Chapter 4: Divine Tower

The Roundtable had proven to be a fruitful excursion. Tyr now found himself back in the company of Melina, Nepheli, and Hailey, back at Stormveil Castle. Caleb had chosen to stay at the Hold and watch over his fellow Knight; Tyr found no fault with that, and Roderika was training under Hewg at the moment. That left his current band of companions to handle things.

Nepheli had all been too happy to help him explore the rest of Castle Stormveil, and restore some of Limgrave to its proper state. Even more so when she found out her father approved of their adventuring together.

Hailey was uncomfortable staying at the Hold; as she was still a former soldier under one of the Demigods, those of the Hold had once sought to kill. She was sure that if the pact wasn't in place, she'd have met her death there.

Melina was bound to him either way due to their pact.

"Alright; so first Hailey, take this." Tyr summoned the Lordsworn's Greatsword and offered it to her. She looked at it and then to him confused. "You lost your old one while we were fighting Godrick. You need something to defend yourself with."

She took it but said nothing, just gave the slightest nod.

"Alright." He gave a clap of his hands. "Which way to the tower?"

The path to the Divine Tower was…destroyed. And lying scattered were three Golems.

"WHAT THE FUCK GODRICK?!" Tyr yelled seeing the destruction ahead of them, he then looked to Melina. "Bridge is out, how are we supposed to get there now?"

"There looks to be a Waygate at the edge of this half of the bridge my Tarnished. It shall bring thou over to the other half. But be careful of the Golems that lie in wait." Melina informed him.

Tyr breathed out a sigh. "Of course it couldn't be that easy. It never is." He stretched out, then summoned his axe to his hand. He looked back at Nepheli and Hailey. "Care to see who can take down one faster?"

Hailey stepped back, clearly against the idea. "Oh no, you both can try. I'm content hanging back here and not dying. I still have stuff I want to do."

Nepheli proved to be the opposite as she stepped up next to Tyr, a smile of challenge on her face. "Shall we?"

"Try to keep up Loux." Tyr sped off, making his way to the nearest Golem at his right. It waking up, the others following right behind it.

Nepheli's smile turned bloodthirsty as she activated her Thunderstorm. She then rushed at the Golem to her immediate left, and began to slash at its ankles, in hopes of bringing it to kneel.

Tyr used Airwalk to get up to a point on the Golem where he could have a proper hold. His plans were to climb to the core and take it down from there. He had used his Sixth Sense to locate the source of magic that allowed it to move. He was currently dangling from its waist, trying to pull himself up. Luckily its movements were slow; allowing him time to accomplish the task before its hand slammed into where he once was. He jumped over it and ran up the arm looking for an easy access point in the armor to the core.

Nepheli found her efforts quickly rewarded as the Golem fell to its hands and knees after all the damage done to one of its weak points. Leaping up the woman Warrior brought her twin axes down on the massive living armor and proceeded to lay into it. Taking the time to do as much damage as she could while it was down.

However her swiftness cost her the attention of the Archer Golem further down. It had finished knocking its arrow and took aim at her. The giant piece of ammo was then released at Nepheli, narky skewering her, if she hadn't noticed in time and gotten out of the way. Her felled target began to get back up.

"Careful Nepheli, I rather not have to explain to Gideon why immediately after taking you with me. You died." Tyr called from his spot on the arm. Once more using Airwalk when the Golem he was on attempted to put an end to him with its other hand. "Gotta be quicker than that."

Tyr then found his opening and went into the arm, aiming straight for its core. He brought his axe down onto it, putting as much force as he could behind it. This sent the Golem lurching back from the blow. Tyr then jumped back taking the axe with him, ricocheting off the inside of the breast plate that made up the giant sentries torso and tearing through its core. The light of its eyes dimmed as it collapsed, almost on top of him had he not escaped and landed on one of the destroyed pillars nearby. He watched as it turned to runes, before directing his attention to Nepheli.

