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 14: Blood and Mana

Merridith lay in the cold wooden boat drifting into the river. She heard the faint cries of men marching above her, their footsteps moving across the Morrigan Estate. She placed a hand over her mouth, trying her best to keep quiet. After a few tense minutes, the noises eventually stopped. She managed to get her way out of the tunnel and into the open river, far away from the estate.

Meredith saw the remains of what was once her home and prison. Burning under the darkened skies, the smoke rose to cover the horizon. She took a deep breath; she would weep more, but now wasn't the time. She needed to escape, but she was still in the open.

She needed to find a way out, to-

Then, she felt her boat shift slightly, her eyes widening as she turned to see what had caused it. Her lips pursed, and her pupils shrank as she was met by a green-haired elf and a bow trained at her. She knew who this was; Elt had warned her before.

"...Primera, right?" She muttered; she's heard of her before. With nothing better to do in her room, most of her time was spent conversing with Hathaway on different subjects. One of them being the heroes that Lescatie was famous for creating. Primera was one of those, a half-elf whose skills with the bow were unmatched.

Primera ignored her words, merely scanning her figure before she nodded. With that being confirmed, Meredith's eyes turned to the bow in Primera's hands. She clenched her fist somewhat before she spoke up.

"Elt told me that no harm would come to me…" She stated, staring Primera straight into her eyes before she noticed something. Her empathic sense had rung once more; she could feel that this girl had a deep feeling toward the boy.

"...Are you willing to turn him into a liar?" She asked, causing Primera's eyes to narrow before she eventually relaxed the grip on her bow and placed it on her side. Saying nothing, the half-elf grabbed the girl and placed her over her shoulder.

"I'm not doing this for you…" Primera began, eyes narrowing as Merridith turned her head towards her.

"I know… it's for him, right?" Merridith asked, eyes softening before she spoke up.

"I'd do the same for the one I love…" She trailed off, causing Primera to raise her brow slightly.

She said nothing else and prepared to move. She reached out of her pocket to grab a piece of paper. Using her teeth, she tore it in two, which caused it to glow. It was a magic item Mimil prepared for them to use; it signaled to everyone that she managed to grab the witch and would now rendezvous at their chosen location.

Once that was done, she dropped the paper into the water, where it dissolved. Afterward, she took off into the night; using her blessings as a hero, she moved silently into the night.

Mission accomplished; all they needed now was for Elt to get out of there.


Elt couldn't do it… he just couldn't. He grits his teeth, looking on at the soldiers he had under his command. He was perfectly willing to kill Aera, perfectly willing to kill the Baphomet, but the difference between them and these people was that they were the aggressors. And he couldn't afford to hold back against those opponents, and even then, he found a way to spare them or run away.

This… was far different. He had fought with these men, and he didn't want any of them to die as unruly as they were. He stood stoically over them all, his grip on the ax tightening as he took a deep breath. His blue eyes scanned their faces, and the more he stared, the more he hesitated.

Before long, a hand made its way to his shoulder. He felt the pressure on his shoulders; turning to the source, he was met with the familiar green eyes of Albain.

"...Inquisitor… You know who did this; I can see it in your eyes… the only thing you have to do is to act on that knowledge." He whispered, tone harsh and as cold as the cool night.

Elt said nothing, merely mirroring Albain's look with his glare. One that Albain didn't note and, oddly enough, one that he didn't punish. He closed his eyes, slowly turning to the men before whispering again.

"If you cannot decide who, they will share this guilt. Choose… for their sake…" He trailed off, taking a step forward as Elt looked on at the group.

Elt looked at the group, their eyes downcast, and all were trying their best to prepare themselves. Elt grit his teeth; he couldn't do it… he couldn't incriminate any of them for a crime they didn't commit. Was he a fool? Or was he just too soft? Perhaps it was a combination of all of those factors.

But if he didn't, his own family would be in danger. He was already known to be associated with Primera, but with that; they could also connect him to Sasha. The Inquisition could use this as an excuse to attack his unit and Merse. It would bring trouble to Mimil, and while he doubted that this information would affect Wilmarina, it would undoubtedly cause her to act.

It took a mental toll, and it destroyed him inside. Damn Albain and damn the Inquisition; he hated them all for what they made him do.

He scanned the group, looking for the soldier who looked most prepared. He then turned to find the soldier who was staring at him, the soldier that came was loaned to him by the hero. They looked to be the most prepared to die out of all of them. How did he know this? Because he's seen that look before… so many times, even if he didn't remember, he still knew.

"I'm sorry…" He whispered, loud enough for the group to hear before Elt turned away and pointed at that one soldier.

Seeing it, the group had various reactions. Most had breathed a sigh of relief, thanking the Chief God for sparing their lives. Some almost fainted, only keeping themselves together by sheer force of will. The one he pointed to only nodded solemnly, not saying a word before they stepped forward… but one of them…

"N-No... No, No, No… This has to be some kind of mistake, Inquisitor, please… I ask you to reconsider." Another one of the soldiers spoke up. It came from the 16-year-old soldier, moving forward as he began to beg and plead.

"Inquisitor Elt has made his decision; once that occurs, reconsiderations are not possible," Albain stated, moving forward as he stared down at the boy. His eyes narrowed, and the boy's eyes widened in fear, but he stood his ground. It was only broken when the person Elt had incriminated had spoken up.

"Tom… it's… it's okay…" The voice spoke up. The soldier took off the helmet to reveal a brown-haired girl around the boy's age, if not a little older. She gave him a soft melancholic smile before she turned to Elt with her eyes filled with acceptance.

There was no hatred in those eyes, only sadness at their unfortunate situation. It made Elt want to throw up. He would've preferred it if she cried out if she called him names and lashed out against him. He would've preferred it if she hated him for what he did because he knew that he damn well deserved it.

Elt bit his teeth together; he steeled himself for what he was about to do. The boy, however, continued to protest.

"It wasn't her! She was with me the whole time, Inquisitor… you saw us!" He yelled out, desperation turning to anger as he watched Elt look away from the scene. He couldn't look him straight in the face.

