They'd found the well with relative ease. It stuck out considerably when focused upon, so clearly different from the trees and other evergreen within the forest. Blaidd almost felt embarrassed that it took him this long to find it by himself previously.

"Ay, there you are," Blaidd muttered, approaching the structure with a small sigh of relief. He'd be quite fine with never setting foot in Limgrave again, after all the searching he'd undergone. Truly, two pairs of eyes had made the search much easier.

The Tarnished had been the one to find it. They'd hardly spoken once reuniting, getting straight to work in finding the well. "There," he'd pointed out succinctly. Sure enough, there it was, a slab of concrete and columns covered in a thin layer of overgrowth. There was no door, revealing a lift inside faintly illuminated by blue light poring from the lift's markings. "Reckon this is the place," Blaidd entered with a quick around. "Shall we?"

The two vassals stepped onto the platform, Blaidd toeing the center slab with his sabaton to begin the lift's journey down into the well. A slight rumbling, and their descent began, the light from Limgrave fading out of view.

It was slow. Very, very slow. The lift had been waiting for them at the surface entrance, so neither had a clue as to how long the trip down would be. Or what would be waiting for them there. Blaidd supposed there were worse things to be doing than being forced to wait on an antiquated lift to take them to a forsaken city, but the awkward silence was hard to ignore.

Blaidd figured some semblance of conversation would alleviate at least some of the tension. He wasn't much for idle chitchat either, but the Tarnished wasn't some unknown stranger, at the very least. "So. Been a while."

"Indeed," the Tarnished answered simply. Guarded as Blaidd was, he would at least have to make an effort to be cordial with his fellow serviceman. The Tarnished didn't seem too bad an egg from their limited interactions, so Blaidd didn't see much harm in an attempt.

"How've you been?" Blaidd pressed. "Last I saw, you were wandering about Limgrave, looking for something or other." He remembered something his lady had mentioned. "Were you looking for Ranni? I recall her mentioning she'd first run into you in the church near Agheel Lake."

"Not at the time," he replied. "I was... out wandering. I'm alright, in any case." He vowed. "Thank you for asking. I hope you've been well, Sir Blaidd."

"Please, we've been over this, no need for a sir," Blaidd quickly cut off. "We're of similar titles now, aren't we? Best we see each other as equals. We of Ranni's pack aren't so uptight as to hold ourselves to any excessive decorum."

The Tarnished hummed softly, apparently in thought. He almost made the mistake of bowing his head again, before he seemed to catch himself. "I'm sorr—ah, duly noted... Blaidd. I will keep that in mind."

"Do so. Ranni isn't much one for formalities anyhow. None of us are." He scoffed a bit. "Well, exempting Seluvis. Though I'm certain you were keen on avoiding him regardless, yes?"

"He..." the Tarnished hesitated. "... does not seem to like me very much."

"I bid thee welcome to the faction," Blaidd sarcastically congratulated. "I can't recall Seluvis ever being glad to see anything that isn't his own reflection. The little rodent."

"Then why keep him around?"

"Annoying as it is to admit, he is very well-informed, and connected to a host of other prominent sorcerers and informants across the Lands Between," Blaidd explained with a scowl. "He is also the only one Ranni can really undertake sorcery-talk with, now that her mother is locked away in Raya Lucaria. Not that I imagine she enjoys it any."

The Tarnished just couldn't fathom why they would keep someone so unpleasant around, despite the apparent boon his knowledge presented. "Is he absolved of suspicion of treason down the line? Forgive my saying this, but he does not seem very loyal."

Blaidd gave him an approving nod. "Glad you noticed it too. It's more a matter of when he decides to turn on us, rather than if. Ranni isn't worried—she could dispatch him with all the ease of snapping a finger. Goes without saying I'd handle him without much hassle on my end." He thought a moment. "Why, even at his age, I can't see Iji struggling much. He's probably got a few countermeasures in place already, crafty giant."

The Tarnished was silent, mulling something over in his head with that unknowable expression on his face. Blaidd didn't mean to bring down the lad, quiet a thing as he was. He gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't waste your energy on account of that overgrown weasel. I saw how you dispatched Darriwil. You could handle him, tricks and all."

