A Kingly Endeavour
Rated: R for Ranni's rampage
Discaimer: Elden Ring belongs to Fromsoft and Fate/ franchise to TypeMoon
Chapter 2: Merry Merchant
The Shattering had made the red wearing merchant experience the strangest thing and still the Lands Between only surprised him. The Tarnished, once exiles by the decree of the Golden Order were now flooding back into the Lands Between and to Kale it was starting to become a routine. Many stepped forth from the underground shrine, only to be met with death that rode a gilded stallion and its tree shaped rider. He supposed that these golden knights had been tasked by the Veiled King or whoever commanded Leyndell to hunt down the returning warriors and cut their ambitions short.
He had seen many a men and women cut down in their prime as the Grace had abandoned them and still they came. Supposedly it was good business all the same. Underneath his face mask, the silver haired man sighed as with his spare spyglass he noticed that one such being was walking down the grassy road, stopping briefly to take in the sights. Why in the Fingers name was the man completely naked?! Clad in blood, carrying two swords and a satchel over his shoulder. Upon closer inspection he did scarcely believe his eyes.
The demigod that sauntered through the wild completely naked was as if seeing a being carved from marble by a divine sculptor. The broad chest and chiselled muscles may have enchanted many a maiden, but the golden hair had no compare, perhaps that of the Godwyn the Murdered, but he was not sure. Two square earrings of gold hung from his ears and adorning the naked canvas was a golden necklace of ovals that jiggled against the muscle. Most perplexingly, this man was painted in crimson inks that covered the entirety of his upper body, like ribbons wrapping around large biceps and shoulder blades, breaking away as they touched the front of the Tarnished's body. Had Marika really been so brash to exile another of her children, a secret bastard to the throne or was it Miquella grown into adulthood.
Nay, his body behaved far differently from the stories and the sun kissed skin was far from the cherubic pallor of the Haligtree's creator. If the youngest Empyrean was of kind disposition and acted as such, then there was unmistakable arrogance in the way this newcomer strode. It was as if he expected the entire world to bend to his every little whim. He seemed like an interesting sort, the merchant thought and watched the man as he headed in the dilapidated Church's direction.
And then there was the brave knight riding forth to rid the world of another Tarnished.
The Golden Halberd would have spelled the end of the hapless fool, but with a nimbleness that was of a lion, the golden man jumped back where the polearm struck the ground. Tossing the sack on the ground, the Tarnished warrior smirked and shook his head at the knight saying something that caused the horse to exhale sharply in anger and its rider attempt to crush his opponent into bloody pulp. As the halberd descended, he awaited the grisly and inevitable end of the Tarnished, who had bravely met the noble Tree Sentinel. Perhaps he could sell the two golden swords and the jewellery the blonde had worn in his life.
Yet it was not to be as the sword wielding warrior jumped atop the halberd. Did he really run across the massive weapon and jump onto the steed's neck? Scarcely believing to what his eyes saw, Kale blinked, and it was enough for the battle to be over. With wide eyes the merchant couldn't believe that the brave knight had fallen so quickly and ignobly.
One sword had pierced the Knight through his visor and the same fate had claimed his noble mount as the second blade was pulled free, dripping hot crimson from the horse's ear. Dispassionately the Tarnished, who was no mere Tarnished at all jumped down from the body and shook his head at the corpse.
What a curious individual, not caring about the solid gold armour or the fine weapons the knight had wielded, instead he picked up the satchel that had been left behind and was rapidly approaching the church. Faster than his legs moved on a bad day, the crimson cloaked man ran back to his fireplace and picked his lute up. It would be best if he appeared to be a friendly sort. For he, himself was no match for the Tree Sentinel and therefore the Tarnished, who had quickly slain the towering man.
Soon enough the Tarnished did appear.
So unconcerned for modesty that he let that monstrosity swing freely as he approached Kale. Hopefully he couldn't have any nasty tastes, right, Fingers Divine?
"Greetings Tarnished-" he tried to sound welcoming, but seeing those baleful crimson eyes, with pupils almost like slits made whatever words he may have had struck in his throat.
"Last mongrel who dared to call me that drowned slowly in his own blood" the voice this Tarnished, nay demigod possessed was too regal, too smooth, too deep, too powerful to belong to an ordinary man. Who in Flame's name was he?!