"Tom!" The girl yelled out, her eyes looking down before speaking up again. "Please… I don't want you to get hurt because of me…" she muttered, causing Tom's eyes to widen.

"Erina…" he muttered.

Tom then grits his teeth; he takes a step forward before he draws his blade to strike Elt and Albain down. Only for one of the heroes to pin him down and keep him in place. Albain looked on at the scene impassively before he nodded at the hero. With a nod, the other hero forced Erina to her knees before he placed her into position. Placing chains on her wrist, the hero took a few steps back before he nodded to Elt.

"Drawing your blade against your superior could result in death, boy. Be grateful… there won't be a second time." Albain stated, his eyes turning to Tom, who glared at him in response.

With Erina in position, all Elt had to do now was strike her down. Elt took a deep breath, looking on at the ax before he turned to the soldier.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Elt muttered, his voice hitched, and tears threatened to leave his eyes. He spoke in a soft whisper, only audible enough for the girl to hear.

"Don't be… it's not your fault…" She stated with a sad smile. Elt clicked his tongue, he furrowed his brows as his grip became tighter. He just condemned this girl to die as he did with Hathaway.

He wasn't a good person; no, he was quite selfish. He'd do everything he could to keep all he cared for safe, even sacrificing others less fortunate. This act confirmed this fact and did nothing to soothe his battered psyche.

"Hey… is she safe?" She asked, her voice was clear and curious. That caused Elt's eyes to widen.

She knew…

She knew what he had done and was willing to die to keep him safe. He took a deep breath; his eyes were covered by his hair, making it difficult to see what expression lay within.

"She is…" he muttered before he raised the ax.

She closed her eyes, and a smile formed as she straightened her back. If she were to die, she'd do so with dignity.

"No… No Stop… Please!" Tom continued to yell, but nothing he could say could stop this now.

"I'm glad… please… take care of Tom for me…" she trailed off, readying herself for whatever was to come. Elt felt a serene tension form on his body, a paradoxical feeling but one that brought him both comfort and agony. He hated this, he hated what he was about to do but he had no choice.

And so, Elt swung his ax down.

Blood poured out into the floor as Erina's body fell flat onto the floor. Her head rolled a few feet away, but the serene look on her face remained even after what he did.

Elt dropped the ax; the loud clang of the ax hitting the floor was the only sound that echoed after what he had done. His eyes were opened wide; his expression was nothing more than an empty look. Pupils shrunken, and hair covering his eyes.

A cold silence covered the surroundings; it remained that way for the first few seconds, only to be broken by the boy the hero had pinned down.

"E-ERINA!" He yelled out, his blood-curdling scream echoing out onto the estate. With a nod from Albain, the hero let go of the boy, who rushed to Erina's body. He cradled it in turn, holding the headless body as he began to weep.

"Erina… Erina why… Why would you do that?" He asked, tears falling onto the bloodied floor as Elt looked on with an empty expression.

"Damn you… DAMN YOU!" Tom yelled out as he turned to Elt, who looked on at him with an empty look.

Tom then grits his teeth; in his grief and anger, he once more picks up his blade as he charges at Elt. Elt didn't dodge, he didn't even react, but Albain certainly had. As Tom prepared to swing his blade down, a torrent of lightning poured into his body as he was launched a few feet into the air before he skidded across the ground.

Elt widened his eyes as a result before he then turned to the man responsible. Albain looked on impassively, his staff pointing straight at the boy who dared try to strike Elt down.

"I warned you, didn't I?" Albain stated, taking a step forward before he pointed his stave at Tom.

"There would not be a second time." He charged a shot; the violent hum of electricity sounded through the air as Tom closed his eyes and prepared himself. The shot went out, and a large ball of electricity made contact with flesh, but it was not Tom's flesh that it struck.

Elt grit his teeth, his form reeling from the pain as he takes the brunt of Albain's attack. He felt his hands burn as he intercepted the strike. His clothes got burnt, the black coat singed by the sparks left by Albain's attack. Once it had dissipated, Elt took a deep breath before he turned to Albain, who raised his brow at what he had done.

"Lord Inquisitor… the boy is experiencing grief and is not acting rationally. It would be prudent for us not to act so rashly and let the boy properly grieve…" Elt muttered, his eyes narrowing as he ignored the pain in his hand. If anyone were to look down at it, one would see that his arm had been blackened by the strike and was now smoking from the aftermath.

"You would get in the way of his punishment? Have you forgotten your position?" Albain asked brow raised before Elt's eyes narrowed. He straightened his form and looked Albain straight in the eye. He clenched his fists, causing Albain to raise his brow.

The nerves should've been fried, yet he could still move them. A fact that Albain had caught onto but not commented on.

"With all due respect, I think this boy has suffered enough. And while I'm not against punishment, I am against unnecessary cruelty." Elt stated, not missing a single syllable as Albain's eyes widened slightly from his words. His tone was hostile, one that promised retaliation should Albain push further.

'He's acting… notably different…' Albain thought as he stared straight at the man's eyes. There was something off; while he expected the look in his eyes to change, he did not expect it to change to this extent. Instead of it being the eyes of a soldier who has taken life for the first time, it was the eyes of a grizzled veteran who had personally claimed the lives of countless people.

It was not the look he expected after what he forced him to do.

The two heroes prepared their weapons, aiming to go after Elt for his insolence. A fight might've broken up had it not been for Albain raising his hand to stop the two. The two glanced at each other before placing their weapons back on their sides.

Turning back to Elt, Albain took a deep breath before he spoke again.

"...Very well then, just this once I shall grant him mercy…" he muttered, turning to the rest before he spoke up.

"Let this be a reminder for you all; there will be consequences to any form of betrayal. When you became soldiers, you all swore an oath that you would offer your very lives to the Chief God. I will not tolerate anyone who would spit on that oath…" Albain stated, his eyes narrowing before it gave a sidelong glance at Elt.

"...no matter who you are…" he trailed off before he turned back to the rest.

"In any case, the raid has officially concluded. You all are to stay here and guard this place until a separate force comes to handle the aftermath. Once they arrive, you are free to return to your barracks." Albain stated as he took a step down and walked towards the gate.

