Yes, I am still alive.
Apologies for this very, very late update. Life takes its toll and I've been working on updates for all of my main stories so that I could post them all at the same time.
I have more to say but I shall not deprive you from reading this any longer. Do check out the notes at the end of the chapter though! It's important!
Enjoy!
In Aerfen's experience, few were the reasons to use throwing knives in the Lands Between.
Most of the hostile beings that you could encounter had tough hides or armor that made throwing knives nothing more than an annoyance, if they could penetrate at all. Even if you used a poisoned variant, it could take minutes before the poison would have any noticeable effect on the target. Minutes that you did not have in a fight.
The only real uses Aerfen had found for the things was to prevent the sorcerers of Raya Lucaria from casting their spells or to distract an opponent. If one wanted to deal damage at range, there were far better options.
"With that in mind, and considering I haven't seen hide or hair of whoever is throwing these," Aerfen mused as she ducked beneath a trio of thrown blades. "the possibilities regarding the identity of my foe narrow significantly."
It couldn't be one of the pages of Leyndell, they favored crossbows. And she had never seen one of the perfumers use a concoction that turned them invisible. Which basically left only one possibility.
A Black Knife Assassin.
Scarcely had Aerfen ever encountered one of their ilk in all her time traveling the Lands Between. After their murder of Godwin, the group of Numen had scattered, hiding away from the Shattering and from all those who wished them dead. One had to go out of their way and search every nook and cranny of the lands if they wanted to find one of the elusive assassins.
Aerfen herself had considered seeking them out, once. But if Maliketh's blade couldn't grant her a true death, then it was unlikely a knife imbued with only a fragment of Destined Death could. So she had scrapped that idea.
But of the few times she had faced a Black Knife assassin, one encounter in particular was seared into her mind.
It was curiosity that had caused Aerfen to step inside the evergaol she had found on the Moonlight Altar, the one time she had almost become Rani's consort. And it was overconfidence in her martial prowess after multiple resets that had caused her to underestimate the prisoner it held.
Alecto, ringleader of the Black Knives, had made sure it wasn't a mistake she would make ever again. Hell, she would wager the master assassin could hold her own against the Blade of Miquella herself.
But that was neither here nor there.
"I'm getting tired of this game of cat and mouse." Aerfen loudly said in a bored tone as she deflected yet another knife with her dagger. "I can do this all day, and I'm sure it won't be long before other people get here. So I suggest you either take a more direct approach or get lost."
Above her, Deenh still circled. Watching. Waiting.
No response came but the throwing knives stopped coming. After a moment with naught but the sound of Erdtree leaves dancing in the wind, Aerfen's posture loosened. With a sigh, she sheathed her dagger.
"Guess she chose to run after all." She mused aloud as she turned away.
The soft sound of leaves on the ground being displaced reached her ears, almost indistinguishable from everything else.
In a flash, Aerfen drew her dagger once more and whipped around, narrowly parrying the slender but oh-so-deadly edge of the black knife aimed at her heart, while her off hand made to grab at the now visible gray armor. She cursed as her fingers clamped around nothing, the assassin having jumped back as soon as her strike had failed to connect and her form already fading out of view once more.
A hawk's cry pierced the air as Deenh dove, talons extended and raking the air where the assassin's head had been. Gripping something, the storm hawk ascended again with a heavy beat of his wings and a swirl of wind.
Suddenly, gray armor became visible again, along with the scowling pale face of a woman with ashen hair and narrowed blue eyes.
Aerfen blinked before glancing upward. Sure enough, clutched in Deenh's talons was half of a black hood with a translucent veil floating in the wind. The source of the assassin's invisibility.
With a shout, the Tarnished lunged. Wisely, the assassin jumped back, avoiding the attack and creating distance. She raised her knife, the blade becoming shrouded in dark red flames with hints of gold as she manifested the sliver of destined death held within.
But even as she missed her opening attack, Aerfen was already crossing the gap, form blurring with the use of the Bloodhound Step. Her left hand lashed out, quick as a snake, and striking at the wrist of the hand that held the infamous weapon before she stabbed at the assassin's throat with the dagger in her right hand.
Once more, the Numen showed that she had better survival instincts than most enemies Aerfen had ever encountered by ducking under Tarnished's blade and catching her own weapon with her left hand even as it fell from her numb fingers before taking another swing at Aerfen.
The blonde threw herself into a backward roll, grunting as she felt the hunger of Destined Death leaching her vitality even though she had avoided the attack itself.
"She's pretty good, I'll give her that. But she's not the only one with tricks up her sleeve!"
The picture of a raging fire crystallized in her mind as she brought her arms up. Fire danced at her fingertips, making the assassin's eyes widen slightly in alarm, before she swept her arms down. The Flames of Redmanes filled the night with their roar and brightness as Aerfen manifested the Ash of War the knights of Starscourge Radahn had created in their struggle against the Scarlet Rot.
Caught off guard, the Numen nonetheless tried to avoid the fiery wave, but her efforts were for naught and she could only shield her face with her arms as the flames washed over her and sent her staggering back.