" Thousand apologies my lord, I am a mere merchant" it was as if a dragon was gazing at him with the intent to make a fine roast out of him.
"I am Kale, Purveyor of fine goods" The peddler stammered and immediately bowed before the naked demigod whose wrath seemed to subside somewhat, yet still he could feel the wrath of those evil eyes looking at him.
"Oh, a mongrel that knows his place" he dared not to gaze upon the ruthless warrior standing before him "It is delightful that at least there are those who recognize their folly early."
"Who are you, noble lord?" Kale asked through gritted teeth and laughter like Leyndell bells was the answer.
"My Legend has not reached these lands, alas it is to be expected of those living under the cur that has moved me to this place" the golden man sneered, and he had met arrogant persons before. It was best for the merchant to let them rant and then fake sympathy, before enticing them to make a purchase.
"I am Gilgamesh of Uruk, peddler and I require recompense for your insult"
"What do you mean Lord Gilg-"
"I did not allow you to use my name, mongrel, do not use it lest you wish to be departed of your tongue" a golden sword, which now clearly had belonged to one of Godrick's misbegotten, grafted spawn, was pointed at his face, the flame of his bonfire flickering as the sword had moved.
"Thousand apologies, your grace" staying alive meant more than anything right now "how can I ever show you the sincerity of my words?"
Gilgamesh had seemed deep in thought and scratched his chin, looking down on his with an air of superiority, as if Kale was a particularly neat insect that he could step on at will. It was nothing new and the sooner he was gone, the better it would be for him.
"Let me peruse your stock and should I find what I am looking for, then your life will be spared" the sword was retracted from his head and quietly the merchant breathed with relief, stumbling up to his feet and running to his faithful donkey to open his backpack
"May I suggest a thing that may be useful in your travels?" with nervous fingers the merchant picked up the bundled crafting kit. It was definitely most useful and probably this madman would find some use of it.
"A crafting kit allows you to make basic items on your own. Essential really, if you intend to survive out here for any duration. The kit costs a bundle, but for royalty I can give it away for free" Kale offered the brown leather sack, and the crimson eyed blackguard took it, before looking at the rest of his stock.
"I shall require your books as well, mongrel." The crafting kit had vanished into the bag and Gilgamesh pointed his hand at the recipe books and notes the merchant had collected during his stay here.
"As you wish, lord" he nodded and wondered if his life was really worth the measly 1700 runes, but it was a bargain, he thought about it honestly. He hoped that the man would vanish soon afterwards, but instead the bloody warrior walked a dozen steps from him and plopped onto the ground where the grace had manifested.
"Curious, most curious" the man said to himself and plunged his fist into its depths, before pulling out the Golden Halberd, which the Tree Sentinel had wielded, albeit smaller.
Then he started laughing.
"So, I was right!" Gilgamesh smiled vindictively "My treasures are not lost to me, merely displaced! Once my greatest treasure is within my grasp, I will show you the wrath of the King"
Kale really needed to get out of this place as soon as possible.
Soon Gilgamesh had left, sauntering off towards the forest, the Golden Halberd swung over his shoulder and the satchel hanging from his body. With a breath of relief, Kale quickly started to pack, no longer this was a safe place.
A hooded crimson haired girl quietly watched with her one good eye from the site of grace that was wedged between the camp of Godrick's soldiers and the first gate of Castle Stormveil. She had seen many a Tarnished, yet none had shown promise or were too quickly cut off from the Grace to fulfil her mission, her mother, Queen Marika had granted her. Bodiless as she might have been, she found that it had given her boons that would handily increase her chances of survival until she found the true Tarnished who would fulfil her hopes and eventually burn the Erdtree. He had killed the Scion so casually and even as she did not possess that much time, she made sure that this golden man would survive to find the way to Stormveil and subsequently herself. A faint tinge of red covered her cheeks as she recalled the statuesque blonde man, she had found laying onto the floor beneath the Fringefolk Hero's Grave, she wondered what had become of him.
Nighttime was slowly coming, and she envied those who had a body and yet still lived. Sleep was as foreign to her as was the sky to the Nox. At the edge of the camp, she could hear sounds of battle, she spied Godsworn, their wolves and hounds, even knights running towards the opposite end of their camp, screams of pain beckoning them.