"If you need me, I shall be in Fortress Maxim to report back on our mission," Albain stated before he turned to Elt.

"And as for you, you're free to do as you please. I'm no longer your handler henceforth." He finalized before he left, the two heroes following him in tow.

When he left, the rest of the soldiers got to work. They patrolled the area and moved around, some of the more 'daring' soldiers entering the mansion to 'retrieve' some 'evidence.' As for Elt, he remained standing there as the full weight of what he did finally entered his mind. He turned to Tom, his form still clutching his body. Most likely from Albain's initial attack.

Elt gave a difficult expression before he offered him his uninjured hand. In response, Tom swatted it away with a glare as he spoke up.

"Don't touch me! Don't you dare show me your filthy palms when her blood is still on those hands!" He yelled out with a growl, one that caused Elt to step back as he turned his gaze to his one uninjured hand.

It was covered in blood, and the blood hadn't even dried out. He gave an empty look before he suddenly clutched his head. He closed his eyes as he heard a voice call out to him.

"Slaughter… Slaughter… Slaughter…"

"No… shut up…" he muttered before he opened his eyes. He took a deep breath as he found himself back in reality. He clutched his injured hand before he walked off. He needed to get back to Fortress Maxim and get this healed.

And he most certainly needed to have a talk with Lucas after this. As he walked, he passed through a mirror placed alongside a pile of furniture. Most likely to be sold off or given to anyone the Inquisition favored.

He stopped, turning his head towards the mirror before he opened his eyes slightly.

He looked at his eyes, scanning them before he rubbed them to see if he was seeing things. When he opened them, he found them to be the same.

No, that can't be. He must've been tired and mentally distraught, understandable considering what he was just forced to do. The guilt weighed in on his conscious, and in this moment of need, he couldn't do anything to help the boy.

He felt sick, and therefore he must've been hallucinating.

After all, he's never had Gold Eyes.


Lucas stood by a tree that stood atop a small hill. It was relatively close to the Morrigan Estate while also having the added benefit of being isolated enough that no one would be able to find it unless they knew what they were looking for. Because of that, it was the perfect place to rendezvous with the rest of the team.

His signal had lit up just a few minutes ago, and he was the first to arrive with him closest to the rendezvous point. Leaning his back onto the tree, he waited for the rest of the people to arrive.

"Well, it looks like you managed to be the first one here. Didn't think your little child's legs would've let you run this fast." A voice called out in the distance, to which Lucas sighed in response. Out of everyone, he wanted anyone other than this walking encyclopedia of insults. Turning his eyes to the red-eyed Inquisitor, Lucas replied.

"First off, I walked, and secondly, if this is considered fast for you, then that just means you're slow. Whether or not it's down there or up, I'm unsure… perhaps both." Lucas retorted as the Inquisitor laughed it off.

"Woah, I'm not sure a kid like you is old enough to make jokes like that." Akito retorted with a small grin, to which Lucas's eyes twitched before he spoke up again.

"I was referring to your legs; you degenerate," Lucas replied.

"But you do know what I'm talking about, right?" Akito asked with a head tilt.

"I read that wretched book, of course; I know what you're referring to," Lucas muttered as he shook his head. That book was just something else; the fact that it was said to be mostly accurate made Lucas want to bash his head against the tree. But it certainly did make him curious; after all, there was no way those creatures had evolved naturally.

"Do you know who the author of that book is? I'm genuinely curious as to how they managed to get the information." Lucas asked, turning to Akito as he crossed his arms.

"To what? Oh, the Monster Girl Encyclopedia? If I remember correctly, that guy's been on the run and is a part of our most wanted list… could've sworn that there was a kill on sight policy with that guy…" Akito trailed off, cupping his chin as he thought.

"I see. Do you at least have a name?" Lucas asked, tilting his head slightly as Akito shook his own.

"Nah, he's just referred to as the Wandering Scholar. No one knows who he is and what he looks like, nor does anyone know how he managed to get the info. Though, considering the amount of detail the book has on the more… sensual aspects… we have a pretty good idea on how." Akito replied, his tone a mixture of amusement and slight disgust.

"Is that the only book you have on the monsters, or do you have more?" Lucas asked, turning to the horizon as he sat down on the grass.

"We do, but if you read those books, I'm pretty sure I'd be forced to execute you," Akito muttered with a shrug. Out of all the books, the Monster Girl Encyclopedia was considered one of the safer ones. Mainly because it didn't have any spells or curses that would monsterize people or force them to go look for a monster.

"You can try, but that will not end well for you," Lucas stated; he wasn't joking when he said that and Akito knew it. The fight with the Baphomet was still fresh on his mind, and he saw how the kid managed to keep up with the monster that took three of them to even keep up with.

"Yeah Yeah…" Akito waved off as he looked out into the distance.

"...I am somewhat curious, though…" Lucas began before he turned to Akito. In response, Akito raised his brow before he turned his head towards the boy.

"You're not from here, with your name being Zipangese. So I want to know… how did you become an Inquisitor here in the west?" Lucas asked, turning to Akito, who narrowed his eyes slightly in response.

"Sorry, kid, that information isn't free. But if you tell me your story, I'd be willing to share mine." Akito stated, turning to Lucas, who huffed in response.

"My story isn't all that interesting, it would only bore you considering your somewhat lax treatment of the Baphomet, and you call yourself an Inquisitor." Lucas retorted, causing Akito to shrug.

"Not really sure about that… considering your strange magic and the fact that you kept up with a Baphomet on your own. That kind of power doesn't just come out of nowhere." He explained, causing Lucas' eyes to narrow slightly.

"Even still, I won't give out my history so easily." Lucas retorted, looking down in the ground before he began trailing his finger on the dirt.

"But you'd give it to Elt, right?" Akito stated, causing Lucas to pause before he turned his eyes to Akito.

"He is different. Unlike you, he is not something as simple as an Inquisitor. Not even as simple as your heroes, he is far… far more." Lucas retorted, narrowing his eyes before Akito noticed something within them. Deciding to test the waters, Akito decided to take a little gamble.