The fire in Aerfen's mental picture was replaced by a crackling bolt of lightning and she raised her dagger skyward. From the heavens, lightning crashed down onto her foe. Again and again, she repeated the gesture, causing another bolt to fall upon the assassin each time, until her spiritual reserves were empty and lightning ceased to answer her call.
Not willing to afford her enemy any respite in case this wasn't enough, the blonde Tarnished dashed through the dust and smoke raised by the repeated lightning strikes, blade pointed forward and ready to end this here and now... only to find nothing.
Aerfen had a single moment to blink, eyes darting to and fro, before a gauntlet-clad hand grabbed her arm, and her world was flipped upside down.
She grunted in pain as her back impacted the ground. Instincts honed by countless battles had her immediately rolling to the side and she was rewarded for her efforts with a deep cut to her left flank instead of having her heart pierced. Again, she felt the hunger of Death's fragment drain at her vitality.
'Doesn't matter how many runes I've turned into vigor, with no armor and against a Black Knife she doesn't even need to land a mortal blow.' Aerfen thought grimly as she rose to her feet and locked eyes with the Numen. 'My spiritual reserves are empty and my skill with daggers has never been the best. Fighting her head-on might as well be suicide. Still...' Her sharp gaze homed in onto the small twitches of the assassin's off-hand and legs. 'she's not unscathed either. Those thunderbolts might not have been as powerful as if I'd cast them with my sacred seal, but I doubt the damage is something she can ignore.' The two circled each other, looking for a gap in the other's defenses. 'Not to mention time is on my side here. Someone's bound to have noticed the lightning and come see what's happening.'
The ashen-haired woman lunged and Aerfen discarded all thoughts to focus on surviving the next few seconds, her Erdtree dagger deflecting the Black Knife away from her. The Numen didn't let this deter her. Twisting until she was almost parallel to the ground, she dragged her weapon across the earth as she spun before slashing upwards with great strength.
Recognizing the maneuver as one intended to break through her guard, Aerfen threw herself into a backward roll again, this time quickly enough to avoid both the blade and the effects of Destined Death. As soon as she had completed her evasive action she jumped forward, both hands gripping her weapon tightly, and stabbed down. The assassin gracefully sidestepped the blow before darting in close again, Black Knife poised to strike deep.
Then the other woman's face twisted in pain as spams wracked her form and forced her arm to a stop.
Without hesitation, Aerfen reversed her grip on her dagger and swung at the assassin. At the same time, Deenh descended again with a cry, sharp talons aimed with lethal intent.
Yet, even half-paralyzed by the aftereffects of the lightning she'd been on the receiving end of, the Numen was still agile enough to avoid the worst of the assault. Meaning that, instead of losing her life to the Stormhawk's talons and the Tarnished's blade, she got off with a gouged eye and a trio of deep gashes across her face.
For the first time since the beginning of the fight, a pained sound escaped the assassin's mouth as she jumped away, her free hand covering the bloody remnants of her ruined eye even as she glared at Aerfen with the remaining one.
"My apologies. I was aiming for your throat." Aerfen couldn't resist saying, a smirk on her lips.
The assassin's face twisted into a snarl as she got into a low stance, legs tensing in preparation for another lunge. Then her form went still, her face relaxing as she stared into nothing for but a moment before she blinked and scowled again, fixing the Tarnished with a gaze full of hatred.
"Thou..." Aerfen's eyes slightly widened as the Numen spoke, her voice no more than a whisper on the wind. "Thou shall die by mine hand. This I swear."
Her piece said, the ashen-haired woman threw a small pot at her feet. Upon shattering, it released a cloud of darkness which quickly expanded to cover the assassin's form.
"No you don't...!" Aerfen hissed under her breath. Flipping her dagger so that she was grabbing it by the blade, she threw it forward and was rewarded with the sound of steel sinking into flesh accompanied by a pained grunt as she hit her target. However, when the darkness dissipated, the assassin was gone... along with her dagger.
The Tarnished's brow twitched in irritation. "I liked that dagger." It had been a gift, after all.
As the still distant sound of armored boots running on stone reached her ears, Aerfen sighed. Now she was going to have to deal with Morgott again and, given the Omen King's idea of diplomacy, she was bound to be in for a fun time.
A weight settled on her shoulders and she blinked at the fur rug she had wrapped herself in before checking on Roderika, and which had become dislodged during the fight.
"Thanks, Deenh. You can go now." She smiled at the Stormhawk, who gave her a nod and faded away like dust in the wind.
Not a minute later, the doors of the Roundtable Hold flew open and Aerfen turned her head to see a cautious Melina leading a concerned Roderika.
"Thank goodness." The spirit tuner sighed in relief as she spotted Aerfen. "When I felt Deenh fade back into his ashes I feared the worst! Are you alright, Aerfen?"
The Tarnished smiled reassuringly at her fellow blonde. "I'm still alive, yes. Though not from a lack of trying by my opponent. Black Knife assassins are tricky foes, especially if you're unprepared, but they're not the only ones with tricks of their own."
Melina hummed, her eye darting around. "Yet I do not see a body." She noted.