After only a minute it ceased and the bodiless maiden wondered had it been another Tarnished who had been felled, who had lost their grace. Instead, no knight or Godsworn returned, no barking and howling of the wolves could be heard in the stillness of the night. What in Greater Will's name had happened?
Slowly a familiar figure walked out of the dark evening and into the light of the Grace. Its golden rays illuminated his body, casting shadow around the Tarnished, yet her gut told her that this man was so much more. She turned her head away to mask her blush at his chiselled anatomy and …other things… before realizing that she was invisible to his eye. She breathed quietly and watched as the man knelt by the bonfire and clicked his tongue in annoyance as he put his hand inside the Grace and then the brown satchel.
"I see you woman" two crimson orbs and a too charming face turned in her direction. Melina squawked in terror and broke the invisibility that had had hid her from the world.
"Greetings. Traveller from beyond the fog. I Am Melina. You startled me, good sir"
"Do not be ashamed of your lusts" he smirked "It is natural to be aroused by perfection"
It made her more than aware of her lack of body right now, which was both a blessing and a curse. Was this man some sort of deviant? She certainly hoped that he was not anything like the abhorrent Dung Eater, who had unspeakably defiled his maiden as he was awakened by Grace.
"I am more surprised at this shamelessness, traveller" she shook her head, trying not to look at…that "Yet it is not why I have waited for you"
"Have you?" he raised an eyebrow and pulled out the shield of Erdtree from the Grace, before promptly shoving it back in "Perhaps then you may know who was the cur that whisked me here from my throne?"
"That I do not know, however, have you heard of the finger maidens?" she asked and seeing the blonde man shake his head continued "They serve the Two Fingers, offering guidance, and aid, to the Tarnished. But you, I am afraid, are maidenless-"
Apparently, her possible ally was incensed by this as his hand was wrapped around one of the hilts of the golden swords once wielded by the Grafted Scions.
"Do refrain of insulting me. There have been more women than trees in these forests that have felt my blessings on their undeserving bodies" the blonde snarled
"My apologies, it was not intended as so, but I can play the role of maiden." Melina averted her one good eye from him "Turning rune fragments into strength. To aid you in your search for the Elden Ring. You need only take me with you. To the foot of the Erdtree."
"How can you turn these rune fragments into strength?" crossing arms over his immaculate chest, the man huffed in a way that was so different from his previously regal persona. Still, it was impossible for a man to look this beautiful and she had heard of Radagon, Godfrey and the charms of the demigods, but seeing such perfection in person did…things…for her. Was she deficient in some way that the blood on his rock-solid abdominal muscles made her even more attracted to the Tarnished whose name she did not know? With golden earrings and jewellery, not to mention those crimson eyes of a predator, he was exotic enough to turn heads for even the most decadent of nobility.
"I wish to know your name first, sir?"
"What a pitiful world was I brought to" he shook his head and stood up from the site of Grace, the golden portal barely covering a certain appendage "Listen well, woman! I am Giglamesh of Uruk, King of Heroes, the Wedge of Heaven, I ruled my world when it was one and shall do so again when I will kill the mongrel who brought me here!"
"You are not a Tarnished?" Melina asked and was subjected to an obliterating glance that reduced her to a bug underneath his feet.
"I cannot be Tarnished! Me, Gilgamesh, who was chosen by the Creator Anu to be sovereign under heaven to be dirtied by anyone- impossible!" he shook his head and Melina was left speechless as nothing he said made sense, but the conviction in his voice was certain. It was madness, but he did not seem like he was a madman.
"Then King of Heroes" the bodiless maiden used the title as she thought he would not her permit to use his name "lay your hand on mine and you will see the boon I bring"
Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow but acquiesced to her demand and placed his large hand into hers and she was overwhelmed. With wide eyes she looked at the demigod in front of her and instinctively understood why he had defeated the Scion with ease.
His power could not be quantified. Runes amounted to nothing to him. Perhaps even the Great Runes would not impact him at all. However, one thing was certain- Gilgamesh was strong. The self-proclaimed King of Heroes was an existence that was a conundrum. If he had any use of Runes, then only as currency. Was there truth of what he had spoken? Was he truly a demigod from a different plane?