"Really? More than the Heroes? I'm not sure if you've heard of the Hero Wilmarina, but compared to her, that guy's nothing more than a nobody." Akito muttered. Obviously, he didn't mean it. But from the looks of it, he looks up to Elt the same way the general populace does with Wilmarina. He wanted to see how far this admiration went, and see if he could use it in the future.

"While I recognize her talents as a warrior, I would not compare that so-called hero to my lord so brazenly." Lucas retorted, eyes narrowing as he turned to Akito.

"I don't think Big Brother would like it if you said that, Lucas." Another voice called out, this one belonging to the other 12-year-old magician.

"He looks up to her as much as everyone else does… actually, a lot more than anyone else." Mimil continued, her eyes looking up slightly before she shook her head.

"Nice of you to join us, brat. I was getting tired of having to talk with one smartass 12-year-old, so maybe talking to two of them might be different." Akito started with a grin, causing Mimil's eyes to twitch. Turning to Lucas, Mimil spoke up once more.

"Is he just that naturally gifted at being annoying?" She asked, causing Lucas to shrug.

"Anyways… What were you two talking about?" Mimil asked, crossing her arms before leaning forward towards the two.

"...Nothing of real note, Master. I was asking him if we could read any other forbidden books." Lucas explained, somewhat leaving out the part where he asked about how Akito became an Inquisitor.

"So that's how you know about the monsters…" She muttered, cupping her chin as she thought. So he read the Monster Girl Encyclopedia? That was kind of unfair in her eyes; she also wanted to read it to gain an advantage in case she had to fight them again.

"...Trust me, Master… I would not have you touch that book with a 5-mile pole." He muttered with a slight cringe. Despite the knowledge it contained, he had somewhat regretted reading it. That response caused Mimil to puff her cheeks somewhat.

"I can handle the information, you know? And here I thought that you wanted to know everything about the world." She stated somewhat teasingly, a mischievous smirk on her face as a vein appeared on Lucas' forehead.

"If I cannot stomach the information, then I doubt a child like you could do so." Lucas retorted, giving a small mischievous grin that caused Mimil's veins to pop.

"We're the same age, you moron!" Mimil stated, turning to Lucas with a huff before he rolled his eyes.

"Physically, sure… mentally? You might as well be an infant." Lucas retorted, causing Mimil's eyes to twitch before she sighed. She was done with him at this point; at least she's gotten used to his antics.

After he spoke, silent footsteps could be heard. Faint that no normal human would've been able to hear, but for the three, they could tell that someone was coming. They readied themselves just in case, only to drop their guard once the half-elf appeared with their target in tow.

Whistling, Akito looked on at their target before he spoke up.

"Well, it looks like red managed to get the target," Akito muttered, leaning forward as he placed a finger under his chin.

The witch looked at them cautiously; from their looks alone, she could tell they weren't exactly trusting of her. That is understandable, considering what she was, but it didn't make her feel any peace of mind.

"Looks like you've managed to grab the witch," Lucas commented, crossing his arms as he turned to the group.

"I need to go check if she can do any form of magic, put her down and let me check," Mimil stated, turning to Primera, who nodded before she placed Merridith down on the ground. She awkwardly looked at the group, not saying anything for fear of getting hurt.

She was isolated inside a room for who knows how long, so the same general information found on witches may not apply to her. Without a steady source of mana, the witch wouldn't have been able to do any substantial magic. Even still, Mimil had to make sure that this was the case, or else they might risk having to fight the witch. After all, unlikely as it is there was a possibility that she was 'fed' somehow.

Taking a step forward, Mimil pointed her staff at her before she checked her mana.

Mana was a phenomenal thing; it wasn't just a mere power source that mages make use of, but it was essentially what made a living thing alive. For lack of a better term, it was practically the soul of an individual, and the manipulation of that soul is what gave birth to sorceries. If humans had one advantage over the monsters, it was that they could produce their very own mana. A monster has a more potent control over its mana, but unlike humans, it cannot produce the same amount.

As such, it was possible to essentially 'starve' a monster of mana and leave them weaker than normal. It was how humans fought back against the rising tide of monsters, and it was also one of the reasons why a monster is encouraged to find a husband. A steady source of Mana could increase a monster's power, even if it's treated more as a bonus by their kind.

So when Mimil looked into Merridith and saw that she was producing her mana at a rate similar to a human's, she was shocked. This… wasn't normal; nothing about her was normal. Her mana usage in itself was practically nonexistent, but because of this, she was nothing more than a non-aging little girl instead of a witch.

"...A-Are you really a witch?" Mimil asked, eyes wide as she turned to Merridith. That caused the others to widen their eyes as well; they then turned to the girl who looked on at the group.

"I-I'm not really sure anymore," Merridith muttered, her eyes moving around as she nervously moved her feet closer together.

"Wait, hold on… what do you mean she's not a witch? She feels like a Monster to me." Primera asked, eyes wide as she turned to the rest. Heros had a sort of 6th sense to them; Unless they were actively hiding, a hero would be able to tell that someone was a monster.

Those senses told Primera, yet she couldn't understand why Mimil would say otherwise.

"Explain," Akito stated, crossing his arms as he turned his eyes to Merridith.

"You know how monsters cannot produce mana on their own at a sufficient rate?" Mimil asked, causing Akito to nod and Primera to look on at her with crossed arms. Lucas just turned to Mimil, obviously unaware of that fact about them.

"That's the thing; she can produce mana on her own at a rate similar to a human's," Mimil explained, causing the rest to raise their brows. Akito particularly, considering that was the one advantage humans had over monsters.

"Wait, what?" Primera stated, her eyes widening as she turned to Mimil.

"How?" She then added.

"I don't know, but this discovery is both incredible and alarming… I-I kind of want to bring her back to study her but-" Mimil started before Lucas cut in.

"I'm sure this is very eye-opening to you all, but remember why we brought her out here in the first place." Lucas recalled, moving towards Merridith, who was metaphorically sinking under the attention. He placed his hand on her shoulder as he secretly looked into her as well, and what he saw shocked him in a way different from how it shocked everyone else.