"I said I was still alive, not that I had killed her." Aerfen huffed as she turned around to face the two, hands on her hips. "She got away. Took my dagger as she fled too. I liked that dagger." She grumbled. "By the way, what took you so long? And why is Roderika's face turning red?"
"We had our own assassin to deal with." Melina answered, causing the Tarnished to inhale sharply. "Don't worry, she's dead. I took care of it." Then, her eye glanced downward before she looked away, cheeks darkening slightly. "And perhaps you should look down, old friend. You seem to have lost something else than your dagger in that fight."
Aerfen blinked and looked down as suggested. "Ah." She said in realization at the sight of her naked breasts. It appeared that the blow that had caused the wound on her flank earlier had also cut through her chest bindings.
Then, her lips quirked up into a teasing smirk and she crossed her arms under her bust. "Come now, you two. I have nothing neither of you hasn't seen in a mirror before. Surely you aren't that shy?"
"It's improper!" Roderika cried out, her voice slightly muffled from hiding her face in her hands. "And besides, aren't you cold?"
The Tarnished snorted. "I see somebody got perhaps a tad too used to the Hold's warmth and coziness. This breeze is nothing compared to the Giants' Mountaintop." She said, trying to keep the venom from leaking into her tone. Judging by Melina's slight frown, she wasn't entirely successful.
But there were only so many times she could watch her friend die at the Forge before developing a distaste for the place. Even Torrent disliked the Mountaintop, for reaching it was but another reminder that Melina would soon leave their side.
The sound of a heavy object falling through the air drew Aerfen from her thoughts and she turned around just as Morgott landed in the courtyard, a dust cloud being raised from the impact. Rising from his crouched position, the Omen King took in the scorch marks and bloodstains on the ground before his gaze swept across the three women, his eyes lingering for a split second on Aerfen's injuries before locking with the Tarnished's.
"What. Happened."
Aerfen sighed. It seemed like she wouldn't be getting any more rest tonight.
"Black Knife Assassins? Within the heart of Leyndell? This is... troubling." Morgott said thoughtfully as they sat around the roundtable inside the Hold. "If what thou sayest is true, then-" He stopped himself and shook his head. "No matter. Mine duty remaineth with the Erdtree. That hath not changed."
Aerfen, now back in proper clothes (a simple set of leather armor she'd purchased from one of the nomad merchants at some point), raised an eyebrow at him. "That's it? Is that all you have to say on the matter?"
"And what wouldst thou have me do? Hunt those wretched assassins down?" The Omen King scowled. "Were it so simple they would have died long ago." He said, scoffing, before glancing at her. "Yet a question still lieth unanswered. Why target thee?"
The blonde crossed her arms. "I have possible motives but no certainties." Her eyes narrowed. "Still, rest assured I intend to find out. One way or another."
But even as she said that Aerfen already had a pretty good idea as to who had sent the assassins after her and her allies. Leyndell was, after all, closed to all but those permitted entry by Morgott... or by the Two Fingers. And she could safely rule out the Grace-given King from the equation given the fact that his personal hunters were the Night's Cavalry, when he chose to not do the job himself.
What was interesting, however, was that Morgott himself had clearly realized how the assassins had entered the capital, and the implications of that conclusion, but chose to stay silent on the matter.
Perhaps she could get through him, after all.
"There is also another concern." Enia's voice drew the Tarnished from her thoughts. "We cannot stay here. The Hold isn't safe and neither Aerfen nor Melina can stay on guard at all times to protect those of us who cannot fight."
"The old crone is right." Hewg said, not even flinching as Enia used her staff to hit him on the head with a mutter of "You are at least as old as I am, you old codger". "We need to relocate, the sooner the better." He looked at the Tarnished. "I don't suppose you know a place?"
"One that would be safe from a Black Knife Assassin? That's a tall order." Aerfen said. "The Roundtable of Grace is certainly an option but one I would rather avoid, if only because I'd rather not have to deal with Gideon." She bit her lip thoughtfully. "Caelid as a whole is not a good idea, for obvious reasons, and neither is the Weeping Peninsula at this moment in time. As for Limgrave, it needs to be purged of Godrick's influence first, and even then Stormveil Castle is still easily breached."
"What of the Forbidden Lands?" Melina, who was sitting beside her, asked.
"That's a 'maybe' at best." She replied. "It would make it easy to cover our tracks but not much else." Her brow furrowed. "As for Elphael and the Haligtree, while the path to them is not so easily found, it is not so beyond reach that it would be a guarantee of safety. Not to mention its denizens are a hostile bunch."
"Then..." Roderika spoke hesitantly. "That leaves Liurnia and... what else?"
"There's also the Eternal Cities, which I am very hesitant about, and Farum Azula." Aerfen said before shaking her head. "Though I have no idea how to reach the latter outside of... special circumstances." She added, glancing at Melina.
Enia hummed thoughtfully. "Taking refuge behind Raya Lucaria's protections is certainly not a bad idea. I remember young Ofnir being quite frustrated at being unable to get past the academy gates without a key."