"I'm waiting" the blonde stared at her and Melina had to shake her head to bring her out of her stupor.
"I-I am sorry" she tried to smile as inwardly she cried "Your might is greater than the runes can grant you. I may be no use to you in this regard, however, I can help you in other ways!"
"Is that so?" the golden and arrogant demigod smirked "What good are you then?"
"I am quite knowledgeable of this realm, King Gilgamesh" she nodded raising up a finger "should you rest by the Grace I can use my magics to refill your flasks which you use to replenish your energy"
"You mean these ones?" the blonde pulled out the two bottles from the Grace and Melina no longer could comprehend the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. Had he never used them before? Then again, he had no need for runes, so it was evident that his need was naught.
"Alright" she sighed and pulled out the spiritsteed whistle ring from the folds of her robes, she knew not whence it had come from, but the spirit steed had been a stalwart ally before that "Use it to traverse great distances. It will summon a spectral steed named Torrent. Torrent has chosen you. Treat him with respect."
"It seems that you are not entirely useless" the King of Heroes smiled and whistled, summoning the horned horse. For a split-second Gilgamesh's expression softened as the horse gently butted his head against the demigod's shoulder.
Evidently not only Radahn had a soft spot for animals.
"Impertinent beast, are you?" Torrent answered this question with a neigh that made the golden-haired man chuckle as he brushed the steed's mane.
"Alright woman, for this boon and your proper knowledge of etiquette, I name you my servant and thus privy to my orders" his crimson eyes were smiling, and Melina sighed as she nodded. This was something she could tolerate. He was strong and thus her best chance at making her way towards the Erdtree and her destiny. If she had to endure his beauty and rotten personality, then it was well worth it.
At least he was not terrible to look at.
"Before we depart further to explore these desolate lands, I have a question" Gilgamesh asked as if deep in thought.
"What is it, my lord?" Perhaps it was something important…
"Can you sew, woman?"
Marika be her witness; this was going to be a long journey.
Ranni the Witch knew that Torrent would choose a strong master, one worthy to become a trusted vassal. The years after her masterstroke and the subsequent Shattering that enveloped the Lands Between had not dulled her might and her sorcery had only improved, eclipsing her mother, and dared she say, the forlorn Miquella, her half-sibling.
Sitting on to the rubble in one of her doll bodies, she cast a gentle frozen fog upon the surrounding area, a little parlour trick, nothing less. She did not have to wait for long as she felt that Torrent had made his choice. Upon hearing the unmistakeable trod of his hooves, the bodiless empyrean turned her head to see her former steed and the one he had chosen and could not believe her gaze. The spectral face that she could show emotion through widened her eyes as upon the horned steed rode a man she had never seen before. Yet she knew instinctively that he was alike in some foreign sense.
He radiated power on par with Radahn if not more and his stature spoke of unshakeable conviction, experience, and total domination. Even Godwyn, the pride and joy of Marika and Godfrey was a pale shadow compared. It was true that he was not tall by the standards of her kin, but power could take many shapes, that she knew well.
Why did he lack clothes?!
"May I have a word?" she beckoned him as the rider and Torrent stopped before the wall, where she sat upon. Now he towered above her and upon closer inspection she knew that there was not a man more beautiful than the one she beheld and having a dolls body had benefits as she could not blush and betray her decadent thoughts as she looked on the fine body upon her. His golden hair that were immaculately cut beneath his ear shone like the sun even underneath the light of the moon and his ruby red eyes glimmered like jewels in the night. The less she thought of the body which seemingly was crafted by the finest of sculptors, the better it was for her.
"If Torrent has led me here then it was by your design. I will allow it." His voice sent shivers down her spine as it was regal, charming and intimidating at the same time. There was not a different reason than divinity that it was so.
"A pleasure to meet thee, Stranger. I am the Witch Renna." She bid him welcome, and he answered with a simple nod, his crimson eyes staring in her spectral ones.
"I am Gilgamesh of Uruk, King of Heroes" He boasted, and she was not surprised, nor she doubted the man, for such level of divinity without him being a Shardbearer was unheard of. Nodding, the Witch pressed her upper arms together.