While they were all asking how she could do it, Lucas figured it out immediately. Unfortunately, the answer brought him more questions and an alarming implication. She could see that her mana was tampered with in her body. It was faint, almost unnoticeable, but he would never mistake it.

Merridith had runes in her body.

No, not her body but her very being. It was messing with her mana, the very thing that made her who she was. It was shackling the Demonic Energy within her, manipulating it to its will instead of letting it take full control of her. In other words, the runes were tampering with her nature as a witch.

At face value, this should be a good thing. After all, with this, one would theoretically be able to pacify monster girls into becoming more docile and humanlike. But these runes were also sourced from the one thing he and his lady had fought against.

The Golden Order.

They were here, and now they were tampering not just with Lescatie's society but with the nature of the world as a whole. They've done it before when the Greater Will sent the Elden Beast into the Lands Between to conquer it in its name. But now it was being done again, this time more discreetly.

Knowing them, their plans for this world couldn't be good. At least by his metrics.

Forget the Baphomet; he needed to know who did this to her, and his lord needed to know too.

"I'll take her to my home now; the rest of you can leave once it's over. We'll rendezvous back in Fortress Maxim." Lucas added, grabbing Merridith's hand before he blew a white powdered substance at her, which caused her to collapse into a deep slumber.

"Wait… is-is that what you did to me a few days ago?" Mimil spoke up, looking on as Lucas carried the girl on his back before dryly turning to her.

"You looked like you needed it, master. A girl your age shouldn't have that many bags under her eyes." Lucas replied, causing the girl to blush slightly in embarrassment.

"W-Well, whatever… we'll return to Fortress Maxim then and leave everything else to you. So don't mess this up, or I'll shoot you with my magic." Mimil stated, huffing slightly as she did as Lucas just gave her a wry look before leaving.

Once he was away from view, the rest turned to one another before Akito spoke.

"So none of you are the least curious about where his so-called 'house' is?" Akito asked, turning to Mimil and Primera before the green-haired elf spoke up.

"I don't trust him, not at all… there's just something wrong about him," Primera muttered, narrowing her eyes as she debated whether to follow the little boy.

"I get where you're coming from, but from my time teaching, I could at least tell he isn't out to hurt anyone. At least no one that doesn't deserve it…" Mimil stated, her tone somewhat unsure. Even today, she could not figure out what was with the boy.

"Regardless, I'm more curious about the witch… this is the first time I've ever heard of it; any ideas on how that is?" Akito asked, turning to Mimil, who looked on at Akito before she cupped her chin.

"She's a monster, that much I can tell. She still had Demonic Energy, but it's… weird… it's like it's being controlled and regulated by something… something…odd…" She muttered, narrowing her eyes as she recalled what she saw.

She didn't tell anyone else, mostly because she didn't trust them enough to know. This was between her, Merse, and Elt. But she found traces and hints of whatever it was she found in Elt's body.

"Explain," Akito stated, causing Mimil to furrow her eyes before she turned to him.

"You're not my superior; I don't have to tell you anything." She started dryly, causing Akito to roll his eyes. She did have a point; he wasn't his superior or anything of the sort.

"Fair enough; in that case, I'd say you two should head back and stay out of sight. I'll go pick Red up once he's done." Akito stated, turning to where the Morrigan Estate used to be.

Narrowing his eyes, he looked on with slight pity as he crossed his arms. Working for the Inquisition changes a person; let's see how different he is now.


Elt felt nauseous; the visions he had tried to suppress earlier had come back in full force. The horrible acts he committed made him sick; he wanted nothing more than to get out of it. He hated himself after that, him and the rest of the Inquisition. His memories had been jumbled, but now, even more, memories had resurfaced, and he could remember what had happened in his time in the Lands Between more vividly.

Not everything was open yet, but enough of it was unlocked with that one act to the point where it might as well have been fully opened. It was still unclear, a jumbled mess of words and concepts but luckily, he knew someone who had the answers.

He stumbled through the streets. His eyes shifted from gold to blue as he tried to keep himself up. As he walked, he could faintly see the specter of another being following beside him. A mirror image of himself, only that version of himself was wearing something notably different from his Inquisitorial garb.

An ornate and meticulously crafted blade was strapped to his hip, and a blue cloak covered his form. Underneath, he could see the faint visuals of an armor scarred by combat. He followed Elt, his blue eyes turning to him before he spoke up.

"You did what you had to."

'But was it worth her life? I just condemned two people to die.'

"It was either her or risking the lives of everyone you loved. You had no choice in the matter."

'But I did… I could've stepped forward and confessed. That way, I would've been the one to suffer the consequences instead.'

"And Primera's life would've been thrown at risk, by extension, so would Sasha's and even Mimil. The world is cruel; you understand this more than anyone."

'Don't blame the world for what I did… I killed her, and you know it.'

"Why are you feeling guilty now? This is merely the latest life you've laid to rest. Your blade felled countless others and countless more hereafter."

'Shut up… I won't… I won't do it again, I swear… I'll never do it again'

"You will, you must… it's the only thing that got us through the Lands Between."

'We're not there anymore; we don't need to kill anyone anymore.'

"A soldier that will not kill is not a soldier at all. You're a fool if you think this would be the last, an even bigger one if you would not do so again."

'I'm tired… alright, I did it back there, and I don't want to do it again. Nothing you say or do will convince me otherwise.'

"Then things will only get more difficult. Prepare yourself; your foolishness would only get those close to you killed."

Elt shook his head; he's heard enough and refused to hear any more. He was seeing things again and felt like he was going insane. What was going on with him? He tries to get his mind off what he did, but every attempt only makes the guilt call to him.

"Yo, looks like you need a little assistance, red." A voice called out. Turning, Elt was met with the familiar face of his handler. Akito looked on with a grin before his eyes widened at the sight of his hand.

"Woah… what happened there," Akito asked, turning to Elt's hand as Elt lifted it for him to see.

"Albain and I had a little… disagreement. But it's all settled now, so it shouldn't be anything of note." He stated, voice hoarse and his tone a little off. That seemed to catch Akito's attention; the kid was acting slightly differently.

