CHAPTER 6:

PREPARATIONS

After the initial uneasy meeting, Harry and Hermione opted to help Ranni, or at least consider her offer of an additional boon in exchange for healing her mother. Ranni had repaid the boon from returning (at least temporarily) her doll by giving Harry an enchanted bell. The Spirit Calling Bell was a keepsake of her brother Godwyn's, and it allowed the user to summon restless spirits of the dead who had not yet returned to the Erdtree. Instead, they resided in enchanted ashes.

So it was, the next day, that Harry and Hermione were gathered around a scrying bowl of Ranni's, with Delphi and Teddy being babysat by Andromeda and Nepheli. Blaidd was off on business elsewhere, trying to trace the whereabouts of a traitor to Ranni's cause. As they looked at the cluster of elegant buildings on a hill, Hermione remarked, "Is that Raya Lucaria? It looks beautiful."

"Indeed," Ranni said, as aurora-like ribbons of light danced between the buildings. "But even before it fell to neglect and decay, the scholars were infamous for infighting. 'Twas my mother who brought them to heel, and for a time, Queen Rennala was considered the greatest champion of Raya Lucaria, uniting the Royal House of Caria with the Academy. But when my father betrayed her…she fell into despair, and the nobles and scholars, believing her to be no champion at all, took advantage."

"How did he betray her?" Harry asked.

"I've been studying this," Hermione said. "When the Golden Order was first established, it began a war of conquest against the rest of the Lands Between. It took time for them to come to Liurnia, but Rennala managed to fight them to a standstill. Lord Radagon, one of the greatest generals of the Golden Order, became besotted with Rennala, and eventually, he became one of the loudest voices for peace. After a treaty was signed, Radagon and Rennala wed, and had three children: Ranni, Radahn, and Rykard."

Ranni nodded. "But soon after the wars of the Golden Order ended, Lord Godfrey was banished from the Lands Between, along with many of his followers. They lost their Grace, or rather, they were divested of it. Thus, they became the first Tarnished. Godfrey left behind three children. I hath mentioned Godwyn to thee already, but there were the Omen Twins, Morgott and Mohg. Though the Golden Order would rather they be forgotten."

"Omen twins? Sounds ominous," Harry said.

"Omens are like ogres or trolls. Remember Hewg? The Misbegotten and Omens are not-dissimilar creatures, though Omens are generally larger, and have horns growing from much of their body," Hermione said, though she scowled at some thought. On Harry's look, she said, "They either have their horns removed from birth, a process that is often fatal, or are imprisoned in dungeons."

"The latter happens only to those Omens born to royal or noble blood. Morgott, despite his imprisonment, became a loyal lapdog of the Golden Order, while Mohg…he became something worse." Ranni shook her head. "But enough of them. When Lord Godfrey was exiled, Radagon was chosen as consort to Queen Marika. He abandoned my mother, which broke her heart and mind. He left her with two gifts, his Red Wolf, and an amber egg containing a Great Rune, one that promised rebirth. I felt helpless as my mother slid further into madness. For all the Golden Order's claims of perfection, it did little to cure the ailments that plague these lands. My half-sister, Malenia, was cursed from birth with the Crimson Rot, the dubious boon of an Outer God, much like the Flame of Frenzy or the Greater Will. Her twin brother, Miquella, never grew to maturity. I tried everything in my power to cure my mother, but to no avail. And when my body was slain, she became even more deranged."

"So you tried everything you could?" Hermione asked.

"My knowledge of Sorcery is comprehensive. I will not be so arrogant as to claim it absolutely so, but there art few Sorcerers I could name who could be a rival to me in knowledge. The renegade Sorceress Sellen is perhaps one. But she would hath no cause to help my mother. When my body died, my mother became obsessed with bringing me back to life. I hath tried to stop her…but to no avail. And I dare not try again, lest she be used against me by my enemies. And this…is what became of her."