The Tarnished quietly snorted. "Asshole just couldn't be bothered to deal with the dragon, I bet." She murmured under her breath, causing Melina to raise an eyebrow at her. She cleared her throat. "Well, cutting a path through the scholars and automatons won't be a problem between Melina and me. You could even set up shop in the debate parlor or the grand library."
"And what of the Carian Queen?" Morgott interjected, making several people blink as they had forgotten about the Omen King's presence. "What dost thou intend with Queen Rennala?"
"Well, it's not as if I need to take the Rune of the Unborn from that egg of hers." Aerfen remarked, manifesting said Great Rune above her open hand. "So I could leave her alone, but I was thinking of simply putting her out of the misery and madness she's been drowning in since Radagon left her." She said as she clenched her first, making the Rune disappear.
There was a beat of silence after that declaration.
"Oft have I wondered why the ruler of Raya Lucaria never took to the battlefield during the Shattering." Morgott said. "Mine assumption was that she was too weak-willed to face her own progeny, moreover after the academy closed its gates to all." He frowned. "Yet it appears there is much more to this than I ever dared to imagine."
Enia nodded. "Yes, I do believe we are going to need some context here. If you would kindly explain, Aerfen dear?"
The Tarnished looked at all those seated at the roundtable for a moment before nodding. "I guess this is as good a moment as any to start explaining everything." She took a deep breath. "The first thing you must know is this: Marika and Radagon are two halves of the same whole."
From there, she began to tell them everything she knew. She told them of the romance between Rennala and Radagon that was doomed from the start because of the Greater Will and Marika's scheme against the Outer God of which she was the vessel, of the true perpetrator behind the Night of the Black Knives and her plan for a new Order, of Miquella's own wish to rid the Lands of the influence of Outer Gods and save his sister, of Mohg's twisted desire to establish a dynasty steeped in the blood of the Empyreans.
And she spoke of how, because of the actions of each side and of unforeseen events, none of those plans had completely succeeded. Which brought them to the current state of things.
"Of course, even with what I've learned through the resets and the brief periods of time I spent as Elden Lord, there's still a lot of information I'm missing." Aerfen finished with a sigh. "I don't have a clear timeline of events either, which doesn't exactly help, but now you have a general picture of what's going on."
For a moment, there was only silence as those around her digested her words.
"Treachery all around." Morgott eventually sighed. Slowly, he stood, looking incredibly weary. "So many oaths willfully broken or unfulfilled." He let out a bitter chuckle. "And that the only Shardbearer still true to his oath to the Erdtree would be betrayed by it in turn... What delicious irony." He said as he started walking away, stopping upon reaching the balcony overlooking the main hall. He looked back at Aerfen. "Do as thou willest, Tarnished. I shan't stop you. I... need to think upon thine words."
His piece said, the Omen King heaved himself over the balcony and fell away from view, the sound of his footsteps growing fainter as he left the Roundtable Hold.
"...Well I'll be damned. Looks like the man can learn." Aerfen commented, breaking the silence that had followed Morgott's departure. She turned back to the others. "Moving back to the topic of our future accommodations, getting into Raya Lucaria won't be a problem but I'm worried about the journey from Leyndell to there. While it won't be a problem for me to go pick up the pieces of the Dectus medallion, we don't exactly have horses or a cart lying around and Torrent can only carry two people at most. I'm open to suggestions."
"Our options are limited." Melina softly said, a pensive expression on her face. "We could certainly acquire a cart for Torrent to pull if we take the time to look for one on the outskirts of Leyndell but it would require us to stay on the main road and therefore make us easily noticed."
"It would also be difficult if we were to be attacked during the journey, which will probably happen. I can swing a hammer if needed, yes, but neither Roderika or Enia are fighters." Hewg said, looking at Aerfen. "And I assume it's not possible for you to simply transport us from one Grace to another?"
"Unless you are willing to turn yourself into a Spirit and let me transport your ashes, then no." The Tarnished bluntly replied, which brought out a grimace from the others. "Still, I think that I can make anyone thinking us easy prey at least hesitate. Especially if I play the part of a Leyndell knight."
She was fairly sure she had an entire set of Leyndell armor somewhere in her bottomless box.
"Either way, it boils down to taking the main road for swiftness or staying off the beaten path to avoid scrutiny." Aerfen summed up, crossing her arms as she gazed at Enia, Roderika, and Hewg in turn. "Personally I think the faster we can get to Raya Lucaria the better, especially since I'd rather we avoid traveling at night. Morgott may have said he would not hinder us, but I would not test if that applies to the Night's Cavalry. That, and I doubt he would appreciate me killing them."
After a moment of silent contemplation, Enia nodded. "Tis settled then. We shall depart once you have acquired the Dectus medallion."
The blonde Tarnished nodded back and rose from her seat. "Make your preparations, I shall return before long." She turned to Melina. "I will also see about acquiring a cart, will you watch over them in my absence?"
Her maiden smiled. "Of course, dear friend."
Aerfen smiled back and fished out the box of Spirit Ashes, along with the Spirit Bell, from her belt before tossing them to Roderika, who fumbled to catch the items. "Here, just in case. I know you don't need the Spirit Bell but it's certainly faster."