"Ah. As I had hoped. I was entrusted this, for thee, by Torrent's former master." She smiled serenely and offered the crimson eyed man the spirit calling bell.
"'Tis a bell for calling forth spirits." She explained "Summon them with it, from ash unreturned to the Erdtree. The spirits will obey thine command but briefly, as they recall battles past. Now it is thine. To do with as thou wishest."
"I see" Gilgamesh looked at the square, stone bell "I will take this gift from a fellow demigod, but I have no need for it"
"As I said, do as thou wishest" Ranni nodded and raised one of her hands with a raised finger "I doubt we shall again meet. But all the same, learn well the Lands Between. How long will it be, I wonder…Before the Tarnished tire of obeisance to the Two Fingers?"
"Your assumptions are dangerous woman" in an instant she felt as if she was standing before a serpent ready to devour her "Who said that I wish to follow the Two Fingers and the being who whisked me to these lands?"
She was certain that she was safe behind the invisible shield she conjured as she waited for this meeting, but then it was shattered as his hand reached through it to grasp her doll chin.
"Impressive application of a bounded field" the golden demigod praised her as he forced the blue skinned doll to gaze at him though she knew not of what he spoke of "Yet do not refer to me as such. I can sense your distaste of these Two Fingers, these messengers of god ruling this world"
The sheer venom in his voice startled her, far more than the casual breaking of her shield, just who was this man and where had he come from?
"I will travel this world and make the mongrel who summoned me here regret this trespass against the humanity's eldest hero. Make no mistake of that, woman!" he proclaimed and, in that moment, Ranni was truly and utterly baffled. Was this man, this nude demigod summoned forth from a different world? Was he truly free from Greater Will puppeteering his destiny as a hand dangling above a marionette?
"Thou art far more interesting than I surmised beforehand" Ranni's defiant spirit, who had managed to free herself from the will of the Greater Will through the sacrifice of her earthly body "I could benefit highly from thine strength"
He released her chin and raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. Now the only thing remained has for her to plead her mission to this arrogant stranger gifted with monstrous strength. She leaned in closer to the blonde demigod as he urged Torrent to ride even closer to the rubble.
"What is your cause, then? Bore me and you may experience my displeasure first-hand" he was ruthless, intelligent, prideful and powerful. His deficient character may be overlooked and Ranni always had possessed an eye for talent.
"Let me introduce myself again" she put all of her hands on her chest, looking at the demigod. He was waiting for her and the Empyrean was grateful that he had a taste for theatrics and drama
"I am Ranni the Witch and I seek an accord with thee- to slay a god"
His smile widened and she thought that a strange acquaintanceship had been born.
A.N:
Thank you for the reviews, favourites and follows. So this is how it's going to go in the future. NPCs reacting to Gil and interacting with him and when we get to an especially juicy part Gilgamesh will have its POV. I wonder if I should have made a joke about Gil and Torrent being brothers judging by their 'size' (im not sorry).
To answer some of the reviews (I'll answer the more interesting ones):
Redgrave Antony: Ranni is a really cool girl and imo one of the more layered female fromsoft female characters. I was kinda bummed out that Melina didn't get a comparable amount of attention. She is someone who Gil would absolutely respect, by her ambitions and goals if not by acts. Also she has something that Gil would find very attractive when compared to the King Knigga herself- Artoria.
Frenzied flame is getting its shit kicked in at the end.
BeetleRUs:
Gil and Hoarah would have probably been bros if not for the difference of their circumstances. I will definitely make the two of them go at it without weapons. I'll try to make each Shardbearer/Big Boss an entertaining chapter.
Guests:
Thank you for your kind words. Gilgamesh will indeed show his wit, grit and skill when he faces his opponents, but I'll try to make it believable instead of "Gil stabs a guy" like what happened to chump enemies.
This was a longer chapter than what I initially thought it was.
Next time we meet Boc, Blaidd and P-P-Patches. Hopefully I understood how fate magic works properly and it serves as a decent explanation for Ranni's unbreakable barrier. We'll definitely will get at least one Gate of Babylon Barrage and use of Enuma Elish, which would be thematically appropriate. Should I include human Tarnished OC, who suffers from Gil taking away "his" stuff?
Have a nice day!
-Spook