The viewpoint, which had been circling around the very top of Raya Lucaria, zoomed in, revealing a vast round chamber, lined with bookshelves. Hanging from the ceiling were what looked like oversized cradles, along with chandeliers. And floating in the air, cradling an amber egg while reclined, was what had to be Queen Rennala.

Clad in dark blue robes, with a strange, curved golden cap on her head, her face was a pale beauty, short dark hair just visible beneath her crown. She seemed oblivious to everything, barring that amber egg she cradled. Ranni reached a hand out to her mother's image almost unconsciously, before withdrawing it.

And then, they heard it. Eerie singing, of children in chorus. And they saw the source, robed figures, crawling along the ground, children, dark-haired girls in their early teens at the latest, with vacant vacuous stares and grins. And all with the same face.

"Sleep tight, bound tight,

By Mother's Amber,

Sleep tight, find life,

In Mother's Umbra…"

"Merlin…what are they? What happened to them?" Hermione hissed in horror.

"Mother's favoured students," Ranni said quietly. "Reshaped imperfectly by the Great Rune of Rebirth into poor facsimiles of my own form as a child. Mother tries to bring me back, and to her, these students art her children. The rebirthing is imperfect, though, and their bodies degrade swiftly. So much so that Mother has to use the Great Rune to bring them back to life. By now, rebirthing is as sleep to them, and the memories of their former lives hath long since faded into shadow. Of the Shardbearers' fate, only my brother Radahn's is less enviable."

Harry noted that Hermione was peering at Rennala intently, once her initial horror was over. Something occurred to him. "Hermione…is it me, or does she resemble what happened to Neville's parents?"

Hermione nodded. "But unless her madness was caused by something other than heartbreak, the analogy is imperfect."

"What dost thou mean?" Ranni asked.

"One of our friends, Neville Longbottom…his parents were tortured with a vile curse known as the Cruciatus, which inflicts agony on the victim," Harry explained. "Despite their best efforts, the Healers at St Mungo's, a wizarding hospital, could not cure them. Still…did anyone attack your mother with magic or a curse after Radagon left?"

"More than a few, but none with any curse like that thou hath described. Indeed, I know naught of any such thing myself," Ranni mused.

"What about mental attacks?" Hermione asked. "We have a branch of magic, Legilimency, which is a sort of mind-reading, but it can be used to attack the mind."

"Mind-reading is a rare art even amongst the scholars of Raya Lucaria. However, if someone did know this, and wished to attempt to discern my mother's secrets…" Ranni broke off. "Damnation…I doth not believe I hath considered that. But the art is rare, and even I hath never mastered it. I am a master of illusion magic, true, but I am unable to read minds. However, many Preceptors hath been. Not Seluvis, I hasten to say, but the Preceptors loyal to Radagon included many who knew such things."

"And unfortunately, we can't tell much from patient history, not that we're Healers or psychologists," Hermione said, biting her lip thoughtfully. "However, Harry and I know Diagnostic Charms that can give a basic rundown of both physical and mental health, and I know Legilimency. We also have a number of potions that might help. If her madness is caused by a poison, we have a few potential antidotes. Mind-enhancing potions might help her mental state. But Ranni, I can't promise we can cure your mother."

"Nay, I understand. Thou doth not wish to make promises thou cannot keep," Ranni said with a wave of her hand. "As long as thou doth not worsen her condition, I appreciate the effort made."

"Then why ask us?" Harry asked.

Ranni hesitated briefly, before saying, "I need help to further my plans. But I am slow to trust. I learned of thee both through Delphi, and mine own observations. Delphi looks up to thee as a hero, just as I once did to my own father, and I hoped that thou prove thyself to be of better character than Radagon, Harry. In one way, this is a test of trust, but I also had hope that mayhap thy magic could do something to aid my mother, something I could not." Her eyes, one spectral, the other real, both glowing blue, met their gazes. "My mother is the only family I hath left that I love, and would return that love…nay, that is not true…there is Blaidd, and another, but…a sad state of affairs, is it not? And if truth be told, I feel…much alike Harry."