She was currently in the process of trying to bring it down once more, all while keeping aware of if the Archer Golem attacked. The Golem she was working on brought down its halberd at her in an attempt to bisect. Nepheli brought up her axes, holding it back though not without some struggle. Distracted she was with this, that she paid no notice to the Archer Golem about to attack her again.

Not having this; Tyr shot a projectile of his magic at the Archer Golem, causing it to turn its attention on him. It fired the arrow at him. He jumped off the pillar and ran along its shaft, leaving it to further destroy the already ruined pillar. Tyr started to make his way at the Archer, taking a second to send a magic projectile at the ankle of Nepheli's dance partner, which caused it to lose balance, and Nepheli to gain the advantage. Nepheli used this to land a killing blow at the Golem's core.

Tyr continued towards the final enemy, his mind singling in on it. His eyes followed the massive bow in its hands, waiting for it to fire again.

Almost.

Almost.

There.

The Archer Golem let loose another massive arrow, Tyr instead of dodging or running up it, this time took the arrow head on. He went flying back a few feet. His companions looked on in concern. The dust cleared and there he stood with the arrow in hands as he had stopped it just before it could pierce him. He then flipped it in his hands, so that it was now facing the Archer Golem, and with a mighty heave-ho, the otherworlder returned the arrow to sender. It shattered through the armor and pierced the core, causing it to die much like the other two.

"Ahhh…" Tyr began to flex his hands and roll his shoulders, catching that arrow had taken more effort than he initially assumed. "Man that hurt."

Nepheli and the other two came walking up to his side.

"That seemed rather foolish Tarnished. Couldn't though have defeated the Golem without putting thy life in such peril." Melina commented on the way he had handled the last Golem.

"Yeah. But that was quicker, and costed less Mana." Tyr said simply and began to move towards the Waygate. "You coming?"

"We shan't go with you Tarnished. The activation of a Great Rune is a sacred act. The rest of the journey to the tower is your own. We shall wait for you back at the castle." Melina told him.

He just shrugged and waved them off, he was slowly becoming accustomed to the strangeness of these lands and the enigmatic companion he had in Melina. Reaching out to the Waygate, Tyr saw his world swirl before he suddenly found himself on the other side of the destroyed bridge. He directed his attention back where he had come from and whistled.

"Man, that's a useful way to travel. Tyr then started towards the entrance of the Limgrave Divine Tower, intent on activating his first Great Rune.

Blink…

Blink. Blink…

Blink…

Tyr wasn't quite sure what it was he was looking at.

In front of him was what looked to be another version of the Two Fingers, but it looked dead…or perhaps it was a statue. He wasn't sure, and he'd be remiss to find out. Instead he chose to focus on the giant glowing symbol that hovered in front of it. It was in the image of the Great Rune he had obtained.

Taking out the Rune from his storage, Tyr felt a pulsing from it. It seemed it was aware of where they currently stood and longed to be activated once more.

Tyr took a second to fully think about his choice of whether to do it or not. Then decided fuck it, and shoved the Great Rune into the image, activating it. He felt a thrumming from the rune, as it heated up and warmed in his hands. Once it was done, he stood there stock still, staring at the Great Rune in its hand, now alive with power. He blinked a couple of times, then found himself slowly tightening his grip on the rune. The pressure increasing slowly. Before finally he crushed it whole in his hands and found himself encapsulated by the power.

He stared on at the light show it brought amazed. Before suddenly it all came slamming into him at his chest. An incessant burning sensation, that had him clawing at his shirt in an attempt to remove it. His actions ruined it, leaving his torso bare to the elements, as the form of Godrick's Great Rune slowly appeared at the center of his chest. Then it all…stopped. Tyr looked around, blinking. With a nod, he aboutfaced and went to leave, only to pass out as he suddenly found his body flooded with power.

The trio of women were making their way back towards the castle, the remaining soldiers who were lucky enough to survive Tyr's assault on the fortress leaving them be, out of fear for his wrath.

Hailey had an introspective look on her face as she walked, paying little attention to the things going on around her. She couldn't get the last few words of Godrick out of her head. If he was to be believed then she might…

"Something on your mind Hailey?" Nepheli asked, looking at the soldier.

