A/N: Read this note, would you kindly. Big changes are coming to this site.
Here's the request everyone saw in Shards of Shattering, fully realized.
Double update today hopefully.
But first! Here's a health update. Pacemaker problems related to my heart had me crazily running around for about two days there, and I'm dearly sorry for worrying everyone. Its sorted now -no surgery needed at this time- after spending the better part of the day being poked and prodded at. Tests up and down the board, you name it, I dealt with it.
It took them. An entire day. To tell me I was fine. Ffs...I'm exhausted...
Speaking of which, I'll say it plain, if this email opt-in business with the site doesn't get resolved soon, I'm probably going to retire.
It HURTS to say that, but with this new system, reviews and readers have dropped to an all time low, authors are leaving the site in droves.
If you're not already aware of it, ever since the 16th of November, you now have to turn ON your email alerts in account settings -AND MAKE SURE YOU CLICK SAVE SETTINGS!- else you won't be notified when anyone updates. No alerts, no email, no nothing. Apparently that's a thing we all have to do every ninety days or so, now. Alas, not many are aware of it...which is a problem. As things stand this new "fix" as it were, has cut everyone's viewership/reviewers in half because most folks don't know about it.
Sometimes opting in works. Sometimes it doesn't. I hope the admins fix this system.
This sudden change is driving authors away in droves; because no one knows, since not all of us have Twitter, which means most aren't even aware; as a result, they think we're not updating, and they don't read or review...which makes us write even less...So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. No reviews? No inspiration. No inspiration? Sad writer. So speak up! Your words matter! That's no joke!
Now, then, you guys and gals really gotta stop giving me ideas.
Everytime I think I'm out of the new story game for Elden Ring, I get dragged back iiiiiin~!
Once more, this story is an expanded request from the shard Angelo47 asked for. AKA the one seen in Shards of Shattering. Kudos to you, my friend. Without you I wouldn't have created this in the first place. Lets clarify something real quick; in canon, Godrick is stated to be a distant descendant of Godfrey. In other words, probably one of Godwyn's grandkids at best, which gave him one helluva ego and a burning drive to be better...at any cost. As a result, he was bullied to hell and back by Malenia and the rest...and we all know what came aftr.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, memes or themes. Not a wit or a one.
They're merely tributes to legends and myths far greater than I...
Last but not least, the Davy Jones reference is obvious and I regret nothing!
"You say weakness is a sin. Perhaps it is. But we are all born weak, are we not? How else can we become strong?
For that reason alone, this so-called "Runt of the Litter" should be feared above all else. That boy is a most cunning creature, a child who is seen as weak. Everyone lets their guard down around him but in truth, they are the prey while he is the wolf, hiding in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
And that moment is coming. Make no mistake.
It is coming.
~?
Runt of the Litter
Do you fear death?
Do you fear that dark abyss?
All your deeds laid bare, all your sins punished?
I do. I'm absolutely terrified of it. Makes my very soul quiver, ya know? I don't like the idea of dying. Who would? Death is the end of your journey. No one knows what awaits on the other side; what the afterlife is like. Not me. Not you. Not any of us. To be honest, I don't wanna know. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. try not to think about it.
So yes, I'm afraid of death...
.
..
...but death fears me, too.
Y'see, the Reaper doesn't want to deal with me just yet. He knows I -we!- wouldn't go quietly into that good night. And he'd be right. No way in hell would Kurama and I just roll over and croak. Heroes never do. So the big guy offered us an escape. His blessing. A chance to postpone the judgement...assuming we survive.
Mortals are cruel. Why would demigods be any different? Go ahead. Send me now.
I'm ready. Lets give this one last go, shall we? One more time around.
Make me the Runt of the Litter.
(.0.0.0.)
"A descendant?"
Godwyn the Golden gazed upon the babe before him, nestled in a midwife's arms. T'was a weak fledgling, only a few months old. Pale. Whiskered cheeks and faint silver hair. The blood of the Golden Line was weak in him. Fleeting. He did not sniffle, nor did he cry. He made not a sound. Were it not for those bright blue eyes, he might've thought dead already.
