about giant golden trees and talking pots?
The last one was peculiar, he remembered being friends with a pot... He wasn't sure what the context behind it was, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know.
Along with all of that, he also had his orders. He was not to talk with anyone regarding what he saw, and while Wilmarina Noscrim was said to be the nation's greatest hero she wasn't his superior. She and Merse had similar ranks but being placed under Merse, her orders surpassed Wilmarina's.
As he thought of what to say, Wilmarina saw his expression. He was struggling to think what to say, and she could tell that whatever it was it wasn't something she could help with even if she wanted to. She reached out before she hesitated.
She was overstepping her bounds as a Hero of the Order. Her father wouldn't approve, her peers wouldn't either. It could cause him more trouble if she did, besides her status wouldn't allow her to even get this close. But looking at his expression and the handkerchief he returned did she realize that her status as a hero mattered little when consoling the one she loved more than anyone.
Even with the walls she built, he didn't hesitate to reach out to her yesterday. That one act made almost a decade's worth of loneliness worth it, what kind of hero would she be if she let the one she wanted to protect the most suffer.
She came here to give him his handkerchief, to complete the promise they made in full and give him the one she took all those years ago. But, seeing this she decided to do it another day.
If she wanted to fulfill her side of the promise, she didn't want him feeling so bad while doing it.
And so she moved, she wrapped her arms around his form as she gently pulled him closer.
Elt's eyes widened, he didn't expect this to happen. It's been years, almost a decade, but that didn't change the memories the two shared for most of their childhood.
'Mary... Maybe just for tonight…' He thought to himself as he let her arms wrap around him. This was a bad idea, if anyone saw them then it could end horribly. But any sense of rationality from Elt was robbed from him that night, right now he just wanted to enjoy her embrace.
He smiled, a gentle one filled with warmth before he gently inched a little closer to her. The stress of everything seemed to vanish, just for this night.
The two stayed like that for a while, not willing to let the other go until hours later. They stared off into the starlit sky, the moon hung above as the usually green grass surrounding them was overshadowed by a lush blue color.
None dared say anything, the two simply wished to hold one another for as long as they could.
In the distance, a white-haired girl that stood hidden behind a tree looked on with a warm smile on her face. She gave an approving nod before she turned back to the camp.
"Attaboy, Elt," Mersé stated before she went off. She made sure that no one and she meant no one would interrupt the two.
The day after went without a hitch, after the two had separated they both bid each other farewell before they returned to their station. Elt decided not to inform Mersé about Sir Gideon, at least not until they returned so that he could discuss it with Mimil. A few more days passed before they finally reached their destination. Looking around, the village was what one would typically see should one move towards Lescatie's outskirts. It was poor, peasants and farmers worked tirelessly day after day in order to make ends meet and feed their families.
Poor men and women worked the fields, Tilling the soil tirelessly for meager grain. Backbreaking labor is being done by children as young as 12 just to make ends meet. It was a horrible sight and one that the order didn't even bother hiding due to its remote location. There was a severe lack of manpower in this village, their numbers would barely be able to cover their needs at this rate. Especially not when the soil itself was unfit for harvest, it would need more than just a simple till to make it viable for farming.
Despite never having been here, Elt found that fact to be familiar… too familiar. It was the same sight he saw when his parents desperately tried to find a job, when he watched his parents beg for even the slightest grain just so that he would not die in poverty.
And in the end, he watched as that same hunger that threatened him take their lives. Elt cried for weeks on end, and even now the memories of his parents brought an ache in his heart.
The worst part was that they died with a smile on their faces, knowing that even when they were gone, he would live. They died so he could live, a fact that tore him to pieces and one that pushed him forward.
If they saw him now, what would they say?
Getting off his horse, Elt walked over to Mersé to await his instructions.
"Honestly speaking, all you have to do here is to patrol and guard the place. Knowing the plan, the Amazoness should be too preoccupied with us to even think about attacking this place." Mersé told Elt as she crossed her arms.