He made a show of shifting the greatsword laying atop his shoulder. "And if he's giving you any undue trouble, give me a shout. I'd revel the opportunity to snap that rat in two, and I owe you one for Darriwil. We could make a day of it, yeah?"

He didn't earn a smile from the Tarnished, but that concerned expression had vanished, at the very least. "I will do so, should it come to that. Thank you, Blaidd."

"Think nothing of it," Blaidd was eager to move on. "Enough of him. We've got some time—I want the particulars. What was it that had you in Limgrave so long?"

"I was compelled to combat the shardbearer present in Stormveil Castle," the Tarnished spoke with a level tone, as if recounting the day's weather. "It was... a process."

"That was you?" Blaidd seemed genuinely surprised. "I'd heard tell of someone actually managing to dispatch that loon Godrick, but to think it was you of all people..." That was no small feat, killing a demigod. Even one as far-removed and depraved as Godrick. And for his end not to come at the hand of a fellow demigod, or other major force in the Lands Between, but a singular Tarnished? That was sure to send waves throughout the continent.

"It was necessary. Beyond the urging of the Two Fingers, I would have sought to put him down on principle alone." His gaze hardened a tad. "What he did to all those people... it was unforgivable. He was a monster."

Blaidd nodded, slightly surprised by the vitriol with which the Tarnished spoke. "No argument from me. That grafted bastard's ascension was perhaps one of the more regrettable effects of the Shattering." He gave the Tarnished a look. "Still, risky plot on your part. There's no telling how many Tarnished had that very same thought, only to end up as part of that wretch's body."

A slight pause from the Tarnished, before he spoke again. "Quite honestly, I didn't think about that. It is a scary thought now, being torn apart and mutilated in such a manner, but I was more focused on killing him first."

He eyed the fragment of Godrick's greataxe strapped to his back, shaped and molded for his own use in battle. "I suppose, in simple terms, my hate overshadowed everything else in the moment." He paused again. "It is not something I am proud of. I am well aware it could have gotten me killed."

But it didn't, Blaidd was almost inclined to say. This Tarnished was a more introspective being than he'd thought initially. Lived in his head a lot, which wasn't a particularly encouraging trait for a warrior. But careful reflection of one's actions was better than willful ignorance, Blaidd supposed.

"Well, anyroad, you've done the world a favor by ending that miscreant, I say." Blaidd's opinion of the Tarnished was considerably higher than it had been a few minutes ago. "You've plenty of time to fix that trait of yours. I remember having a similar problem, in my youth."

"How did you deal with it?"

"Fixed itself, in a way. It was more the realization that a battle is never truly over." The half-wolf eyed his longtime greatsword, the end of many a foe. "Opponents die, terrain changes, and time passes; but the conflict never ceases. There is a fight to be had for a just cause, someplace or another. Especially for a cause as grand and meticulous as Lady Ranni's."

"With all those battles to be had, you can't go getting mad at every opponent who has ever done wrong by you or someone else. That rage would be enough to drive a person mad. Everyone has done wrong by someone, or committed a sin by some stretch." Blaidd's expression turned serious. "And I'll be the first to tell you that myself, Iji and Ranni are no different."

His gaze returned to the Tarnished. "What my long-winded answer is meaning to convey is that no one is a saint. Getting mad over every transgression will cloud your judgment, and muddy the reason behind why you fought to begin with. Is it for Ranni, or is it for some misguided sense of retribution in the name of people you never knew? In my eyes, the best form of reckoning with a foul adversary is ending them and forgetting their existence; so that their legacy and life amounts to a slain pile of flesh no one will deign to remember."

The Tarnished's eyes were fully on him, hanging on every word. Still, he seemed yet to be satisfied with an answer. "I do not know if I can do that. I cannot easily forget those I have faced in battle. I have always thought to respect my opponents in death, regardless of their transgressions or aims. Godrick is the first I have encountered that I harbor no appreciation for, in any sense."