Perhaps he yet would.
"His mother died in childbirth, my lord." the midwife stood before him, resolute. "He is your blood, however distant. I knew not what to do...
A pity. Such a terrible pity. It was a shame he'd lost his mother in childbirth...but he could not raise this boy. He had neither the time...nor the faith in himself to do so. Not any longer.
Godwyn waved the woman away with a lie instead. "I have no need of such a child. Give him to another."
The doughty woman stood her ground. "There is no one else, my lord. The queen said if you would not take him, I am to dash his skull against the stones."
Guilt gnawed at him. He wanted to say Mother knew better, that she would never do such thing; but he knew the truth. Marika took a dim view on kinslaying, no matter the circumstance. Any such a child born at the cost of their mother be declared cursed and fit for killing. To be declared kinslayer at such a young age...it did not bode well for the boy's fate. To die before they even truly knew the world...
...Godwyn stilled at the thought, finding it too much to bear. "Has he a name?"
"Godrick, m'lord. It was one of the the last things his mother said. "He'll be the runt of the litter."
Indeed he would. A shadow of greatness; a mere glimmer of gold that could be. His brothers and sisters were ruthless; they did not take kindly to competition, and even less kindly to his status as firstborn. No demigod had sired any children of their own save he. Their arrogance -their fear- would not allow it. Any aid he rendered the boy would only further antagonize them toward him. Little Godrick would have to fend for himself. He'd be forced to fight for every inch. It would be a brutal struggle. Hesitation would be defeat. If he faltered for even a moment, he would die.
Father would never have allowed such. Had he been here, he would've stayed mother's hand.
Alas, Great Godfrey was no longer here, having been exiled to the badlands long ago. He might one day return, but such a return was far off.
And there was just something about this boy. He could sense the infants regard. Feel it watching. A mere babe shouldn't be able to do that. And it was still silent. Almost deathly so.
"Runt of the litter, hmm?" he dared to touch the child's head and was rewarded with a fearsome scowl. "Funny you should say that. In my eyes, the runts are often the ones you must watch out for. They fight the hardest. Bark the loudest. Yes, the "runt" you speak of has much to prove...
He closed his eyes and stretched out his senses.
A blessing, would suffice. From the greatest to the lowest. With luck his descendant wouldn't notice.
"I grant you the blessing of the sun, little one. May your spirit shine bright."
...nothing happened.
Godwyn tried to bless him yet again, only to achieve a similar result. The spell was sucked down and away into the babe before him. No, that wasn't quite right. He had felt the spell settle on his descendant, but it soon withered and died. The baby gurgled happily, unaware of it all.
Godwyn granted him a keen look. Realization dawned. "Ah, I see.
He'd need to keep Fia away from this boy until he was grown. She'd be all over him. Or perhaps that was what he needed.
All were equal before death. From the greatest of gods to the merest of mortals. And this boy was blessed by Death itself. That ruinous specter that supposedly been "Removed" from the Golden Order now lived in this pale wisp of a boy. If he'd realized it, his siblings surely would in time. Mother was likely already aware of his condition; likely why she'd not bothered to kill him outright in the first place. Someone would have to protect the boy. It could not be him. He hadn't much time left.
His brow furrowed, considering. "Do we still have that girl who hails from Yharnam? Maria, I believe her name was?"
The midwife bowed. "Yes, my lord."
"Is she still adrift...?"
"She is, m'lord.
Of course she was. Poor thing had lost all but the clothes on her back. A curious oddity from across the sea, an enigma hailing beyond the Lands Between. She lacked purpose-and so he would give her one. A child to raise a child. The irony wasn't lost on him. She'd have some small semblance of help through the servants but this would be her burden to bear.
"Bring her here. She is to be his attendant henceforth. Little Maria would look after him."
There. The words were said. The deed was done. Let it not be said that he did not look fondly upon his descendants.
He did not have much time left before he lost himself. The years to come would take more from him still. This was the most he could do.
"My lord?"
Godwyn smiled softly at the midwife. "See to it that he lives until she arrives, won't you?"