She's leaving an ample force here to guard the village, the rest would reinforce the Order of the Ice Flower's flanks as they assaulted the tribe.
"That being said, this isn't an excuse for you to slack off. This is the perfect chance for you to learn how to lead troops in setting up a defense, and just because most of the Amazoness would be focused on us that doesn't mean that a few stragglers might find their way here." She stated.
With that did Elt nod. He was put in charge of guarding this place, a simple enough order. He'll use this as an opportunity to learn how to command, even if it's for something as trivial as setting up a few defences here and there.
"Oh, and one last thing before I leave. What happened that night?" Mersé asked.
"T-That night?" Elt asked, he knew what she was talking about but he'd rather not get her involved in something like this.
"I didn't want to interrupt your little moment with Wilmarina then, but you came back to camp looking like you just fought a dragon. What happened?" She stated in a more serious tone, differentiating it from a simple request to order. Elt sealed his lips together as he thought of what to say. Sir Gideon's threats still lingered in the back of his mind. There was only one way he'd be able to truly tell her because this wasn't just something for her ears.
"...I can't tell you now... but... I'll tell you when we get back with Mimil." He uttered, choosing his words carefully.
Mersé's eyes widened at that, that meant that it involved whatever the hell was going on with him. If that's the case then she'd trust Elt on this, this was something she too needed to hear.
Mersé nodded before she heard the sound of a trumpet.
"That's my cue to leave, I'll see you when we're done. Take care Elt, and stay safe!" She yelled before she made her way to the rest of her unit.
"You too!" Elt yelled out with a wave before he placed a hand on his hips and turned to his fellow soldiers.
They were just standing there waiting for orders, despite her quirks, Mersé managed to instill a sense of discipline and brotherhood among her unit. It was one of the qualities that made her one of the best heroes Lescatie ever produced. Her unit was one of the most disciplined, and for that reason were they one of the more renowned units.
Walking towards them, Elt cleared his throat before he shouted out his orders.
"Listen Up! the force garrisoned here is small, and while we're not expecting any monsters that isn't an excuse for us to slack off. I want patrols moving all around the village, leave no ground unattended." Elt ordered as he turned to the rest of his unit. They all nodded at him, listening in on what he had to say.
"Mersé left us with a few trumpets. Distribute that so that each patrol has one, if you see anything that would need our immediate attention then blow it so that the rest of the unit could hear." Elt stated.
"Roland, Mark, Norman, I want you three to guard the entrances to the village. Take 5 men with you each and don't hesitate to blow that trumpet if you need it." Elt told three of his soldiers who nodded in response. Soon they grabbed 5 of their men each and went to patrol the entrances.
"As for the rest of you…" Elt started. He turned to the village, the poverty and starvation certainly weren't a pretty sight. Turning to the farmlands he could see that they didn't have the manpower to actually be able to plant their crops to feed them all.
"...How about a little farming?" He asked as he turned to the rest of his unit.
Wilmarina and the rest of the order of the ice flower moved through the forest in silence. Each were armed with their preferred weapon and each were carefully following the design that Eva Mystiv set out for them. Just beside her was Mersé Dascaros, halberd out at the ready as she moved with her.
Their flanks were covered by the rest of Mersé 's unit, it was a simple plan but it should prove effective. Have Mersé 's unit guard the flanks and then the order of the Ice Flower would assault the tribe in a surprise attack.
With how Amazoness usually were, they wouldn't be able to counter such a large force. They were strong, yes, but they were limited in their numbers and so their effectiveness when it came to defense was limited.
The only true problem was if they escaped out into the woods, luckily with Mersé 's unit, they would be able to circumvent that possibility.
"Any sign of it yet?" Mersé asked, Wilmarina being at the front scanned through the forest but there was no sign of the Amazoness tribe yet.
"No, not yet. Keep your guard up, we might be close." Wilmarina stated as she jumped onto a tree to give herself more visibility. Looking around, she narrowed her eyes at a sight just a few hundred meters away. Wooden shacks and crudely built wooden walls, jackpot.