"It's… It's nothing." Hailey repsoded and was going to end it there before making a snap decision. "This is where we depart ways, feel free to inform the Tarnished." Hailey turned and made to stride out of Castle Stromveil to go about her own business.

"So, finally decided to stop holding my Tarnished back. I praise you for your decision." Melina said in parting.

"May we meet again someday." Nepheli said, being more kinder than the Kindling Maiden.

"...yr… ake u… Tyr, wa… WAKE UP!" Overseer yelled in his mind.

Tyr shot awake, pupils dilated, breathe rapid. "What the fuck? How long was I out?"

"Long enough. Now. What the fuck did you do?! All I got was a rush of new power, and when I checked, you were passed out with a wicked new tattoo on your chest."

"Wha.." Tyr looked down at his chest, only to find what looked to be Godrick's Great Rune now in his chest, or at least what looked to be a glowing tattoo of it. "That's… new. The Great Rune integrated with me… Neat."

"I know I said don't disturb me unless it's something interesting, but I didn't mean for you to supercharge yourself out of nowhere."

"How bad is it?" Tyr began to stand up, the glow of the tattoo growing duller as the new power settled.

"Why don't you see for yourself." With that the Overseer's presence faded.

Tyr shrugged and closed his eyes. He took a deep steadying breath and searched for the power that dwelled within him. Finding it, he began to pull it to the forefront, feeling it wash over his body. The tattoo glowed once more, and it was revealed that his eyes as well, once he opened them. He put a lid back over the power and shook his head.

"Huh. I'll need to sit on this." Tyr then began to depart, planning to join back up with the girls.

They were in the throne room he discovered, idly Tyr found himself questioning the massive throne, was Godrick's ass really that fat? Oh well, he also couldn't help but think that even here could be fixed up a little.

What lord allowed for his castle to fall into ruin and disarray. Now that he had beaten the lord, he admitted that the tone of the castle had changed, it almost felt sad and hollow.

He'd need to leave soon, but first he had other matters to attend to besides the Divine Tower. Whatever had put Rogier in that wheelchair was below all this, he was planning to delve down into its depth and find the perpetrator so he'd had a better idea of what he was working with.

He stepped up to Melina and Nepheli, blinking and wondering why it was only the two.

"Where's Hailey? Did she go to a different part of the castle?" Tyr asked.

"She left the Castle, but made no mention of where she was headed. SHe told us to tell you." Nepheli explained to him, getting a nod of thanks.

"Really? Stubborn girl. But it wasn't like I could force her to ask for help." Tyr sucked his teeth, then sighed. "Whatever, I can locate her later if anything. Come on, we gotta find the basement of this place."

They departed from the throne room and began to make their journey. On the way there he could keep feeling their stares at his back.

"What?" He asked, a tad bit annoyed.

"I see that you have taken the Great Rune onto thyself." Melina said from her place, a few paces behind.

"Yeah, you neglected to tell me how much the shit hurts." Tyr looked back at her, then faced forward once more. "But I'll admit, this is some crazy power. Even now I can feel it amplifying my abilities. Honestly makes me want to hunt down that Margit fellow and show him what for." And get rid of Gideon but that would be attacking unprovoked, he'd rather wait for the old man to play his hand.

"Might I ask, what happened to your shirt?" It was now Nepheli's turn to speak.

"Clawed it off, in a fit of pain. It's fine, I've been needing a change of clothes anyway." Tyr shrugged.

Nepheli gave a curt nod.

After that they continued to descend into the castle's depths. Taking care of some bats and rats along the way. They soon found themselves walking out into an empty chamber, with water that reached their ankles.

"For what reason did we venture here, my Tarnished?" Melina asked.

"There is something here I needed to investigate so I could help Rogier. Though it seems like whatever it was isn't in this-" He found himself cut off as the water below began to bubble and an Ulcerated Tree Spirit rose from out of it. "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!"

"What is an Ulcerated Tree Spirit doing down here?" Nepheli questioned.