He had neither the time nor the patience to raise a descendant.
Though they would never truly meet, he wished him well.
All were equal in death, after all.
(.0.0.0.)
The gardens were lovely this time of year.
Grand golden roses dazzled in the afternoon sunlight, rising from trimmed bushes to thread their way around ancient architecture twinning with green vines. This was a place of beauty and peace, but also life and death. There was a certain duality he found in that; some thrived in the vines grasp, while others choked, spilled their seeds and died. From those seeds yet more life grew, and on and on it went, round and around, an endless cycle of life and death.
Such was the nature of the Lands Between. Naruto -Godrick!- found it darkly amusing.
Why wouldn't he? It was the nature of both gods and man to shun that which they didn't understand; to cling to the familiar and reject the strange; to cast out that which does not fit the mold. Death was but one facet of that. Anything that did not conform to the beloved tenets of the Golden Order was to be loathed and reviled. That which could not be killed -and they had tried!- was to be avoided at all costs.
Perhaps that was why his kin avoided him so.
An irritated grumble rumbled in the back of his head. "Hypocrites. Better to kill them all."
"Shh." he shushed the all-too-familiar voice, shifted a little atop the stone bench that held him, and scratched another entry in his journal. "Not yet, Kurama. You know why."
The fox subsided with a tired grumble and let him be; so too did "Godrick" let the sights and sounds of the Gardens wash over him.
There were many such seats here in Marika's gardens-though few of them were occupied at this hour.
That was not to say the Gardens themselves were abandoned, of course. They were not. This was Leyndell after all. Pages bustled too and fro with their missives. Nobles plotted in the shadows. Steadfast knights patrolled on a rota, marching a meandering path that led them his way once every three cycles, the steady clomp-clomp-clomp of their boots a constant comfort to his ears.
To a one they all ignored him, acting as though he didn't exist.
He caught a glimpse of Miquella and Malenia some distance away, deeper in the garden, and waved their way. The former didn't even deign to look at him; not that she could with those rot scarred eyes of hers. They didn't harass him as some did, but neither did they help him either.
He had tried to spar with Malenia once.
Once.
She'd beaten him so badly he'd needed a week to fully recover.
"Are you truly this weak?"
Needless to say, he'd not asked again. Kurama wanted her head on a spike to this day.
Miquella wasn't much better; but speaking with him seemed to make Malenia all the more brutal. He tended to refrain from that these days.
Radahn was nice to him; even spoke kindly to him on occasion, but he was seldom in the capital these days. His place was in Caelid, and his kindness a distant memory.
Godwyn, his supposed ancestor, spent much time below the capital. Few saw him these days.
Ranni...well. She seldom spoke to anyone, and the less said about her the better.
Others were more...open in their aggression.
A hand wrapped around the back of his hand. "Care for a swim, cousin?"
Naruto closed his journal with a small smile and set it aside where he knew it wouldn't get wet. "Why not?" He closed his eyes. "Its a hot day."
The grip on his head tightened, fingernails digging into his scalp. "Wrong answer, little Godrick."
This from the little fool himself? he could carve him into bloody pieces well before he could react. Kurama wanted to. But he wouldn't. Not yet.
A snarl was his only warning, his only chance to fill his lungs with air before his head plunged underwater. It really did feel quite nice. Really, when were they going to learn? He wasn't going to drown, no matter how many times, they dunked his head under-not when he could hold his breath for as long as he liked.
They shoved his head underwater again. Naruto blew bubbles in a sigh.
Nine years old and he had grown accustomed to such treatment. Trying to drown him was the lightest crime. The words, the whippings, the beatings when he failed to meet their expectations, it was part and parcel of his life these days. They wanted him to fight back, derived pleasure from his struggle; likewise, they lost interest when he didn't. He would not give them the satisfaction they sought.
Sure enough, his tormentor gave up after a minute when he didn't move.
Naruto pried himself upright, pushing up off the fountain, and ran a hand across his face. "Thanks. I needed that."
Praetor Rykard leered back at him. "Don't look at me with that insipid smile, you cursed thing."
