After months away from writing, I'm finally back!

To any and all of you who've been vaguely interested in when I'd come back, sorry for the wait. And for those of you (most likely all of you reading this fic) that have never heard of me or read any of my previous fics, I can only hope you'll enjoy what's to come!

But to give some context on what's been going on, well, following the completion of my previous fic (Village of Darkness), my mind had been practically besieged by an absolutely massive number of new fic ideas that made it impossible for me to figure out what I wanted to work on next. It was to the point where I went as far as to make two polls requesting voters to pick at least one or two ideas that I could examine and go forward with.

Oh, the polls sure as hell didn't stop me from having even more ideas – there were a few ideas, some listed on the polls, some that weren't, where I damn caved and wanted to proceed with one of those instead… but didn't. No, as much as I'd wanted to at those times, it just wouldn't have been fair at all to the handful that voted on my bullshit poll. Anyways, in the second poll, this fic was one of the three that were selected and after some consideration, I opted to proceed forth with this one as you all can clearly tell.

And man, let me tell you – I'm actually kind of nervous trying to write this fic, ha ha! After finally caving in and buying Elden Ring this past April, I'd gone from being one of those guys who'll have no trouble watching some videos/playthroughs on Fromsoft games without actually playing them to soon being almost completely dedicated to playing them now. Well, Elden Ring, at least, ha ha. Turns out all those rumors and comments about their games being brutally tough were a tad bit exaggerated – a clear cut example of early-game hell if you don't know what you're doing, sure, but in retrospect, I've played games that have been much harder on me, heh.

But I digress.

The reason behind said nervousness is due to the sheer scope of the lore within Elden Ring, as is expected of a Fromsoft game, some of which I would like to include in some way in this fic… but I don't want to get it wrong, which would be especially easy for me to do since a lot of said lore is found not through cutscenes or anything like that, but through item/equipment descriptions for the most part, which I sometimes forget to even check out, leaving me with only a marginally better than surface level understanding of the setting and various factions/key figures involved.

Additionally, the game-like nature of Goblin Slayer also provides its own troubles – while each volume is its own self-contained adventure for the most part, there's yet to be any endgame in mind, unless the author is planning to eventually wipe out the source of all goblins or something, I suppose. Thus, it falls to fanfic writers that dabble in GS fics to figure out an end goal for our own fics since writing a fic that seems to go on indefinitely is just not feasible for obvious reasons, both in terms of story and real life circumstances as well.

So, with all that said, I do hope you guys and gals will bear with me as I write this fic, which I don't intend to be too long like some of my previous fics… but only time will tell whether or not my intentions end up getting followed through on or if I once again underestimate the general length of this story that I have in mind.

Now then, without further ado, times to bring this longwinded AN to an end… and to get this fic started! Hope you guys will enjoy!

P.S. Please consider buying any of my books! They can be found on a variety of sites – Barnes and noble, Apple store, Amazon Kindle, and much more! Universal links available on my profile page if you want to read some small portions of them to see if they garner your interest. Just removes the spaces in between the letters/numbers!

P.P.S. Check out bottom AN, please!

Age of Adventure chapter 1

The Tarnished audibly stirred as he finally came to. With a quiet grunt, he forced himself up off the ground and looked around.

"Where…?" he murmured to himself. "Ranni…?"

He was understandably confused as he found himself in an area that was clearly nothing but forest – a vastly different environment compared to the inside of the burning Erdtree, where he'd done battle with none other than lord Radagon and the creature that he instinctively knew could only be called an Elden Beast. But more than that, the woman whom he was now betrothed to, his lady, was nowhere in site.

More than the different environment, it was Ranni's absence that had the Tarnished more worried than anything else.

Now standing at his full height, he did a quick of himself and saw that he was still very much in one piece, barring some wounds he'd suffered from what he could only assume had been one hell of a crash landing, for he finally took note of the crater he was in, trees and foliage in his immediate vicinity smashed to bits or otherwise leaning in ways that obviously nature hadn't intended. Despite the circumstances, however, he didn't panic – that was something that had long since been beaten out of him, well before his first death.

Instead, much like any other time before, he simply took stock of the situation he was in and tried to figure out a path forward.

Firstly, he closed his eyes as he thought, trying to recall what had happened just prior to whatever crash he'd been involved.

Again, he remembered well the battles he'd had back to back, first with lord Radagon who proved himself every bit worthy of his title as the second Elden Lord, and then with that truly godlike Elden Beast, whom had apparently been put in place long ago to guard the Elden Ring.