"Fuck if I know. MOVE!" Tyr quickly shoved everyone out of the way as the Tree Spirit came at them in a rush. "Will it ever end?!" He called with some strain as he took the charge head on and did his best to hold the spirit back. Lifting his arms, he whipped the Tree Spirit and threw it towards the back of the chamber. "I thought these things only hung out around Erdtrees?"

Nepheli and Melina joined back up with him, the trio monitoring the Tree Spirit for any sign of movement.

"The answer to that escapes me." Nepheli said, drawing her axes in preparation for the fight to come.

"Mayhaps there is something of significance down here. I can feel something beckoning." Melina said.

"Hate to agree, but you're not wrong. It's feels…chilling." Tyr said, looking past the Tree Spirit towards the next chamber.

It was at that point the Ulcerated Tree Spirit got up and started to make it move once again.

"Nepheli! Wait for my signal. Melina! Get back." Tyr commanded, taking off to meet the Tree Spirit head on.

He dodged to the right, nimbly escaping from the clutches of the Spirit, jumping on top of it. Summoning up a straight sword, he stabbed it into the back of the beast. It began to thrash around in pain. Tyr tightened his grip on the guard. The Tree Spirit went flying up to the ceiling with him dangling from its back.

"Woahhh…shit. Okay, Nepheli. Fuck it. This is the signal." Tyr said, summoning another sword and stabbed it above the other. He then began to use the swords to climb up the Tree Spirits body.

Nepheli came leaping at the underbelly of the Spirit, lodging her axes in it and attempting to cut it down. The beast gave a whine and began to glow yellow, pillars of fire then began to fire up in an attempt to hit both her and Tyr on its back. Nepheli back-stepped away from the pillar, while Tyr with reluctance launched himself from its back and at a distance. The Tree Spirit climbed the wall and then lunged at Tyr, coiling around him in a grab. Tyr struggled to get out of its hold, then noticed the yellow glow as it prepared to spew fire at him.

"RHHHAA!"

A mighty roar was heard by them all. Then out of nowhere a sword came crashing down onto the Tree Spirit. Attached to it was the Lion Guardian that had previously been in the courtyard. The Tree Spirit canceled the attack, the Lion then bit into it causing the Tree Spirit to release him.

"Ha! Knew it was a good idea to let you live." Tyr said getting up from off his ass. "Alright, we gotta put an end to it."

Nepheli came charging to provide the Lion Guardian back up. Tyr kept a lookout for where he had stabbed the swords. Meanwhile Nepheli and the Lion Guardian worked at taking it down. Nepheli swiped both her axes at it, while the Lion routed around back and pounced at it with its claws, then followed up with a sword swipe.

The Ulcerated Tree Spirit thrashed and whined, bashing itself against the wall in an attempt to get the Lion off, only for it to jump out of the way. However it did plunge Tyr's swords deeper into the Spirits back.

The Lion Guardian and Nepheli joined back up with Tyr.

"Alright, it's al-" Tyr cut himself off. "Did you hear that?"

Nepheli and the Lion looked at them both confused.

"Hear what?" Nepheli asked.

Tyr didn't answer, he just looked around. There was a sound, it was almost like… crying?

'It hurts…it hurts so much.' It sounded like a woman's voice, and it definitely wasn't Nepheli or Melina. No way it could have been the Lion Guardian.

He looked to the only other being in the area.

'Overseer…' Tyr tried to get his robotic companion's attention.

"There is a sentience there." The Overseer responded to his call.

'Obviously. Does it have its wits about it though, is it the source. If so, what's wrong with it and can we fix it?' Tyr said, prepping his legs as the tree Spirit came at them in a lunge.

The Lion Guardian and Nepheli dodged to the sides, Tyr followed the Lion. Once out of danger, the Lion Guardian got ready to pounce once more.

Tyr held out his hand. "Wait!" His voice grabbing Nepheli's attention,who was also about to attack.

"It seemed to be having flashes of sanity. I'm not entirely sure what is wrong with it, it seems like it's decayed, a husk. You'd need to bring life back into it."