Naruto tossed his head side to side, wringing water out his long, silver hair. "Whyever not? Did I do something wrong?"
Yes, they were trying to get a rise out of him. A reaction. Pity they'd never get it. A normal boy might've given into them. He wouldn't. Not yet. He would remember every slight. Every instance. Every grudge, every blow that ever landed, and one day, he would repay then tenfold.
Rykared scowled his way. "Accursed creature...
Naruto only smiled. He knew it unnerved him, just like the others.
"Is that all you can do?!" An open palm sent his world spinning to the left. "Just smile and take it?!
He struck the floor, pain blooming in his cheek.
"What's wrong?" another blow rocked his world. "You're a descendant of Godwyn, aren't you? I expected more!"
His head cracked against an upturned stone and for a moment -just a moment- he lost his temper. Fury slipped its leash and Kurama seized it with all the ire of a wrathful god. Blue eyes bled red, the whites of his eyes boiling black with a single thought; a singular desire, a burst of killing intent so potent that the outcome was never in question:
"DIE."
Rykard pitched back with a frightened yelp, clutching his chest. He perished before he hit the cobblestones.
Naruto righted himself with a sigh. ...really, Kurama?"
They had, quite literally, scared him to death.
"I regret nothing. He had it coming."
A quick blink was all it took to reign his tempestuos temper in. It was tempting to leave Rykard that way, to let Destined Death have him, but no. Killing a demigod here would draw attention to himself and attention was the last thing he needed. Even now he ran the risk of discovery. The last thing he needed was one of his "cousins" stumbling upon them like this.
With a long-suffering sigh, he laid a hand on Rykard's head, reached in, and took hold of his memories. Psychic fingers wrapped around one in particular -the memory of his death- and wiped it away.
Rykard's heart restarted under his touch a moment later and his so-called cousin floundered upright with a gasp. "What was that?!"
Naruto granted him a benign, innocent smile. "You must've tripped."
...yes, yes, of course." the little fool was all too eager to believe it; for to think otherwise meant this weak boy wasn't weak at all. "Stop staring at me."
Naruto most assuredly did not. "Are we done, then?"
The inquisitor snarled and called a smoldering magma hex to his open palm, bathing his face in baleful light. Arrogant little twat. "I said stop staring at me, mongrel...!"
A gloved hand seized his wrist, wrenched it down, around, then behind his back entirely. His spell sputtered out to splash harmlessly against the dirt.
"Mongrel, is he?" a familiar voice cooed with limpid sincerity. " I would have you take back those words, my lord."
Naruto palmed his face with a rueful a sigh. "Maria, I have this under control-
She ignored him. "Do you enjoy tormenting my lord, good sir?"
"Freaks, the both of you." Rykard tore his limb free and hissed like the cold serpent he was on the inside. "The golden order would do well to be rid of thee!"
A flash of long, flowing red hair danced across his vision. "That is not for you to decide, dear brother."
Naruto looked up, a rare flicker of surprise overtaking his sarcastic smile. "...Ranni?"
"And now the witch comes. Lovely. What does she want this time?"
"Tch." Rykard clicked his tongue, not fancying his chances now that they outnumbered him. "Even you defend him, sister? Is this how you wish to spend what time you have left?" when she didn't answer him, he growled and turned away. "Enough. I grow weary of this...
Bright eyes glared golden daggers at him, colder than the night sky itself. "Then leave us. You know what need be done."
...I shall do it."
Remarkably, the so-called Praetor did just that, departing with all due haste. There had been s
"Maria, could you fetch me some clean clothes for him?"
His aide nodded and marched off.
Ranni looked like she wanted to say something more but held her tongue. Even she had that instinctive revulsion of him. Everyone did. Such was what it meant to be blessed by Destined Death. It came as something of a surprise then, when shook her head, setting her scarlet hair swaying, and bent to dry his face with a clean cloth. "Must you antagonize him like that?"
"Didn't say anything." he grunted as she ran the handkerchief a little-too-roughly over his nose. "He ambushed me again...
"Hmm. her gaze searched his, found not a hint of a lie. "Stay in your chambers tonight."