"A-are you sure?" The blond spirit tuner asked nervously. "What if you need their help?"
"I won't." The Tarnished replied without hesitation. "Not to say they are not helpful, but I can handle myself just fine without them, especially when I'm not fighting almost naked." She gave her fellow blonde a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, don't you worry."
Roderika nodded and, with one last "be careful out there", left for the part of the Hold she shared with Hewg.
Making her way down to the Grace by jumping down the balcony, Aerfen changed out of the leather armor and into her usual set. Scaled greaves and gauntlets paired with the enchanted chest piece of a Carian knight's armor, which had since long been dyed orange and stripped of its coattails thanks to Boc (she couldn't remember the number of times said coattails had killed her before she had the demi-human seamster remove them), and completed by the helmet of a banished knight (of which the flowing white mane had also been removed for the same reasons).
Last came her weapons. Her gravelstone seal was tied around her left wrist as usual, while her trusty longsword was strapped to the same side at her waist.
It would take some time before she could reclaim the Godslaying Blade, but the Bolt of Gransax was literally a stone's throw away. Aerfen would make sure to grab it when they would leave Leyndell for good.
"All set?"
"Just about." The Tarnished said, voice slightly muffled by her helmet. Turning, she saw Melina watching her from the doorway. "Here to see me off?"
"In part." Her friend replied as she approached. "I also... wanted a word with you before you left."
"What about?" Aerfen asked, tilting her head in a curious manner.
Melina's single eye fixed her with an unreadable look for a moment before she spoke again.
"Aerfen, do you... hate me?"
The blonde blinked behind her helmet. "...What?"
"Do you hate me?" The maiden asked again. "For the choice I made?"
"I could never hate you, Melina. Never." Aerfen answered, lifting her helmet's visor so that she could look her friend in the eye. "What I do hate are the circumstances which, time, and time, and time again have led you to that choice and that I cannot dissuade you from it. Yes, this world is in dire need of repair. Yes, an Elden Lord is needed for that to happen and so the Erdtree must burn." She sighed. "And I understand it is a purpose upon which you chose to act out of your own volition, even though it is the one for which your mother created you." She hissed the word. "But there is only so many times I can watch my friend throw herself on the pyre for the sake of the world."
Aerfen had long since realized that Melina's mother was none other than the Eternal Queen, Marika herself. How exactly Melina came to be she had no idea, but she heavily suspected the process was similar to the way Radagon had been created.
"I have caused you much grief." Melina said softly in the silence that followed. "And for that, I apologize." She paused. "But Aerfen... you know that-"
"Don't." The Tarnished cut her off, looking away. "I don't want to hear it."
Melina gave the blonde a sorrowful look before inclining her head. "...Very well. Please be safe."
"I will." Aerfen said as she lowered her helmet's visor. She stepped around the maiden, kneeling in front of the Grace. "And Melina?"
"Yes?"
"Things are different, this time around. It means something." The Tarnished said as she touched the Grace. "I will find another way. Whatever it takes."
As Aerfen disappeared, whisked away to another Grace by the blessing all Tarnished once shared, she missed Melina's last reply.
"I fear the cost would be greater than you can imagine."
"O Erdtree! Grant me succour! Is there anyone who might be interested in rescuing the great Kenneth Haight?! Servant of the true Order, and celebrated repudiator of the false?!"
Not even five minutes in Limgrave and Kenneth already had Aerfen rolling her eyes under her helmet at his dramatic act.
"I would advise against hollering like that, if I were you. This is just asking for any manner of beast to come and eat you." She said loudly, looking up at the nobleman from atop Torrent.
The blond man visibly started, looking around for a moment before he finally looked down from his perch.
"Ah, my apologies! I didn't see you down there!" Kenneth shouted, making Aerfen snort. "You've come to lend me your aid, have you?! Well, that's very kind, but, um..." He trailed off, muttering to himself for a couple seconds. "Th-the help is very much appreciated! Even from a Tarnished! Despite appearances, nobility is no prerequisite to serving the true Order! Co-could you come up here, please?!"
Deciding to take pity on the poor guy, the Tarnished gently nudged Torrent and the spectral steed nimbly made his way up the fallen ruin until they were standing but a few feet from Kenneth.
"Thank you. You might have heard of me, Kenneth Haight. Next in line as the rightful ruler of Limgrave." He introduced himself.
"The state of the Lands Between being what it is, I'm afraid being the next in line of anything doesn't mean much, Lord Haight." Aerfen said. "Especially when might tends to make right."
"Hmph. Yes, I will admit the realm has fallen far from its glorious days. Indeed, that is why a proper ruler is required to set things right." Kenneth harrumphed. "Honestly, Godrick's no more than a jumped-up country bumpkin. Lord?" He scoffed. "Don't make me laugh. First, he hid himself amongst the womenfolk to flee the capital, then hid from Radahn in Stormveil castle⦠Then he insulted Malenia, lost to her in battle, only to lick her boots rather than die like a man." He sneered. "Has he no shame, the big girl's blouse? And to think, he's the blood of Godfrey! Last of the golden lineage, though you almost wouldn't know it to look at him. I almost feel sorry for the chap the more I think of it."