He thought for a moment, before continuing. "Still, I appreciate your words. You are right in saying that I cannot fret over every enemy I slay. I will try to take that to heart."

Blaidd nodded. "Would recommend you do. There are many others out there similar to Godrick; some, even more depraved and loathsome. You very well might come across them, throughout your service."

He dismissed that line of conversation. "But that's a thought for another time. For now, your victory against Godrick is a thing to celebrated. I commend you, Tarnished. May this be the first of many such triumphs, in the name of the Great Witch Ranni." The Tarnished nodded in affirmative, and that was that.

The well had managed to finally escape the confines of the circular wall it traveled down, giving way to a view of the underground land they would soon be traversing. It was dark all around, set in a perpetual night illuminated only by the cluster of stars lighting the sky. Fallen stone structures littered the lands, intermingled with a fair amount of greenery.

It was scenic, in Blaidd's eyes. Much more agreeable than the eyesore that was Stormveil Castle. "I do wonder who will take hold of that decrepit castle now that Godrick has been deposed." He eyed the Tarnished with a look. "You, perhaps?"

"I am not equipped for such."

"Are you certain? It would make for a solid base of operations."

"Too conspicuous," the Tarnished immediately shot down. "There are those of Godrick's service still lingering as well. It would be a hassle to remove them, and would leave us vulnerable to assault."

"Fair point," Blaidd acknowledged. He'd meant the suggestion in jest, but thinking on it, perhaps it wasn't the worst idea in the world. "Though, I reckon most anyone would serve as a better leader than Godrick. I never could stand that runt."

That caught the Tarnished's attention. "You speak as though you were acquainted with him previously."

"Because I was. Well before the Shattering, in fact. Before he became the grafted madman you slew."

The Tarnished fell silent, suddenly turning his head to leer into Blaidd with a look that made the latter almost a bit uncomfortable. It was odd, quite honestly, how his eyes did not blink and his face did not twitch. The Tarnished's eyes were rather dull at a glance, but they betrayed a discerning that would have unnerved most creatures.

They remained that way for a spell before Blaidd sought to end it. "What?"

"... you knew Godrick? Personally?"

"How old do you believe me to be?"

The Tarnished paused. "I... would not wish to offend you."

"However old you imagine I am, you're likely on the smaller side." The half-wolf appreciated the attempt at manners. "I am Lady Ranni's shadow; a gift to her from the Two Fingers, created so that I may help her realize her ambitions and keep her along the path designed for her by the Golden Order—or, such was their original intent, anywise. Regardless, I have been by her side since infancy." He sniffed. "So yes, by your years, I would be quite old."

"I... see," the Tarnished settled on. It was a moment more before he continued. "What was he like?"

"Godrick?"

"Yes."

"The same insufferable lout you stuck a sword in," Blaidd scoffed. "Before he was a horrid amalgam of Tarnished limbs, he played more the part of sycophant than heathen. No one clung more onto their lineage than Godrick; no one truly believed they were entitled to so much as him, either. He was a runt of Godfrey's grain; a living mockery, if ever there were one."

Blaidd seemed to hold genuine disdain for Godrick, the Tarnished noticed. "Was that a common sentiment?"

"Very much so. Those of demigod status make sport of arguing over every little point, but if there were ever one thing they would agree upon, it was that Godrick was an insult to the legacy Godfrey left behind." Blaidd sneered in disgust. "Even after the Shattering, his shame knew no bounds. When Malenia marched upon Stormveil from the north, Godrick begged for his life after she made quick work of him and his forces. He pointed her in Radahn's direction to get her off his neck, rather than accepting his death like a man."

He sighed. "I apologize, I'm getting myself up in arms over a dead man. The sentiment remains, Godrick was a disgrace. I'd wager only Rykard would be more universally despised than he. Though I will grudgingly admit Rykard's acumen far exceeds that of Godrick's."

Another mulling look upon the Tarnished's visage. Blaidd played into it. "Curious?"

"A little," the Tarnished answered honestly. He had not considered the insight to which Ranni or Blaidd or Iji could provide regarding the shardbearers. They had lived for a long, long time. That knowledge could serve him well in the future. "May I ask a favor, Blaidd?"