That was out of the blue. "Alright...?"
She pinched his cheek. "I mean it, little Godrick."
There was something in her voice just then. He didn't like it. Something told him asking wouldn't bring him any answers however, and so he held his tongue.
"Promise me." She gave him a firm look. "I would have your word."
He shrugged. ...fine. I promise."
"Swear it! Or I shall cast a spell on you to make it so!"
"Fine." he held up his pinky finger and hooked it in hers. "I swear I won't go out tonight, no matter what I hear or see."
..good." She drew him into a warm embrace, startling him all the more; if only because she usually eschewed physical contact. "You are so much more than you know." Her chin came down on his shoulder as she pulled him closer till, almost clinging to him. "Whatever comes next, whatever happens, do not let them snuff you out, cousin."
...you make it sound like you're leaving."
Her arms tightened around him that much more.
"In a sense. I wish you good fortune in all that is to come."
(.0.0.0.)
That night, "Godrick" slept.
Through the screams and the chaos and the noise.
Through the clash of steel and rasps of Destined Death.
Through the horror that would one day be known Night of the Black Knives.
And he woke to a world changed.
(.0.0.0.)
"You disgrace us all, Godrick."
As far as insults went, Marika knew it was a scathing one; just the sort a child should never hear. It was meant to break him. Shatter his spirit. Reduce him to a quivering wreck at her feet. Her hammer should have done that already; her words would certainly be the finishing blow.
It did none of these things.
The boy took the insult with good grace, just as he always did. He did not flinch. He did not cry. He only smiled at her and healed his wounds. Set his broken bones. In that at least, he had Godwyn's blood. He was a failure in every other aspect, but he never cried. Never complained. Never once raised his voice. He always healed...eventually.
"I'm sorry." he still sounded like he meant it, even after nine years. "I'll do better next time."
"No, you won't." she snapped.
"Yes," his smile didn't waver, not once. "I will."
Her hand cracked across his face, snapping his head to the side.
Still he smiled. Marika hated that smile. It reminded her of Godfrey; of Godwyn, freshly lost to the Night of Black Knives. The runt before her was barely even a demigod by blood; his silver hair reflected such. Silver. Not the gold of her fallen firstborn nor the white of her husband, but some mad blend between the two. It made her loathe him all the more. She hated him, hated that the Two Fingers had chosen him, named him Empyrean in the wake of Godwyn's death.
How she loathed him.
Why? It should have been him. He should have died. Why had Ranni and Godwyn perished while he yet lives? T'was not fair. Would she never be rid of this blasted boy?! What must she do to be rid of him?! This wretched runt carried Destined Death's blessing with him wherever he went, and she wanted no part of it! No, nay, never! She wanted him gone, away, far, far...away?
An idea dawned. In her demented spite Marika latched onto it.
"You'e right, little Godrick."
He perked up. "I am?"
"Indeed." she didn't deign to conceal her smile. "You will be better. I shall grant you Stormveil Castle as your domain." Far, far from the capital, far from her, out of sight and out of mind. "It has fallen into disrepair hence, but I am certain you can make it your own in due time. You shall leave with your servants on the morrow."
His smile thinned. "With no resources?"
"I shall give you a wagon and a company of knights." The better to make sure he did not return to Leyndell. "Now begone from my sight."
Godrick's smile yet remained.
He couldn't even do that; not with his broken legs.
In the end it was she who departed, leaving him to suffer in the dark.
Godrick lay there. Watching. Waiting.
.
..
...
Kurama sighed in his head once he was certain she'd gone. "You sure about this?"
Naruto blew out a sigh. "I am."
"They all hate you. Why bother?"
"Most," he grunted, setting his legs with an audible crack. "But not all."
...they really do."his old friend remained steadfast. "Malenia and Miquella, even Rykard would rather not be seen with you...or what you carry. I'm not sure if they fear us more, or Destined Death. To say nothing of Radagon and Marika...
He held up a hand, smiling still as his wrist snapped back into place with a horrible crack. "Radahn and Ranni are alright."