Mersé too decided to join in, jumping up onto the tree with her as she observed the wooden huts. "It's them… well then, shall we?" Mersé asked as she held up her halberd.
Wilmarina nodded, she pulled out her own blade before she moved towards the tribe. Using the element of surprise, Wilmarina charged in along with the rest of the order of the ice flower in silence. Screaming in against the Amazoness would be useless, the best way to deal with them was to make sure that they never even know that they were being attacked.
Mersé however was different. Her usual strategy for dealing with monsters was intimidation. And so with a yell did she charge in with the rest of her unit. As one did the two different sects of the nation fight side by side…
Or so they should have. Reaching the place, they couldn't help but notice that something was off. It was the sounds… or more accurately, the lack thereof.
"What… where are the damned Amazoness?" Mersé asked as she looked around but there was no sign of them. Wilmarina stayed silent, standing up she looked on at the place. The reports weren't usually wrong and it was said that there were multiple sightings of Amazoness around this place.
There were signs that they were here, but the weapons rack was empty and there were none in sight. The only reason why they wouldn't be here is if…
Wilmarina's eyes widened. The dread built up in her spine as she turned towards Mersé. "We need to get back to the village." She commanded. They were out on a hunt, and the only settlement here for miles would be the village nearby, the village that Elt was protecting.
She didn't hesitate, as soon as she processed that information she at a speed far beyond what normal humans could accomplish. But it was no use, even with this immense speed, it would take too long for her to return to the village.
Elt wiped the brow off his face as he tilled another spot of soil. He and the rest of the men decided to help out while they can. With the help of the village elder, they were able to grab some farming supplies before they each began to work.
As Elt moved to till more land, he was approached by the village elder.
"I can't thank you enough, young man. If not for you then this place would've been long gone. I would give you a gift, but unfortunately, we lack any supplies to reward you." The old man told Elt who just smiled in response.
"Don't worry, I understand what it's like to go hungry and I'd hate it if you all suffered from it," Elt stated as he struck the soil with the hoe in his hands. "Besides, the ones you should be thanking are the heroes. Without them, the Amazoness would've taken you all." He stated. That just caused the old man to sigh and shake his head.
"Honestly speaking, the Amazoness are just another one of our problems. Remove the Amazoness and we would've simply starved. Most of the young men left for the capital in hopes of a better life, I can't blame them but because of it we lack the manpower to even feed ourselves." The old man stated before he let out a heavy sigh. He sat down on one of the wooden benches, his cane firmly in his hands.
"Is it always like this over here?" Elt asked. This was the first time he's seen the state of the country outside of the capital. He thought that it was better here, how the pictures distributed in Lescatie's capital spoke of a place where honest men worked for a living, with bountiful crops and well-fed populations. Looking at this place, he realized how wrong those pictures were.
"...I'm afraid so, I asked the other villages nearby for aid but the story there is much the same." The old man stated. "I even traveled to the capital itself for aid, but all they ever cared about are matters of monsters… it's a cynical thought, but perhaps I should thank the Amazoness. Without them, you would've never come here." The old man stated.
"...I see." He stated out loud. That revelation was something that he already knew from the back of his mind. But seeing it now, he was forced to face that thought. Lescatie was a broken nation, a grand castle built on brittle foundations. He was a loyal soldier to this country, it was the one that birthed him and gave him everything he had now.
But it was also the one that took away everything he loved before. It took away his parents, his old friends, and his old home. He loved Lescatie, but he saw that it was a broken nation. All it would take is but a single action and this fortress built on brittle stilts would fall.
The worst part was that Elt couldn't do anything about it. Even with his newfound strength, he couldn't find it within himself to face off against the established order.
"I'm sorry, I wish I could help in any way…" He stated, apologizing for his lack of action. The man smiled, he gestured towards the soldiers working the fields and to Elt himself.