"Me?"

"I will not tell thee the full story yet…but know that thou art not the only one to hath a fate dictated to thee from on high, to hath thine life stage-managed like a mummer, Boy Who Lived," Ranni said, her emphasis on Harry's title chilling. "Lauded with hollow platitudes, a fame and fate thrust upon me without my say, and at first, I was foolish enough to consider it the highest honour. 'Tis an imperfect comparison, of course, but I know what that is like regardless."

"The problem may be getting there. Then again, broomstick flight might be a good way to bypass that," Harry mused, trying to take his mind off the previous subject. "Ranni, what are the aerial defences of this place like?"

"Fair. The main aerial defences are Avionette Soldiers, animated puppets with wings. But the greatest defence of Raya Lucaria is the Glintstone Ward, barring access to any without a Glintstone Key. Worry not, though, as I can engineer more that will allow thee passage. Another potential problem may be Smarag, a Glintstone Dragon not unlike Adula who hath taken up residence not far from Raya Lucaria. As long as he is not in the skies, though, if thou fly high enough, neither he nor the Avionette Soldiers will bother thee, I believe. After that, the problem will be to subdue my mother and her students."

She then waved her hand, and a new image showed itself, showing a man in bloodstained armour entering the room, looking around, only for him to note one of the rebirthed scholars biting playfully at his ankles. Viciously, the man kicked the scholar, hard enough for an audible crack to be heard, and the scholar, still wearing a demented, if bloodstained, grin lacking teeth, fell limp, neck broken. "Damned anklebiter," the knight snarled. "What is this place, a nursery?"

As he became surrounded by the giggling scholars, Hermione frowned. "What is this? A recording?"

Ranni nodded. "My mother, as a Shardbearer, a bearer of a Great Rune, attracts belligerent Tarnished seeking to become Elden Lord. Some attempt to negotiate with her, a futile task in her madness. Others doth not even consider such niceties. This one was one of the most ruthless. He came closest to slaying my mother. I show thee this not only to hath thee understand how to subdue my mother and those scholars, but also to understand that, even if I hath not succeeded in curing my mother, I hath ensured she is protected."

The Tarnished was glaring as Rennala descended from the ceiling. "Mad Queen of Raya Lucaria, Whore of the Full Moon, surrender your Great Rune at once, and you may yet be spared!"

"…Hush little culver," Rennala said, her voice warm, maternal, and musical, with none of the edge that would have betrayed her madness. Indeed, the only clue to her madness was her utter detachment from the threat the Tarnished had made. "Soon, I shall birth thee anew as a sweeting, fresh and pure." A golden shell surrounded her, shortly before the Tarnished had enough and fired an arrow at her.

"Cowardly slattern! If you won't face me with the dignity your former station demands, then I will make you face me!" the knight roared, before he began attacking the scholars crawling around. The scholars fought back, using spells to hurl books and orreries, or breathe fire on the Tarnished. All the while, they smiled and giggled vacuously, with some singing the same lullaby from earlier.

"…I don't know what's disturbing me more, this man's ruthlessness, or the scholars acting so childishly as they attack him," Hermione said.

"To them, a battle of life and death means little when they can be rebirthed anew," Ranni said solemnly. "Such a battle is little more than exciting play. Witness, then…my mother is about to birth them anew."

Sure enough, Rennala intoned, "Come, sweetings, time to be born anew."

The slain bodies rose into the air on pillars of golden light, before more identical bodies dropped down, and began attacking anew. After a moment, the knight attacked in more precise ways, attacking those who seemed to be singing, golden light coming from them. Killing them seemed to break, and then shatter, the field around Rennala, and she plummeted to the floor, with the knight dashing up to her and slashing at her viciously. Rennala screamed in pain, and Harry had to admit, it was distressing to hear.