"What happened?" Akito asked, causing Elt's eyes to narrow before he turned to the horizon. He stared off into it as if he was pondering his choice of words before he spoke up.

"Nothing; how about Merridith? Is she safe?" He asked, refusing to elaborate on his injury before turning to Akito. Akito's brow furrowed at that; he was acting notably differently, and whatever happened there made him a little cautious.

"The witch? She's safe, and the little shit should have her at his house by now." He stated before he turned to Elt's injured hand.

"Anyways, we should get you to a healer before anything else. There should be one in Fortress Maxim, so-" He began before he was cut off.

"No, not now… I need to find Lucas." Elt cut him off, turning to the horizon before he walked off. That just caused Akito's brow to raise; yeah… he was acting a little different.

As Elt passed Akito, he then placed a hand over his shoulder. Akito stared at Elt and spoke in a more serious tone than before.

"What happened over there? Tell me." He demanded. It was no mere request; it was a genuine question and order given by an Inquisitor. He used the tone when interrogating people, the same ones he dealt with in the less reputable parts of society. It was the tone of an Inquisitor stalking its prey, but unfortunately, the prey was a bit more than what he could chew.

Elt simply paused, taking a deep breath. He then moved his head slowly towards Akito. His eyes which were once blue were now a stark gold, and it bore into Akito's own red eyes. He widened his eyes as a faint golden glow surrounded him. He stood there, stunned as Elt moved his injured hand onto Akito's hand before he shoved it away from his shoulder.

"You don't need to know, not you nor anyone. I'm finding Lucas." He added before he turned and walked off.

"...I… And how are you planning on doing that!?" He yelled out.

"I won't…" Elt muttered, causing Akito to raise his brow before Elt turned to him. He gave a small wry smirk before turning and continued walking.

'He'll find me…' he added as a thought. His runes, once dormant, had begun to stir once more. Once Lucas finds out, he'll immediately try to make contact.

"Tell Primera and Mimil that I'll come back later; I need to take care of business first." He finalized before he walked off.

Elt needed answers, and he needed them urgently.

And so here he stood, by an alleyway near Fortress Maxim. He thought about what he would do if this were the right choice. He was leaving both Mimil and Primera in the dark. But considering all the things he can finally recall, perhaps that was the best call. He needed to learn this on his own before he decided to tell them what he truly meant. Besides, he could also use this information to speak with Merridith finally.

He only had around 5 days left to find the Baphomet. A nigh impossible task, but at least now he has a source of information.

He felt a presence on his side, a little boy wearing a cloak jumped from the rooftops and looked on at him with his blue moonlit eyes.

His eyes scanned Elt for a second before he spoke up.

"...Is there a reason why you were standing there, my lord?" Lucas asked; his tone was akin to a person prodding for a different response rather than a genuine question.

"...I think it's time you tell me what exactly is going on with me, Lucas…" Elt muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly before he turned to the boy.

"Did Ranni send you?" He asked, causing the boy to widen his eyes before a smile came to his face. It was the first actual childlike expression he's seen from the boy, it was akin to the look one's little brother would make after a family member they looked up to returns after a long time.

"M-My lord… you remember!" He spoke up, stars in his eyes as he turned to the man.

"Not everything… but… enough." He continued, choosing his words carefully before he shook his head. The memories were still pretty vague, but his latest visions had cleared a few things up.

"I-I see… but still, this is great news. Your runes have also begun to awaken; it would only be a matter of time before your full power is realized!" Lucas excitedly stated, causing Elt to frown slightly before he shook his head.

"It's not a lot; I'd barely be able to match Godrick with this much." He started, opening his hands before he lifted them to look at his palms. One was blackened by the strike earlier, and his murder bloodied the other before that.

Godrick was the weakest of the Demigods. A poor excuse for someone related to Queen Marika, but he would've been a powerful foe to anyone else. Still, he doubted that this was enough to take on that Baphomet, but it should be enough to last longer.

It was a far cry from his power by the end of his journey. After all, the power to match the gods was something that not even the Heroes could do. At this rate, it might take him a few months to even decades before he reaches that state again. After all, he had no graces to empower him and no idea how he unlocked his power.

"I see…" Lucas muttered before he then noticed the blackened arm. Widening his eyes, Lucas turned to Elt before he spoke up.

"M-My Lord! We need to fix your arms first." Lucas added. Causing Elt to raise his hand up before he spoke up.

"Can't you heal this?" He asked, raising his brow before Lucas nodded.

"I would be, my lord. But that spell is quite… well… flashy. I don't have any crimson tears on me at the moment so you won't be able to heal yourself." Lucas stated, causing Elt to nod in understanding.

It was to be expected; Crimson Tears were formed through the Erdtree. And unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your perspective, there aren't any Erdtrees here. As such, any Crimson Tears they had were in limited supply. They were powerful healing items, literally fueled by the conceptual power of the Erdtree.

"Normal healing potions will do for now, though…" Elt started before he lifted his injured arm. He moved it around, testing to see how damaged it truly was. Surprisingly, he was still able to move it around a bit. Was this due to his nature as a Tarnished? He who treads the path of life and death? He didn't know.

All that mattered was that he could still use it.

"I can still use my hands and arm, so the healing potion's second priority for now." He stated, covering his hand by placing it in the pockets of his uniform. He turned to Lucas, who looked at him worryingly before speaking up again. Besides, he's fought through worse injuries before. He fought the Elden Beast with multiple shattered bones and multiple failing organs, after all, not to mention the scarlet rot that ate at his very being when he faced Malenia.

"We have no time to waste; I need to talk to Merridith; take me to her." He commanded. He wondered where he got his more commanding tone; he knew that his journey through the Lands Between had changed him, but he didn't know how much.

"R-Right! Of course, My lord. Right, this way." Lucas stated before he ran off in a certain direction.

Elt followed closely behind, checking around to see if he was followed.