"One good apple does not an orchard make! You know what happened to Ranni. She died."
He chortled a little. "Did she though?"
"You know something?"
"I suspect." he propped himself up with a rusty laugh. "Blaidd and Iiji were awfully quick to vanish after her "death". Its almost as if they were ready for it-
Her heard the faint sound of onrushing footsteps and paused. Well, at least he had one true ally in this place.
She rounded the corner in a swirl of dark silk. Saw him. Gasped. "My lord!"
He waved his servant aside as she knelt before him.
"M'fine, Maria...
"You most assuredly are not!" bright eyes glared back at him, framed by ashen hair. "You're covered in cuts and bruises!" when he didn't protest, her face grew thunderous. "I see. Marika did this to you, didn't she? What a wretched queen she is. You are her descendant, however distant. That she would hurt you so...
He laughed and let her tend to him.
"Better she take her anger out on me than you...ow!" His laughter piqued when she pinched his cheek. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry. I won't speak up like that again...I'll get stronger. You'll see."
Marika and the rest could beat him down all they liked.
He would always, always, always smile in the face of their cruelty.
It would make the day he finally overthrew his new "family" all the sweeter.
A/N: Aaaand scene.
Kudos if you got the "Maria" reference. *cough*Bloodborne* cough* Yes. THAT Maria.
Why, we might even see "Friede" in this. Those two were essentially Malenia before she was Malenia.
Somehow, this story feels more realistic to me.
Well, what say you? Should this be a story or not? It'll likely be rated M with Mature themes, lemons, character death, and the like.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this particular story, and others.
If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? POOF! Gone. Completely. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly? And have some previews -potential blot bin things- that I'm working on.
Things that may or may not become stories in the far flung future.
(Previews)
Guess who?
...this castle is gonna need a lotta work."
"We shall make it our, own then.
"Alexander, Warrior Jar, at your service! Could I ask you for a bit of help? I seem to be stuck."
Naruto felt the beginnings of a smile touch his face.
He had no way of knowing, but he'd just found his truest friend in all the Lands Between.
...I greet the, heir of Godwyn. My name is Fia. I carry your sire's last will and testament."
"Art thou happy now? Art thou pleased? Art thou...enough. I'm tired of talking like this." he wiped a bloody hand through his hair, staining it red. "No more games."
The army prepared to march.
"Lord Godrick!" A servant swept the tent flap aside. "Lady Malenia has made contact! She wishes you to meet her on the field of battle alone! Failure to comply will see the city put to the torch!"
"A challenge?" the giant stood slowly in the shadows, sun glinting off his bare, broad chest. "Alright. Fetch my ax."
His servant paused, not quite comprehending. "My lord? Surely you don't intend to meet her demands?
"Of course I do." Bright eyes burned bright in the gloom, one sapphire, the other scarlet. "Don't you know its rude to keep family waiting?"
"What is this?!
Not so fun when the shoe's on the other foot now, is it?
You once told me to lick your boots. I'll take a page out of your book. I command thee...KNEEL."
"Long live the Age of Reunion!"
...stop throwing concubines at me, Gostoc!"
"A lord must have heirs, sire. You are no exception."
"I understand that, but seven is way too many! I'd be happy with three!"
"You're weak, boy. Though thou art a descendant of Godwyn and Godfrey. You'll never measure up to them."
Young Godrick -Naruto!- swept a hand through his silver hair. "I do so love being underestimated."
That smile worried her.
"What's wrong?
Morgott grunted as a boot stomped down on his throat, pinning him in place.
"You were talking a good game a second ago." A golden ax swept down, shimmering in the light of the sun. "Then I blew your legs off." The giant reached down. Squeezed. "What was that you called me, old man...? I believe it was something along the lines of being a Runt? Well, now...
"THE ERDTREE IS MINE."
EDIT: Hey, you made it! Thanks for reading!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. Meaning, if folks don't like this, it won't be continued. If the story itself isn't popular? I'll likely discontinue it. I'm working two jobs -holidays are kicking my ass!- so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy.
So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Looking forward to chatting with you all when I get back from work~!
R&R~!