After clashing and overcoming those veritable titans of sheer power, he remembered calling forth Ranni herself, who had immediately begun to overwrite the decadent order that had ruled over the Land Between for so long. With Ranni now being able to realize her status as an Empyrean, albeit in her own unique way, the Age of Stars as it could be dubbed, had been about to begin in earnest-.

"Ah!" The Tarnished went truly stock still, eyes going wide as he finally recalled what had happened.

With lord Radagon and the Elden Beast defeated, the Elden Ring had fallen into a true lull – a state where, to put it simply, its divine, otherworldly might had been rendered inactive. This had been what had allowed Ranni to begin her own order… and that in turn had undoubtedly been the cause of all this.

For while Queen Marika's golden order had had plenty of its own problems, it had ultimately served as a shield against the more… malevolent forces that had been out there – the other gods, if they could be even called that, that had long since been trying to impose themselves and their own laws and orders upon the Lands Between.

The Formless Mother that Mohg had dedicated himself to.

The terrible Frenzied Flame that sought to burn all the world to ash.

The Scarlet Rot, which had intended to make the world take on a state even worse than what had happened in Caelid.

And so much more.

With whatever protection Queen Marika's order had provided stripped away, the influence of these other great and terrible beings had been allowed a proper way into the world before Ranni could have properly begun her order, where causality and the fates of all souls would be free from the hold of the Greater Will…

…And, as expected, the world just couldn't handle so many chaotic forces trying to intervene at the same exact time, especially not when the heart of the Erdtree had essentially been serving as a focal point for these opposing powers to collide – where he and his lady had been at.

Looks like the end results had been… explosive, to put it mildly.

Now certain of what had happened, the Tarnished could only grimace in a way that somehow understated just how put off he was by this.

Because it was also only now that he realized that, wherever he now is, it clearly wasn't in the Lands Between anymore. Even with the Erdtree having been set aflame, it had still stood tall and proud, continuing to serve as an absolutely massive compass point of sorts that at times had helped him get oriented with virtually any above ground area he'd been in. And of course, all the ash from its burning had spread all across the land and even further beyond, the winds having at times gently and other times violently spreading the ash further and further out.

There was no sign of either the great tree or the ash, meaning that he was somewhere very, very far away. And while he knew intellectually that the world was indeed a vast place to live in and traverse, the Tarnished was fairly certain that even from so far a distance that some sign of the burning Erdtree could be seen.

This was supported by the simple fact that he could no longer detect any mystical trace of the Erdtree in general. For more than just the physical senses, he and many others throughout the Lands Between and beyond had learned how to 'feel' things that couldn't be detected otherwise, be it the grace of gold, scarlet rot, or something else entirely. Of course, it helped that his marriage to Ranni who'd ascended beyond her demigodhood had blessed him with some improved senses as well…

…Senses that only now confirmed for him that this world was truly not the same one he'd come from.

A mindboggling revelation, to be sure, but one that he found himself taking with remarkable ease. He'd encountered many fantastical things across his long journey and in the end, this newest development was merely one of many new experiences, a trial that must be overcome.

Well, it was about time to start doing just that, he supposed.

The Tarnished listened intently to the sounds of the forest around him. The fact that he hadn't been attacked during his time unconscious meant that he was somewhere relatively devoid of wildlife, but he wasn't about to take any chances here. Last thing he wanted was to stumble across whatever passed as the equivalent of a Runebear in this new world.

As he did this, he also simultaneously concentrated on Ranni's presence, their union having formed an intricate bond between the two of them that beyond what could be described in physical terms. While using this connection to summon her to his side or vice versa was sadly impossible, it would at least allow him to get a general feel of where she could be.

The Tarnished's face scrunched up as he eventually came to sense Ranni's presence after a moment of concentration. Sadly, he couldn't really pinpoint her exact location, but she was far away. Depending on where exactly he was at, there was a fair chance the two of them weren't even on the same landmass.

That was concerning, but again, he wasn't about to panic. All he could do – all he should do – is just focus on making his way to her first. Then, once they're reunited, they can plan out their next move, for he doubted the higher powers out there would leave one such as his wife alone.

With Ranni's general location ascertained for the time being, it was time to move out. He could vaguely hear a stream nearby. He could follow that until he either can't go further or until he comes across or a road or perhaps even a settlement.

But first…

Looking down, he still wore the Crucible Tree Armor in addition to Radahn's Grieves and Veteran Gloves. And amazingly – no, unsurprisingly, really – the jarhead provided to him by Alexander remained as hardy as ever.

"…Perhaps… I should consider a change," the Tarnished murmured. In the Lands Between, where conflict was around and in every corner and crevice, it had mattered little what outlandish equipment and clothes one wore so long as it served some purpose in combat, be it simple protection or something else. But in this new world, he couldn't risk spooking its residents with his appearance, not until he can confirm whether or not they're friendly and what their threat level could potentially be.