A man ran through the forest, his form panting as he moved. He could still hear his fellows' echoing cries and moans in his mind even though it's probably been hours since he began running. His form jumped, ran, and swam through the dark forest in an attempt to flee the coming monsters. In his haste, he managed to trip and roll down a hill leading into a clearing that bordered the plains.

He got back up and began to run again. But before he could reach the plains, he was tackled from behind by a force far more powerful than he. The man struggled, he tried desperately to escape, but all his efforts were for nothing. He turned his head to see his attacker, widening his eyes as he noticed her piglike features and lecherous grin.

"Aw… don't be like that; I'll show you a world of obscenities the likes of which you've never seen~" She muttered, causing the man to scream and cry for help only to be silenced with a hand to his mouth.

"Just lay there and relax… I'll make sure to give you a good time." She added, moving her hands towards his clothes. The man closed his eye, accepting his fate as he waited.

The thunder cracking caused both to open their eyes, and red lightning could be seen from the distance. Red lightning that seemed to be getting closer… before…

"Gugh!" The orc sputtered out, blood gushing from her mouth as her eyes turned lifeless. Looking up, the man looked around to see what was going on. Pushing the orc away, the man turned to see who or what that was. He found nothing, absolutely no one but himself within the forest.

He turned his eye towards the orc only to widen them at the sight. There was a stab wound on her back, singed from the looks of it. Possibly by the lightning from earlier. He looked around again, trying to see who did it before he turned and fled.

Whoever saved him, he wasn't willing to stay and let more monsters come.

A knight stood out in the distance, just a few paces away from the one attacked. He had glistening armor and a spear in his hands. Red lightning moved through them as he turned to see if the man had escaped. Seeing him run off to the plains, the knight gave a satisfied look before he turned.

"Vyke," Another voice sounded, this time coming from a man walking towards him. Another knight, his armor marked by what appeared to be winged lions. He carried with him a great zweihänder, and from the look on his face, he was less than amused. However, it wasn't something Vyke could tell, considering that the two were wearing helmets obscuring their faces.

"Bernahl," Vyke regarded with a nod, causing the man to look at the fleeing victim with a sigh.

"We had strict orders. We were not allowed to spare anyone." Bernahl began, furrowing his brows as he rested his zweihänder on the ground, hands grasping the guards.

"When did you start following the two fingers again? Last I heard, you were a Recusant, hunting Tarnished down for The Lord of Blasphemy." Vyke retorted, causing the man to sigh before he turned to the fleeing man.

"I would rather not be told that by a man who sold his soul to the Frenzied Flame. We were both fools and heretics; the Golden Order gave us a second chance." Bernahl replied, his eyes turning to the village ravaged by the monsters.

Bernahl still couldn't forgive them for their betrayal. But alas, he had no real choice in the matter. He was given another chance, and he would not squander it. His loyalty was thin; they all knew that which was why he had a tighter leash.

"In any case, we have what we came here for." Bernahl began, placing his zweihänder on his shoulder. He looked upon the village with narrowed eyes, watching as monsters took the man with no one coming to help them. They had the power to do so, but why would they interfere with something that the Golden Order themselves planned?

Walking through the forest, they managed to make their way into what appeared to be an encampment. Once, they found themselves facing an army of men wearing symbols of the Golden Order discreetly placed on their uniforms at a certain point. The sight they saw was one that no human would've ever believed in seeing. The guards pulled Orcs into iron cages placed within carriages, their forms chained as they were roughly dragged inside. It wasn't just Orcs, too, there were even Harpies, Slimes, and even Amazoness being dragged and placed into carriages.

Scars and obvious signs of abuse marred their usually demure and lewd forms. Their once lecherous looks had given way to fear and anguish.

They struck at the moment when they were most vulnerable. While the monsters were busy copulating, Vyke, Bernahl, and their men surrounded the village and descended upon them like vultures to a corpse. All of the men had been slaughtered; the women were taken to be forcefully monsterized. The monsters were to be either taken in alive or killed, depending on the circumstances.

The Carriages were filled with the emblems of various noble families, some of which belonged to the Noscrim Faction. A way to dissuade people from looking into them and to ensure that they stayed hidden even if they were being dragged into the most anti-monster city in the nation.

The Golden Order had full control of what entered and left the city. With powerful noblemen in their ranks, even the Inquisition would be hard pressed to investigate the cargo. Such was their reach since first arriving; their roots had dug deep into Lescatian society.

"A few monsters to send back to the capital. I don't understand why the Golden Order would do this… it seems like something only Ofnir is truly interested in." Vyke commented.

"Does it matter? Our purpose is to do as we're told simply. You and I have been reborn in this world, I suggest you don't squander the second chance the Greater Will has given you." Bernahl stated, eyes turning to Vyke, who stood there impassively. What use could Ofnir have with these monsters? Who knew, but Bernahl didn't care.

Vyke, however, did. Despite Vyke having a less than stellar opinion of the monsters, what he was forced to do was just cruel. Sadly, it wasn't out of character for Gideon Ofnir. The lengths he'd go through to acquire knowledge were disgusting sometimes, but such atrocities were common in the Lands Between.

And it wasn't the first atrocity that Vyke had committed, nor would this be the last.

His eyes turned to the sky, narrowing them as he looked upon the darkened clouds. It's been rather stormy these past few days, an omen, perhaps? Whether good or bad, Vyke didn't know.

"Tell me… you've met the Tarnished before, the one who served the Lunar Princess, I mean… Elt was it?" Vyke began, causing Bernahl to turn to him before he gripped his zweihänder tightly.

Seeing this, Vyke raised his brow. It appeared that Bernahl hadn't the greatest opinion of Elt, a common theme amongst many of the Tarnished now serving the Golden Order.

"He… had been one of us before. A Recusant, hunting down his fellow Tarnished. I called him my brother in arms, a friend… but…" Bernahl began, narrowing his eyes as he remembered the Erdtree burn.

What had been denied to him was given freely to Elt. He had felt betrayed, utterly crushed by the revelation that his friend would achieve what he could not. He had become a Recusant to save his fellow Tarnished, to show them that The Golden Order had lied to them.

But in the end, it was he who was lied to. His Maiden Burnt and his destiny denied. Seeing Elt achieve what he could not have burnt a hatred stronger than the friendship he thought they shared.