Aerfen smiled under her helmet. Kenneth's rants about Godrick were always a treat.
"As depraved as he and his lot are, what with all this talk of Grafting I've been hearing about, it would surprise me if they could feel shame at all." She replied. "Now, I believed you wished for my assistance in an endeavor of yours?"
"Ah, yes." Kenneth cleared his throat. "I would have a boon of you, young Tarnished. I want you to take back my fort. A knight commander from Stormveil took it. A fool, and plumb mad to boot. Simply obsessed with blood!" He clasped his hands behind his back. "You shall, of course, be compensated for your time and trouble. The great Kenneth Haight is known for his considerable largesse. The celebrations will be lavish indeed, upon the dawn of my fort's retrieval."
"Then we have a deal." Aerfen nodded. "Where is that fort of yours?" She already knew the answer, of course, but best not make the nobleman suspicious of her.
"It lies to the south, beyond the Mistwood." He answered. "You won't be able to miss it."
"Very well, I shall return anon." She said as she turned Torrent around.
She had a fort to capture.
The soldiers guarding Fort Haight didn't stand a chance, of course.
To be fair, taking the fort would have posed more than a decent challenge to any Tarnished, including her during her first journey. But she wasn't that young vagabond swordswoman anymore.
Red lightning fell from the skies and left silence in its wake. She took great vindication in nailing the knight commander, whom had so obviously received a blessing from the Lord of Blood, to the ground with a spear of Ancient Lightning before plunging her sword in the gap between his armor and his helmet, making him die choking on his precious blood.
And with that, the left half of the Dectus medallion was hers for the taking.
"Tis done." She told Kenneth afterward. "I took the liberty to... dispose of the bodies for you. I'm sure you don't mind?"
Although he might want to wait for the smell of burnt flesh to clear out a bit before returning to the fort.
"Remarkable!" The nobleman praised. "A blessing, if ever I chanced upon one. Fine work, I say, fine work, indeed. I commend you." He took an Erdtree dagger from his robes. "Now, this is your reward. Yours for the keeping." He said as he handed it to Aerfen. "And I appreciate you going beyond what I asked of you. Now then," He took a deep breath. "Time for me to head to the fort. I've much to do. First I'll have to reestablish communication with the demi-humans..."
"Good luck with that." The Tarnished told him. Even in the reset where she had served him, then Nepheli, reestablishing peaceful dialogue with the demi-humans had been the work of years. It didn't help that most of them lived in separate tribes under different chiefs and queens, and all had different opinions of what they wanted.
Kenneth raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't believe me? Well, under the Erdtree, commingling with the demi-humans is made possible. Even the vulgar shall not be left behind, under the rule of true Order." He stood even straighter, if that was possible. "Which is why I, Kenneth Haight, next in line as the rightful ruler of Limgrave, have sworn to uphold it." He smiled confidently at her. "Just you watch, my friend. Just you watch."
Aerfen couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her. The man was dramatic, but his attitude was refreshing.
"Then watch I shall." She replied. "In the meantime, I must return to my own duties."
"Ah, so you are a knight, as I presumed." Kenneth nodded. "I thought to make you the offer to enter my service, but it would not do for me to overstep my bounds. If I may ask, whom do you serve?"
Aerfen froze for a moment. "Why do you wish to know?" She asked to buy some time.
"Why, to thank your liege of course." The man answered, smiling. "And it would be a shame to see your deeds unrecognized. I see bright things in your future, stout warrior. It is only natural that I should seek to add my own contribution."
"You make a convincing argument." Aerfen said slowly. Then her eyes widened and she grinned under her helmet. "If you must know, I serve Lord Sigrun."
"That is not a name I recognize." Kenneth hummed, stroking his chin.
"I would not think so. After all, my Lord only arrived in these lands but recently." The Tarnished replied.
His eyes widened. "A foreign Lord, truly? Tell me, do they seek the Elden Ring?" At her nod, Kenneth's expression turned thoughtful, eyes closed in contemplation. "If a formal alliance could be made... Perhaps there is hope for Limgrave yet." He mused. He opened his eyes again and looked at her. "I assume you will go after Godrick, then?"
"Eventually, yes."
Kenneth nodded. "Good, good. Could I trouble you to pass on a message to Lord Sigrun?" Aerfen nodded again. "Tell them I, Kenneth Haight, bid them welcome to the Lands Between, deplorable as our hospitality might be in the current conditions, and that, should they be amenable to the idea, the next rightful ruler of Limgrave requests a formal meeting at a time of their choosing."
"Very well. I shall inform Lord Sigrun of your request and deliver their answer to you in due time." Aerfen replied. "If that is all?"
"Of course, do not let me keep you. I shall await your coming at my fort."
With one final nod, Aerfen mounted Torrent again and rode away. Once they were out of earshot of the nobleman, the Tarnished dissolved into laughter. Perhaps it was a bit mean of her to lead Kenneth around, but the opportunity had been too good to pass up.