"You already are." The old man stated with a smile before he looked on at himself.
"Oh, where are my manners. I should introduce myself. My name is Leopold." The man stated. As expected, he had no surname which was typical for commoners who lived on the outskirts. He exteneded his hands towards Elt's, waiting for the red-haired soldier to shake it.
Elt looked on before he smiled. He grabbed the man's hand before he shook it.
"Elt." He stated with a small smile. Even if it was just a little, he'd try to help out for as much as he can.
Suddenly did he hear the sounds of a horn coming from one of the entrance. The soldiers who were once tilling the farms looked up, their gaze hardening as they realized what it meant.
Then, another horn blew.
And then another.
Suddenly all sides of the village were locked in a cacophony of horns before suddenly the sounds of metal clashing with one another permeated through the outskirts of the village.
Immediately, the men went to action. Grabbing their weapons before moving in to guard the entrances. Elt bit his lip before he turned his head towards the village elder. "Leopold, get everyone in the village and make sure to stay inside. I'll try to minimize the damage." He told the old man who simply nodded.
"Young man, be careful… these harlots are nothing like what you were taught," Leopold warned. Elt paused at that, from what he knows they were vicious and bloodthirsty monsters, weren't they? They enslave and kill all in their way to satiate their sick bloodlust.
Or at least that's what the Order told him. Looking at the village, the Order also told him that this place was an ideal land where food is plentiful and where families live an honest life. The sights here caused him pause, but even still he wouldn't let these monsters take these people. They already suffered enough, they need not suffer any longer.
"...I'll keep that in mind," Elt stated before he moved to a higher position to see what was going on. When he did, his eyes widened at what he saw. They were outnumbered and they had the village surrounded. He could already see some of his comrades being taken away and slashed with their foul demonic weaponry.
Elt pulled out his blade but then he remembered his promise to Mersé. He couldn't reveal his newfound strength, in that case, he'll try his best to keep everyone alive while holding back. Even now, her orders permeated in his mind.
Gritting his teeth he moved in to help his fellow soldiers.
On the outskirts of the village, a dark-skinned woman with runes covering her skin looked on at the village with a grin on her face. The plan was going smoothly, using the information given to them they managed to bait the heroes away from their targets.
Her name was Aera, and she was the leader of this particular tribe of Amazoness.
They had been a simple tribe at first, a relatively small one on the outskirts of Lescatie. Finding settlements to raid for husbands had been difficult. The only village close by didn't have many men as almost all of them had moved to the capital in search of a better life.
She cursed the incompetence of the Lecatie's higher-ups, if they managed their nation better then none of the men would've left their homes, to begin with.
They were at their ends when She appeared. Her beauty was far more than any in her tribe, her presence and power were far beyond anything she could comprehend. And when she listened in on Her goal, Her desires for this nation did she immediately kneel and pledge her allegiance to this great demoness.
"I want a world without suffering, without hate. Where all would do as they desire, guided by their basest instincts and their depraved minds. Where none would have to be shackled by human morality and where none would be ridiculed."
"Join me, my Dear Aera~ We'll paint this misguided country with the colors of our desires~"
Those words replayed in her mind over and over. It gave her and the rest of her tribe a purpose beyond simply hunting for husbands. She, along with the rest of the Radical Faction would change Lescatie to fit their ideal world. No more pain, no more suffering, simply an endless tide of pleasure and happiness.
In exchange for her pledging her allegiance, she bestowed upon her a gift. A plan to lure men into the village for them to take as their husbands and it worked. Armed with new demonic weaponry did they charge at the soldiers now stationed at their village.
"Charge my sisters! For your new husbands!" She yelled out as her sisters charged with a battle cry. Men were being taken left from right, felled by pleasure from the demonic weapons in their hands.
She had to admit, they fought valiantly but with their numbers, they would never be able to truly fight her off.
It was a victory for her and her sisters, for the Fourth… or so she had thought.