And so, in mere seconds, he changed his equipment. He wasn't sure why, but around the time he'd obtained from Melina the ability to convert runes into strength, he'd also somehow become able to carry far more equipment than could have ever been practically possible, able to store any and all excess items and equipment away in some kind of void or dimensional space that only he could access. It was certainly helpful to say the least, though he also learned the hard way that trying to change his equipment in the middle of battle was a fool's errand since it did require a fair bit of concentration to perform.

He opted to shift into Blaidd's trustworthy armor, using the cloak that the half-wolf warrior had always worn to cover up more of his armor, lest he draw any unwanted attention. As for the jar helmet, he had decided to replace it with Fia's hood, its silky material at odds with the rest of his equipment now, but from a distance it shouldn't cause him to stand out much. Of course, it did help that the weather here felt cool enough that dressing up so heavily wouldn't hopefully be out of the question.

Now feeling ready, the Tarnished felt it was time to move out.

And so, he headed to his right, in search of the stream he'd heard earlier.

"Please wait for me, Ranni," he murmured as he embarked on what was sure to be a new adventure.

Elsewhere, the demigod, now proper vassal of the Dark Moon itself, had awoken into an unfamiliar land. And much like the Tarnished himself had, Lunar Princess Ranni had almost immediately come to the same series of conclusions about the situation.

Ranni let out a dreary sigh, her four arms shifting slightly as she twirled about slightly. Her doll body, made in the likeness of her mentor from long ago, had suffered virtually no harm from the sudden crash. This was due to her having now transcended beyond her previous status as a 'mere' demigod, now standing at the same level as her stepmother, Queen Marika, who'd been a true god, albeit ultimately a vassal to the Greater Will. Unlike her stepmother, however, the Lunar Princess had obviously not suffered through the many years of degradation that Queen Marika had prior to the Tarnished defeating her father and that irksome guardian of the Elden Ring.

But just because she had suffered no physical injuries to her doll body, which had now become one of flesh thanks to her ascendance, didn't mean she wasn't in some kind of pain – a more emotional kind of pain.

"To think, I had been on the cusp alongside my consort of a new era…" Ranni murmured to herself.

Despite the image she tried to give off to others, she was sometimes a rather pouty individual, whimsical even. Thus, she pouted in genuine frustration at how things have turned out.

For so long, she'd rebelled against the Greater Will and its tight hold on the Lands Between and had gone through considerable hardships to finally liberate herself of the shackles placed on her. Casting off her original body with the portion of Destined Death she'd taken had been but a small part of such a long journey, a journey that hadn't really concluded until the Tarnished, now her dear consort eternal, had delivered unto her the Fingerslayer Blade that she had then used to slay the Two Fingers that had long since been tethered to her, at which point she'd finally been freed from the Greater Will's hold and allowed to properly serve as the vassal of the Dark Moon.

Then afterwards, she'd merely had to bid her time until her father and the Elden Beast had been dealt with, where she would then step in to tear away the Golden Order that had been imposed on the Lands Between and begin her rule – her Age of Stars, where no one would ever be controlled again by any such oppressive influence.

Alas, it was now all too clear in hindsight that stripping away her stepmother's order would allow other forces entry into the world and it had cost her. Now thanks to her much improved senses, she could tell that those forces were very much active in her original world.

…She could only imagine what state the Lands Between must be in now.

Ranni placed two of her hands to her chest, feeling something akin to physical illness, such was her emotional pain. Not only had her plans been brought to a most abrupt end, but the cost truly had been too high.

Most, if not all, of her family and relatives had been vanquished in one form or another. Though only her mother was the only one at this point she could claim to truly still care for, the loss of her father and brothers and many stepsiblings was by no means minor. And that wasn't even getting into the sacrifices both Blaidd and Iji had made up to and including their own lives.

But… But even so.

"I've overcome all that has been in my way so far… I see no reason why this should stop me now of all times," Ranni affirmed.

Despite the new circumstances she found herself in and her grief, her will was far from broken. Her Age of Stars shall come, one way or another. It was merely a matter of finding a way back home before picking up where things had left off.

However, other matters had to be dealt with, first.

Namely and most importantly, she must reunite with her consort. Then the two of them shall plot out their next move.

Through the bond they now shared, she could sense the strong will of her dear Tarnished, who was so very far away. And there didn't seem to be a way she could just instantly appear by his side or vice versa, leaving conventional methods as the only option.

Oh well, no matter. While a scholar for the most part, she was by no means afraid of getting her hands dirty if need be, figuratively or literally. Whatever method of travel she had to employ here will suffice and any and all who get in her way, should they prove hostile, will be dealt with as deemed necessary.