'Can it do that?' Tyr's right hand lit with a golden light and he prepared to lunge at the Tree Spirit.

"In theory, yes. I'd just need to find whatever link it has to the world and strengthen it. But are you certain, you want to-"

"It's in pain. I'm gonna heal it. Prepare the spell." Tyr said out loud. He ran at the Tree Spirit, jumping into the air when it charged at him and landing on its head. "Alright, big nasty. Let's heal ya up."

It opened its mouth and prepared to spew yellow flames at him, only for Tyr to shove his arm into its mouth and a shower of blood to spew forth.

"TYR/MY TARNISHED!" Nepheli and Melina yelled out respectively. They were quickly cowed from acting as a big golden circle appeared below the Spirit and big enough to encompass its entire body.

"With my blood! I take you into my service! My power is your power! May it nourish and heal! May we be forever bound!" Tyr recited as a big golden flash let off blinding all who were present.

Pain.

Her entire existence had been nothing but pain. It had driven her mad.

There were rare moments where she had some clarity of mind. In them she would see herself fighting someone, the last time, had been that funny man with a rapier, casting spells, he had quickly been dispatched though not before seeing the image of Godwyn's corpse in the chamber she guarded. So was the fate by those who faced destined death. Now it had happened again this time it had been a small party of two Tarnished and a Kindling Maiden, playing the role of Finger Maiden, what a laugh that was. Anyway like all others she did her best to take them out fast as was her job, but that failed spectacularly, they proved more capable than she expected.

Then that damn lion had to show up. It was all too much and the pain got worse. She had been forced to cry out, and the male Tarnished had looked to have heard her.

Next thing she knew she had the taste of blood in her mouth and a bright flash. Her world went gold and she heard a voice speak.

"Come to me, and the pain will be gone. You shall be a husk no longer."

That…that sounded good. She was so terribly tired of this pain and just wanted it all to end. This could kill her but she naught a care. She'd take anything at this point. At least then she'd might be able to return to the Erd tree.

She followed the call and made her way deeper into the light.

Fuck his arm hurted, guess that was what he got for sticking his hand into the mouth of a possibly divine like being just as it was about to breath flame at him. Eh, worth it.

"It's done."

With those words from his internal companion, Tyr looked up from his head in the lap of Nepheli and looked to where the Ulcerated Tree Spirit once was. In its place was…

Oh no.

There lay a woman, body as bare as the day she was born. She had long Golden tresses that went down the length of her back and pooled around her body as if it was a blanket. Her skin pale as if it hadn't seen the sun in ages, which was possible given the circumstances. Her eyes were closed so he could not see what color they were, but that was the last thing on his mind as he began to blush and quickly turned.

"We need clothes. Hey, Kitty-cat." Tyr looked to the lion, which had been resting on its haunches, giving itself a tongue bath. It looked back at him. "I need you to get one of the soldiers and tell them to get us a pair of womens clothes. Think you can do that for me?"

The lion stood up and took off back to the upper levels of the castle. Tyr took a deep breath and turned back around. Kneeling he picked up the woman in his arms, doing his best to allow her to keep her modesty.

"Alright, we got one more chamber to go. Let's see what she was protecting." Tyr said, as Melina and Nepheli flanked him.

The now quartet made their way into the next chamber and what they found floored them. Sitting there was a bit of roots, forming into what looked to be a face and a bit away from there off on the right was a talisman.

"What the fuck?" Tyr asked, looking it over. It was giving him a strange tingle in the back of his neck. Whatever it was, his Sixth Sense was on edge. "Nepheli can you hold her, while I go grab that talisman?"

Nepheli obliged his request, taking hold of the former Tree Spirit, as Tyr went and picked up what looked like a fetid pustule taken from a facial flesh.

"What the he-" Tyr never got to finish his question as he received a vision of a massive corpse, he didn't know where, but the land sensed of death. Then the vision changed to that of Fia, whatever this was, it concerned her. "Woah. Okay. Well I have new questions."

Tyr put away the talisman and returned to his allies. In his mind, the thought that his journey through the Lands Between would be growing ever more complicated.