Elt grit his teeth as he pushed away an Amazoness who straddled one of his men before he pulled him to safety. The man was in a daze, his face melting in both pleasure and fear as he was hurried into the deeper sections of the village.
"Guard your flanks! Hold the line! Don't let them through!" Elt yelled out. His soldiers desperately tried to hold their flanks but it was no use. The Amazoness were not only more numerous, but they were also faster, stronger, and far more skilled in combat.
More and more of his men were slashed by their strange weaponry, oddly enough it didn't kill him. But the results would've been the same, their faces contorted into pleasure as they were struck. A mix of fear and lust invaded their minds as they struggled to stay up.
Some of the unlucky few were dragged away by the Amazoness to an unknown fate. It was clear that they wanted them all alive for some reason, he would not let them.
"Forward Charge! Take as many of them as you can! For your new husbands!" One of the Amazoness in the back of their lines shouted out.
Elt's brow rose at those words. 'Husbands? Wait… were they taking my comrades so that they could be their mates?' He thought to himself.
It was just speculation, but the Amazoness that were passing the houses were ignoring the females huddled within them. They were ignoring the grain and meat, they were ignoring the children too. This went against everything he was taught back at the order.
If they were anything like how they were described, all of those people within those houses would be dead. Not just dead, but brutalized beyond belief.
Something was up, and he found himself getting more and more suspicious of everything he was taught.
Of course, he can't trust these suspicions just because the Amazoness spared a few houses. For all he knew they had a more sinister purpose for all of them.
But looking at how they fought, they didn't even fight to kill. They fought to subdue, stun, and take. The weapons didn't even look like they were hurting his fellow soldiers.
It was clear, maybe just with this batch of monsters, that they weren't the bloodthirsty creatures he was taught to fear and hate. They weren't like anything he's faced back in The Lands Between.
But that didn't mean that they weren't dangerous. They didn't kill, but he couldn't let his comrades be faced with a fate that they never asked for.
It went against his beliefs, one that he unknowingly fought a god for back in the lands between. It was why he sided with Ranni out of all people, it was why he fought against the might of the Greater Will and the Golden Order.
But… his orders, he had to keep it.
But what were orders when his comrade's lives were on the line?
"Dammit! There's too many of them!"
"No, Please! Stop I have a family to feed!"
"Siegfried! Dammit, We Lost Him!"
"What's this feeling... Ugh... I can't think straight..."
He grits his teeth. His orders meant jack shit if they were all wiped out.
'I'm sorry Mersé …'
He heard their cries, their pleas. They wanted salvation, he shall answer.
With that, he charged with a speed that left even the Amazoness in front of him dazed. They didn't kill, so he'll return the favor by not doing the same. Using the blunt and wider side of his blade, he struck the Amazoness with enough force to knock them out.
That left them all in a daze. The air whipped around him as he moved, the force he exerted alone was enough to leave a trail on the dirt.
"A Hero!? Here!?" One of the Amazoness yelled out in surprise before she was stuck on the neck and knocked out.
He then proceeded to kick another into a group of them before he charged forward. He had one goal, the one in the ornate clothes, the one with the red gem spread around the body.
"Impossible! He didn't feel like one!?" One of them muttered before she too had the wind knocked out of her. He was struck a few times, and he grits his teeth as his body reacted violently to the strikes.
Whatever was happening to his body, it reacted differently to the demonic weapons than how his men did. Unknown to him, the runes that lay within his body fought off the demonic taint. He was resistant to its strikes, but that didn't mean that he was immune. His powers were sealed and so he would not be able to shrug off such attacks in this state.
He felt his body heat up, he was getting a little sluggish but it didn't change his onslaught. He turned to the one who was giving orders. It didn't take long for him to figure out what her role was in this attack.
She was the leader, if he took her out then the rest should follow suit. He didn't want to kill them, and right now he didn't need to. His power was enough that he didn't need to kill.