With that decided upon, the Lunar Princess began her trek, using the presence of the Tarnished as a beacon to guide her path.

The environment she had landed in and now traversed was quite mountainous and generally bumpy, which made it a little difficult for her to move about due to her clothes, but she managed well enough. It helped too that she could levitate to some degree to bypass some of the more inconvenient spots as she made her way downslope.

For the next hour or so, Ranni traveled in relative silence, studying her surroundings as she finally cleared the mountains and reached some manner of flatlands. A dirt road eventually became visible and she touched down upon it with a light smirk, glad to see such a sight; it meant that at least some manner of civilization must exist somewhere in this world. If she followed it, then perhaps she could obtain a map or even a guide of the area that could take her to where she must go.

But just as she began to entertain such thoughts…

"…Oh?" Ranni perked up as she could hear some people talking up ahead, traveling her way. Women, from the sounds of it, no more than three of them judging by the voices she could hear.

One of them, the youngest sounding one of the lot, was the loudest and certainly the most excited whereas the other two were much calmer in how they spoke, though they weren't lacking in spirit either compared to the youngest.

Deeming these three to 'feel' friendly enough, Ranni slowed her pace and waited as the three came into view.

The Lunar Princess only blinked slightly as she took in the sight of the three women – no, girls, it'd be more accurate to say, judging by their apparent age.

The youngest girl, possibly around the age of fifteen, seemed to lead the group for she walked front and center. Dressed in some light armor and with a fairly large sword upon her back that contained a commendable level of holy power in it, she practically bounced with every step she took, causing her black hair to constantly sway as she talked away.

The other two appeared to be just a few years older than the girl, one of them dressed in robes that Ranni deemed typical of sorcerers, complete with a thin pair of glasses that matched her surprisingly natural blue hair and eyes. Meanwhile the third and final member of the trio was dressed lightly in armor that hugged her clearly trained figure, a thin sword at her waist. A swordswoman, through and through and evidently one of considerable skill, Ranni noted, if the way she simply carried herself was anything to go by.

Well, if nothing else, these three seemed like they could serve as capable guides, provided they do agree to such a task.

As they finally noticed her, Ranni smiled demurely at them and began to call out to them. "Young ones," she began. "If thee would be so kind as to spare some time to speak…"

Done!

Yeah, as far as first chapters go… weirdly enough, I can't help but feel as if this one turned out pretty well. For any of you that might have read my other fics and my ANs for those, you'd know that I often say I've trouble writing beginnings that are acceptable by my own standards, heh. Guess for once I can be satisfied with this one – relatively simple and to the point.

I suppose that's one of the good things about doing a fic about Elden Ring and Goblin Slayer – both series just sort of throw players and readers respectively into the thick of it due to the adventuring nature of them. Kind of funny considering the 'problems' I listed in the beginning AN, but it is what it is.

Now then, just to point out something, this fic will mainly follow the PoVs of both the Tarnished and Ranni, though the GS characters will obviously be involved nonetheless. For example, there at the end, our dear little Ranni had just bumped into the Hero and her companions, Sage and Sword Saint. And you can expect the Tarnished to be bumping into familiar Goblin Slayer characters fairly soon as well. Hope you'll be looking forward to it.

Speaking of the Tarnished, his starting outfit – the jar head, Crucible Tree Armor, etc. – is what I mainly wear in the game but while I'm a stickler for these pieces of equipment in the game, here in this fic, the Tarnished will be changing up his equipment as needed. Same thing for his weaponry, though there will be a few that he primarily sticks to. You'll see in the coming chapters.

As for his appearance, it'll actually be considerably different from what can be achieved in-game, if only because I love huge builds like what Hoarah Loux has and the likes, which isn't possible to recreate in the game itself. Again, you'll see soon enough. And the Tarnished will have a bit of a backstory too, but nothing particularly fleshed out or something to be super-involved in the plot itself because that's not the point of the Tarnished at all – the point of the Tarnished is to be an ambiguous figure that just gets thrust into random crap whenever he isn't intentionally diving into the unknown.

Now then, onto a more serious note – updates.

As is usual, I'll do my best to update as consistently as possible but again, can make no promises. For one thing, I will be going on a fairly lengthy trip a few days from now and won't be able to write while I'm on it. Additionally, there's some stuff that I need to get done once back from my trip and I've no idea how much that stuff could cut into my time. But once I do get a feel for how much free time I will have remaining afterwards, I can figure out some kind of writing plan. Just wanted to let you all know now, is all.

In any case, hope you guys will be willing to bear with me and will also look forward to what the future holds with this fic.

Until next time, everyone. Take care!