The knight then kicked the woman away, her crown coming off, revealing her short mop of dark hair. "Pathetic…you were the one to hold back Radagon? How the mighty have fallen. For my master, the Lord of Blood…die now!"

Rennala was crawling towards her amber egg, which seemed to be leaking. "Hath no fear. I will hold thee. Hath patience…for ye will be countless born, forever and ever," she said, seemingly oblivious to the murderous intent of the knight.

But then, darkness came from the egg, a solid shadow that concealed everything, save for the knight. "What damned trickery is this?!" he roared.

They then heard Ranni's familiar rasp in the recording. "It is thee who art damned, Bloody Finger. Damned by thine actions towards my mother, damned by thine cruelty and bloodlust, damned by thine allegiance to the Lord of Blood."

"…Ranni the Witch…so my lord was correct after all…you didn't die during the Night of the Black Knives after all, you slattern! Come out and face me, whore of a witch!"

Ranni's voice, already cold, became colder still. "And who art thou, O rabid hound, to demand such things of me? Thou disturbed my mother's rich slumber, demanding her life, to which thou hath no claim. And thy vulgar language is an affront, not to mention false. I am not as promiscuous as thou would be if thou were not a repulsive wretch."

"I claim all that I will by power and rite of conquest! That is all that matters in the world! Mayhap after claim your mother's life, I will come to claim your own, you sorcerous cunt, along with your body!"

A cold chuckle, before a form appeared, outlined in light, one that resolved itself into Rennala, but standing, proud and aloof, pointing her staff at the knight. As a full moon appeared behind Rennala, reflected in the water the floor seemed to become, Ranni continued. "O, foul trespasser…thou doth need an education in what power truly means. Thy demise shalt send a message far and wide, of the true power of the last Queen of Caria, Rennala of the Full Moon, and of the dark majesty of her conjured night."

Ranni banished the vision. "As thou did see, when I fear that my mother is in true danger, I summon her attackers into a pocket dimension briefly, pitting them against an illusion of my mother in her prime. Lesser than the reality, but still more than enough to see off any belligerents. That knight, a Bloody Finger, did not die well. Once he had been subdued, I gave him to Mother to rebirth, once I had her healed. He lasted but a few days in his new form. Bloody Fingers murder their fellow Tarnished on the urging of the Lord of Blood, his fate was well-deserved. But his words and actions offended me most out of every intruder."

"Yeah…he was rather rude, wasn't he?" Harry asked. "I mean, I swear a lot lately, except in front of Delphi and Teddy, but…wow. Words fail me. I mean, aside from 'good riddance'. And aside from being violent, was it me, or was he threatening to rape you?" He shook his head. "Are all the Bloody Fingers like that?"

"Sadly, he was amongst the worst of them, though they are vile, repellent creatures as a whole," Ranni said. "Even the Recusants of my brother, Praetor Rykard, have a point to make in their atrocities. In any case, I wish thee the best of luck. Even should thou fail, as long as my mother hath not been harmed, 'twas worth attempting."

"…I hope we can do something," Harry muttered. Not because he wanted a demigod in his debt, he should add. Ranni was better as an ally than as an enemy, assuming her nature was a good one.

No, his saving people thing was flaring up again. And maybe, between himself and Hermione, they could save Rennala from herself…

CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:

So, there you have it. Ranni, Harry and Hermione are making plans. But can they bring Rennala to her senses?

Now, if Ranni seems OOC, there's some reason for it. I do feel that she is a bit too quick to trust the Tarnished in the game, especially so soon after (in some playthroughs) they attacked her mother. I also wanted to portray her in a more nuanced and slightly more moral light, to explain why she seemingly hasn't done more to help her mother. This is also to smooth the way for the later pairing.

This Ranni isn't quick to trust, but she is a pragmatist, and one who has known of Harry, Hermione and their lives thanks mostly to Delphi, as well as eavesdropping on them. She wants to trust them, but she also knows that they may object to what she did, so she is handling the narrative and revealing things to them on her terms. But unlike Dumbledore, Ranni fully intends to tell them the truth, she's just ensuring that they're ready to hear it.