A deeper part of himself was tired of killing, He slaughtered his way through the lands between, and while his memories remained sealed it was clear that it wasn't something he had grown used to. These weren't the monsters he fought in those lands, therefore he won't fight them like the monsters in those lands.
But if his hands were forced then he would be left with no choice. Between his men and their lives, he would choose the former every time.
That being said, he doubted that what he did to them was painless, if the cracking bones and bruises he left were any indication then he doubted that they were having a pleasant time with him.
He fought his way through the horde, arrows flew, swords clashed, and monsters were taken down.
He changed his course when he heard the cries of one of the few remaining male villagers in the corner as he was pulled away from his home. He charged forth, vaulting over a wooden fence before he slammed his foot down onto the stunned Amazoness' form, knocking her down.
He skidded through the dirt before he turned to the man. His eyes widened at the sight, looking on in awe as Elt's form was bathed in the sunlight as if it was a message from the Chief Goddess herself.
"Get to the center of the village, you'll be safe there." He informed the boy before he charged back into the fight at speeds that left dust in the air.
He continued forward, taking down Amazoness after Amazoness. His blade swung through the air as he knocked the air out of another Amazoness. All while the leader's attention had been focused on him alone. A depraved and lecherous thought made its way to her mind, she would claim this red-haired warrior as her husband.
He got closer and closer to the leader before he knocked out the one next to her. Skidding across the floor, his form dug through the dirt as he stepped up and pointed his blade toward his foe.
"Call off the attack." He ordered, his voice both commanding and pleading with her to stop.
In response, the woman grinned. Her eyes looked at him as she observed his form before she nodded. "I see that you've taken out some of my finest warriors." She Stated as she took a step forward. She pulled out an axe, one gifted to her personally by her new lady before she pointed it at him.
"I've taken a liking to you, I'm reserving you for myself." She stated with a lustful grin.
She wasn't afraid, how could she be? The Hero(?) in front of her didn't kill any of her sisters. Her life wasn't in any form of danger, and to add to that her strength was boosted by her new Lady. With it, she'll take him as her new husband.
Elt looked on before he narrowed his eyes and pointed his blade at her. "Call off the attack, final warning." He stated once more, this time his voice had more force on it.
It was a voice that befitted the man who took down the gods, and it was a voice that made Aera desire him even more.
"When I take you as my husband, I'll make sure to melt that cold look on your face with a pleasure you've never felt." She stated with a lecherous grin.
Elt slightly cringed at the look she gave him, but said nothing else as he prepared for the coming fight. 'No other choice, then... Need to finish this quick or else...' Elt thought to himself as he focused on his target.
No more words were said. With that, the two of them charged.
Author's Notes:
Cue the classic cliffhanger ending. Alright, there are a lot of things to talk about in this chapter. With this, the plot should be picking up a bit. I had to redo this chapter multiple times actually, mostly because I wasn't satisfied with how it turned up originally. I am satisfied with it now, and it'd let me flow onto the next plot point.
First things first, we have our first actual Elden Ring character appearing and he isn't exactly friendly with Elt for multiple reasons. Some you may already know, and others you might not. If Sir Gideon Ofnir, The All-Knowing is acting a bit different from canon, there are a few reasons for that. First is because it's been quite sometime chronologically between Elt's return and Gideon's arrival. The second reason would be revealed in the next chapter.
Secondly, first mention of the Fourth-Born. Gonna say it now, she's a bit different from canon. In what way? I think it's best if you all see for yourself. Druella in her canon version wasn't really explored much, so that's why she may seem a little AU.
Thirdly, on the matter of Demonic Energy and whether or not it could affect Elt at all. For the sake of this fic, I'll say that it does. I know some people would argue that due to Elt's nature as a Tarnished and connection to the Erdtree that he might not get affected by such a thing. But I want the monsters to be an actual threat, at least in the early stages of the story. Though I will say he can't undergo monsterization, the other effects of Demonic Energy would still apply.
In any case, that's it for the chapter. As always, criticism would be much appreciated, and leave any complaints in the reviews.
Whamo out!