"...he betrayed me, betrayed Tanith… I could never forgive him." He ended, causing Vyke to pause before he turned to the scene of the monsters being dragged into the carriages. Bernahl was a hypocrite, serving the very being he had sworn to destroy. And for what? Redemption? Forgiveness? To atone for sin, he had no shame in committing. He was a dog, shackled to the Golden Order and forced to become a Recusant in their name.

"...The only time I ever faced him was in combat… but…" Vyke began before he tried to recall.

Alas, he couldn't. The Frenzied Flame had shattered his mind by that point, and only madness remained in his being when Elt struck him down. He wanted to meet and face him in combat and see the warrior who bested him. To free himself of his shame after succumbing to the Frenzied Flame. In any case, both had a reason to try and fight Elt. One due to his honor and duty, and the other due to his unbridled rage. Even though Bernahl and Vyke were alike in some areas, they differ in many others. Even still, the two were both shackled and were made to serve the Golden Order. they and countless other tarnished were placed into this world to clear way for the Greater Will's Vassal.

"In any case... we've gathered enough monsters today, I suppose. We should leave some for the heroes to deal with lest they lose their purpose." Vyke jested, but Bernahl was unamused. They needed to leave some of them be for them to populate; knowing their rampant libido, it shouldn't take long before they'd have another batch of monsters to take.

The purpose of such an act was unclear, even to the two. But both supposed it made sense; the Golden Order didn't trust either of them and viewed them more like tools than people. They were nothing more than blades, potential rogues, who'd be put down if they so much as think about defecting. They had every right to, to be honest. One was a Recusant Hunter; the Frenzied Flame claimed the other. The fact that the Greater Will managed to wrestle Vyke away from the Frenzied Flame was a miracle in itself, but it had been the personal request of Lansseax that brought him here.

Seeking to change the subject, Bernahl began a conversation on another topic.

"I'm still astonished that Lansseax managed to convince the Greater Will to give you another chance," Bernahl commented, causing Vyke to pause lightly before he looked away.

"I'm surprised that she even went so far for me..." He muttered, his voice sounding a little sheepish as Bernahl gave a short laugh.

"Relish it; anyone would kill to be in your position. After all, having a dragon as powerful as her as your lover would bring you a great boon." Bernahl commented, causing Vyke to turn his head away.

"Lansseax is not my lover; she is just... a good friend... besides, there are dragons here too, and from the looks of it, they're also somewhat similar and more willing when it comes to relationships." He sputtered out, causing Bernahl to let out a laugh.

"You'd compare those harlots to Lansseax? I wonder what she'd say if she heard that. I've heard she isn't exactly happy with you now." Bernahl commented, causing Vyke to look solemnly at the sky before he spoke up.

"She deserves to be angry at me, to hate me even. I betrayed her when I stepped foot at the base of Leyndell and surrendered myself to the Three Fingers. Even after, she was willing to go this far for me. I realize now that I don't deserve someone like her." He commented, causing Bernahl to sigh.

"You're right; however, Lansseax does not deserve to be compared to the Harlots that move around this land." He added.

He wondered what Lansseax, and by extension, the rest of the Dragons like Fortisax, would say about the dragons of these lands. Being a member of the Dragon Cult and someone intimately close to one of them, one of the first things he tried to learn after being reborn was about the dragons of this world. Suffice to say; he was somewhat irked at the state that they were in. The Dragons he knew were strong, powerful, and incredibly wise. The ones here were described as strong, powerful, and incredibly horny. It was such a dichotomy and went so far from his beliefs that he had trouble believing it for a second.

Fortissax might die from seeing the state the dragons in this land were in. They were said to be powerful creatures, and he knew they would not be underestimated from the more powerful monsters he faced. But seeing the dragons here and then comparing them to the Dragons he worshipped was like finding out that your entire faith had been a lie and that your god was nothing more than a shameful harlot.

"I keep forgetting that you're barely a 17-year-old under that armor. The Greater Will has a strange sense of humor having you be reborn years after the rest of us." Bernahl commented, causing Vyke to tighten his grip on his spear and turn to the man.

"I was reborn as the son of a powerful lord... I suppose I was reborn to try and influence him into joining our cause." He muttered out loud, causing Bernahl to sigh.

"We were all reborn here for a purpose, but I suppose this topic should be dealt with another day. Our soldiers are finished loading the cargo; it's time we leave." Bernahl commented before he and Vyke moved out.

The Golden Order moved once more; preparations for the next phase of their plot to take these lands were now being set into motion.


Author's Notes:

Alright, so... that ends another chapter.

I have a lot of things to talk about in this chapter, so let's get right into it. Elt finally remembers mostly everything from his time in the Lands Between, it took over 14 chapters and him being forced to do something he hated for them to be unlocked finally. Not all of them are free, mind you. Some of them are still sealed, but enough are unlocked to the point where Elt at least knows what's going on with him. His powers remained sealed, but enough of them have been unlocked to the point where he could fight off against Godrick.

I wrote things that might contradict the lore in Elden Ring and MGE, mostly on how Mana and Runes work from both series. I took my spin on how Runes work in this version, but the Mana remains largely the same as it was in canon. It's a pretty interesting concept if viewed away from the fact that it's coming from a hentai book collection.

Bernahl and Vyke might act differently from how they are in canon, but I tried to keep them as close to it as possible. We never really got to see what Vyke was like before he fell to the Frenzied Flame, but being a member of the Roundtable and the guy who came closest to becoming Elden Lord outside of the player and Bernahl gave me a few clues that I used.

It could be argued that Lansseax's love for Vyke in the item descriptions was platonic more than anything else. But for the sake of this fic I've decided to make it an actual romantic attraction since that seems to be the main consensus within the community. If not, then I still headcanon it since it could lead to an interesting plot point seeing as how the two are technically a Monster and human couple that didn't come from MGE.

In any case, as usual: if you have a review, comments, complaints, reaction, etc. Leave it in the review section and my PMs are open if you want to use that instead.

As always, Whamo out!