After all, Lord Sigrun was none other than herself. Just as Hoarah Loux became Godfrey upon his ascension, so too had Aerfen taken up a new name after becoming Elden Lord.
Still, what Kenneth had said got her thinking. 'A formal alliance, was it? Not a bad idea, all things considered. Especially once Godrick is dead and Nephelli takes the throne.' She mused. 'I -we- are going to need allies. Especially if we are to fight against the Two Fingers and their agents.' Her mind flashed back to what she had told Melina before leaving. 'And perhaps someone among them will be able to help me find a way to burn the thorns without Melina needing to sacrifice herself again.'
For all that Gideon had told her he didn't know of any alternative, the All-Knowing kept a lot of secrets that he'd never share with anyone. For all she knows, he could have lied.
Aerfen shook her head. It was food for thought, certainly, but she could worry about that later.
There was another fort to visit, and another half of a medallion to collect.
The Dragonbarrow was, as always, a sorry sight. Here, like in many other places through Caelid, the Scarlet Rot was still spreading, ever so slowly encroaching on what few natural life remained untouched by its corruption.
Not for the first time, Aerfen found herself commending the Redmanes for their efforts. While they had never succeeded in halting the Rot, they had managed to contain it and slow it down considerably. Enough that there was still, although few and far between, some pockets of space that remained free of it.
Yet, sooner or later, the Scarlet Rot would have all of Caelid in its grasp and its buds would flourish to spread its disease beyond the burning walls. There was only so much you could do to stop the influence of an Outer God.
Well, without unalloyed gold, that was.
A roar drew Aerfen out of her musing and she grunted as she felt some of her strength leave her, casting her gaze upon the huge form of Greyoll. Even unable to move as she was, the Mother of Dragons remained an impressive sight- though a pitiable one. Around her, her brood shrieked in response to the matriarch's agitation.
Had the Tarnished's presence spooked Greyoll? Or perhaps she could feel that Aerfen had killed a great number of her kind? Dragons, both Ancient and not, tended to have senses sharper than most other creatures.
"You don't want to do this." She said, red lightning arcing between her fingers as she eyed the approaching younglings. "I have no desire to kill you."
"And why should we believe thee, slayer of mine kin?" A deep voice intoned, making Aerfen reel back. "I can smell the blood of dragons upon thee. Tis like thou hath bathed in it."
Aerfen blinked, head snapping back to the Elder Dragon. Although Greyoll was still immobile, she had turned her massive head as far as she could, black eyes fixed upon the Tarnished.
'She speaks?!' Aerfen couldn't help but think, caught off guard. Then again, perhaps she shouldn't be surprised.
Ancient Dragons could communicate with other intelligent species when they choose to. The prayerbook from which she had learned their incantations even spoke of them assuming human forms to teach members of the Dragon Cult.
If Greyoll was as old as her size suggested, then was it any wonder she too shared some of those abilities?
'Yet I have never heard her speak before. Why now?' Aerfen pondered for a few seconds and nearly hit herself with her fist as the answer came to her. She had killed Greyoll's brood in front of her eyes before killing the matriarch herself in the few resets where she had decided to eliminate any and all possible threats in the Lands Between.
Of course the Mother of Dragons hadn't bothered to speak to the one murdering her children.
"You're right." Aerfen said, sighing. "You have no reason to trust me. So I will say this." The lightning in her left hand grew in intensity, lengthening until it formed a glaive twice as tall as she was. "If I wanted you and your children dead, I would let my actions do the talking for me. I have killed dragons in the past, tis true. And I might kill more in the future if I deem it necessary or if it is unavoidable." Just as fast as it had appeared, the glaive dissipated. "But I would rather not. I have been fighting for a long time, Greyoll. I am tired of it." Hazel eyes looked into the Mother of Dragons' black ones. "And yet, now more than ever, I must fight. Because, this time, things are different."
For a long moment, Greyoll stayed silent. When she spoke again, her powerful voice was laced with suspicion. "I sense no duplicity from thee, Tarnished. Yet something still eludes me. Pray tell, how is it that thou knowest mine name, for I have never seen thee beforehand?"
Aerfen hesitated before deciding she might as well be honest. "In another time that no longer exists, I slayed you. The runes told me your name and gave me glimpses of your story. I know you were driven from your nest in Mount Gelmir by Rykard and his forces, just as I know it was Radahn who landed the final blow which crippled you."
"What thou sayest sounds ludicrous." Greyoll said. Her tone, however, sounded thoughtful. "But... under the stench of blood and Grace, I smell... something else. Something I hath not smelled in eons, and only from one individual other than thyself. Lord Placidusax."
Aerfen started. She had expected many things, but to hear the name of the Elden Dragonlord was not one of them. For Greyoll to have met Placidusax... this meant the Mother of Dragons was from a time before the Golden Order. Her title of Elder was a well-deserved one indeed.
She frowned. "What do you mean? What could I have in common with the Lord of Farum Azula?"
It was Greyoll's turn to pause. "Thou knoweth much, for a Tarnished. But perhaps I should not be surprised, as thou wield the power of the ancient ones." She commented. "I was but a whelp back when Lord Placidusax still ruled the Lands Between. I cannot tell thee, for I do not know."