As for the Anklebiters (my own personal name for Rennala's juvenile scholars she rebirths continuously), I reckon they're basically recreations of Ranni as she was when younger, though with dark hair. Originally, I actually had this notion that Ranni, when she was an adult and prior to the Night of Long Knives, looked a bit like Carole Ann Ford, aka Susan Foreman from Doctor Who, but with dark red hair. However, there is a Youtube video on the Elden Ring Guides channel that posits a fairly plausible theory that one of the portraits in Raya Lucaria depict Ranni prior to the death of her original body. Considering that said painting is next to a portrait of Rennala herself, it's a plausible enough theory.

Review-answering time! iiNeo: I was actually going to respond to you via PM for this one, but you disabled your PMs. It wasn't super-aggressive, but the tone did need work, but if you led with your enjoyment, or else put it in the same review after the criticism (which I do say is still a valid one), I would have been less nettled. And I'm glad you enjoyed the dialogue. Dialogue and character interaction are my strong points, as opposed to plot structure, worldbuilding, and describing action scenes (whether it be in fights…or in lemons).

I should also point out that it was hard trying to engineer a way to plausibly pair Harry with Ranni. A number of my prior attempts had Harry as a reincarnation of someone Ranni knew, and even one had Hermione be a reincarnation of Ranni. Ranni, even at her most moral interpretation, would be somewhat dark for Harry's liking, so laying down the groundwork for the eventual pairing is more difficult than it seems. Despite their similarities, there's also enough differences that the pairing can be difficult to engineer…though far from impossible, and often rewarding. Believe me, I've done stranger pairings. Tiamat from Fate/Grand Order and Daniela Dimitrescu from Resident Evil: Village are some noteworthy examples.

delphinous: Harry doesn't know about the details of how to arrange such a ritual, and it's still repulsive enough that he may not ever consider it. However, while I haven't exactly favourited it, I did read through parts of Cambrian Beckett's Maidenless No Longer, and Ranni, upon gaining the Dark Moon Ring, is reborn as an Empyrean again, albeit as one out from under the Two Fingers' thumb…so to speak, and she has her own physical body again, so I'll do a variation…without the lemons, I'm no good at writing those.

Wall1114: Sadly, you're not wrong. If I play Soulsborne games too often, and ONLY Soulsborne games have this effect mind you, I have a weird stress reaction that includes chronic insomnia. I only get insomnia from playing normal games if I play them too late at night. They're certainly not games I would recommend to those with heart conditions or anything exacerbated by stress. Elden Ring is comparatively easier compared to Dark Souls and Bloodborne, but that's only because, if you run up against a brick wall like a frustrating boss, you can go off, explore the world, do a bit of grinding, and come back with new equipment that can help you beat them.

But if you want a better insight into the lore, you can't go wrong with the videos of VaatiVidya. His takes on interpreting the lore may not necessarily be the definitive version, but they're usually bloody good. Hell, his latest Prepare to Cry video, The Warrior Within, has made a quantum leap in production values (thanks to some new collaborators), so much so that the lore he's elucidating, which is a bit subpar compared to what he usually does (specifically focusing on the Warrior Jars and Diallos of House Honslow), nonetheless comes to life in a compelling way.

Guest: Well, I daresay Charlie Weasley would be. Harry's interactions with most Dragons will be fraught, but there may be more benign ones with Adula, Lansseax, and Greyoll. While Harry isn't Godwyn's reincarnation, many people will be drawing comparisons between Harry and Godwyn as the story goes by. Lansseax in particular will see this.

LancsKid: That's no accident. I was inspired by Sir Gideon's appellation in the first place, and posted a challenge along those lines, positing that Hermione was his daughter somehow. This story is based on that very challenge.

No numbered annotations this time.