"Naturally."

"I believe your wealth of knowledge regarding the major demigods prior to the Shattering would be of great use to me. At minimum, I plan on traveling to Leyndell to complete a favor. That would force a likely encounter with the capital's monarch—Morgott, I believe his name was. Any information you could provide regarding him, or any other shardbearer would be greatly appreciated."

"So, essentially, you want my stories," Blaidd surmised. The Tarnished bowed before he could think better of it. "I apologize for not having anything of worth to provide you in return."

"Fret not, you've plenty to give," Blaidd dismissed. "Should my distant reminiscing provide you with the means to defeat those who would seek to do Lady Ranni harm, I will gladly provide every minute detail. Your victory will prove ample compensation, I assure you." True, the other shardbearers, as the Tarnished referred to them as, weren't immediate threats in the present. But tell of Ranni's aim would soon spread as she inched closer to realizing her ambition. Her siblings and extended family would seek to place themselves firmly at the cusp of the Elden Ring before her. Conflict, at that juncture, would be inevitable.

This strange Tarnished. Resourceful, if nothing else. What a most peculiar man.

"Ay, these old memories of mine would have wasted away anywise. Better to pass my knowledge unto someone willing to lend an ear. If nothing else, you'll make a serviceable scribe." Blaidd was prepared to elucidate that the Tarnished did not need to physically write down every passing remark of his. He was getting a better sense for the man's meticulous nature.

Alas, the Tarnished made no such gesture. "I thank you, Blaidd. I will endeavor to achieve victory with the knowledge you will impart unto me."

"Suppose we both will, fellow vassal. For the glory of the Great Witch Ranni." Blaidd made a small effort to smile, flashing a set of sharp teeth. Most were intimidated by the gesture, which was why he so rarely partook in the act, but the Tarnished didn't seem put off in the slightest. Perhaps it would have been strange for a man who felled Godrick to take aback at a mere set of teeth.

There was something to this Tarnished, beyond his smaller stature and odd mannerisms. A strange quality about him that intrigued Blaidd. His earnest disposition, perhaps? Mankind was hardly ever rooted to one particular cause or motive, yet here was a Tarnished that had devoted his life and sword to Ranni, braving the Caria Manor just to be granted an audience with the Great Witch. If there were an ulterior motive at play, it required an almost indefensible amount of prior requisite.

How long had it been, since he had fought at another's side in the heat of battle? So long, that he did not remember the feeling or sensation of having an ally at his back. It would certainly take some adjusting in the short-term.

Still, the idea did not repel him. Odd as it was to admit. A Tarnished capable of killing a demigod, and long-lived half-wolf with the experience to fell any foe. What a fearsome duo they would make, potentially.

"May I ask for some advice now?" The Tarnished immediately asked. So very eager, this one. No pretense of restraint when it came to acquiring knowledge. There were worse traits to have, he supposed.

"Another time," Blaidd dismissed, seeing as the well had finally come to a stop. A shallow river stretched before them, illuminated by the false stars above. "We've a job to do. Let's give it our all, yeah?"

The Tarnished nodded. "Let's." The pair stepped off the lift and onto the river, beginning their search for the hidden treasure in the vast underground.

"..."

"..."

"... place gives me the shivers."

"It is quite unpleasant, yes."

"I'd like to get out of here with relative haste. With any luck, I don't suppose we'll run into much by way of opposition." No sooner did the words leave his mouth did a massive crab forcefully emerge from its burrow right in front of them, large claws clamping with anticipation. "Or not."

"I did not think Giant Crabs nested down here," the Tarnished observed, more curious than combat-ready. "Fascinating."

"They won't for much longer." Blaidd removed his greatsword from his shoulder, taking a stance. "I say we dispose of any foes before we start searching. Gives us ample time to look around freely. Are we in agreement?"

The Tarnished stepped beside him, readying his own weapon—the very axe he fashioned from Godrick's weapon. "I'll follow your lead."

Blaidd smirked. They were of a similar mind already. "Good man."


Everybody loves the half-wolf.