Aerfen crossed her arms. "Meaning I would be better off asking one of the Ancient Dragons." She summed up with a sigh, knowing this would be easier said than done. She looked back at the Mother of Dragons. "Have I proved my sincerity enough to you?"
Greyoll made a noise that sounded like a self-deprecating chuckle. "Even if I didst not believe thee, there is naught my children or I could do to prevent thee from slaying us all, is there? We are at thy mercy."
The Tarnished hummed thoughtfully. "Then... how about this? Will you let me try to heal you? I have learned a few healing incantations through my travels. Perhaps one of them will be able to help."
Greyoll looked at her for a long moment, human and dragon staring at one another. "Do as thou willest. I do not expect thee to succeed, but thine attempt shall be appreciated all the same."
At a silent command from their mother, the young dragonlings backed off. Slowly, Aerfen stepped past them and around Greyoll until she was facing the massive dragon's muzzle.
"Here goes." She muttered. Taking a knee, she closed her eyes as she gathered her spiritual energy and focused on her gravelstone Seal. She hadn't used an Erdtree incantation since... she couldn't even remember the last time she had. However, that didn't mean that she had forgotten them.
"O Erdtree, share with us thy abundance. That the breath of life who dwells in all creatures may come forth!" Her eyes opened. "Erdtree Heal!"
A massive circle of light sprung from under her, healing energies rising from it and converging on Greyoll's form. After a few seconds, the circle faded and Aerfen rose.
"So? Did that do anything?" She asked.
"...While I do feel better than I have in a long time, I must disappoint thee." The Mother of Dragons replied. "Twould take thousands upon thousands, if not more, of one such spell to heal mine broken body."
Aerfen couldn't help but slump slightly at those words. She was probably the most powerful incantation caster in the Lands Between bar Marika and Radagon themselves but it was quite disheartening to see that, even with all that power at her fingertips, she was still powerless in certain ways.
"I'm sorry." Because what else could she say?
"As I told thee, thine attempt is appreciated all the same." Greyoll said. "Now get thee gone, Tarnished. Doth thee not have a throne to claim?"
"Then I shall take what I came for from the fort behind you and leave you to your rest." Aerfen said quietly.
The Elder Dragon huffed a massive scoff. "If by 'rest' thou mean a slow death. The Rot will claim me, sooner or later, if a Tarnished fancying themselves a dragonslayer doth not slay me and mine children first." She sounded like she'd prefer the latter, were it not for the fact that it would result in her brood's death. "To be bound to the earth like a wretched wyrm is enough of a humiliation. To die unable to defend myself from lesser creatures but adds to the shame."
The Tarnished frowned but said no more, stepping around Greyoll and proceeding into Fort Faroth.
Putting the spirits of its defenders to rest did not pose any challenge to her, especially with the Litany of Proper Death that she had learned from D a long time ago.
With both halves of the Dectus medallion now in her possession, Aerfen warped to the Temple Quarter of Liurnia.
As soon as she rose from the Grace, she found herself breathing a bit more easily. Despite the dangers it held, Liurnia and its half-submerged forests were a far more pleasant sight than Caelid's twisted wastelands.
At least here it didn't feel like the very air itself would try to kill you.
"Now..." She muttered under her breath as she looked into the distance, seeing the rock formation by which she knew the glintstone dragon rested, guarding the key to the academy. "How do I want to do this?"
Killing a dragon so soon after trying to heal Greyoll would leave a bad taste in her mouth (not to mention that -it, he, she, they?- they were most likely one of Greyoll's children) but she liked the thought of said dragon attacking her and her companions while they traversed Liurnia even less.
Then again, from what she could remember, that particular dragon did not attack unless disturbed. She had vague recollections of failed sneaking attempts during her first journey, but she had many more tools at her disposal now. Perhaps another try was in order?
From the Grace, she brought forth the Concealing Veil and Crepus' Vial talismans.
"That went easier than I thought it would." Aerfen mused as she warped back to the Roundtable Hold's Grace. The two talismans, combined with the Assassin's Approach incantation, had masked her to the dragon's senses well enough that they had only stirred a bit as she had climbed down the rock formation to take the key from the scholar's corpse.
She had expected the dragon to smell her as Greyoll had, but it wouldn't surprise her if the matriarch's senses were exceptionally honed compared to her children.
"Aerfen! Welcome back!" Roderika greeted her as she reached the top of the staircase beside Hewg's usual spot, now bereft of his smithing supplies and with only the anvil itself remaining. "Any trouble?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle, as I told you." The Tarnished replied, taking off her helmet and giving the other blonde a smile. "Something happened that I hadn't expected, but it was no problem."
Roderika smiled back. "I'm glad to hear it."
"Did anything happen while I was gone?"
"Unless you count Master Hewg arguing with Lady Enia, no." The spirit tuner shook her head, her smile turning amused.
Aerfen raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What about, if I may ask?"
"Master Hewg argued that we ought to take his anvil with us." Roderika gestured to the block of metal. "And lady Enia argued against it because it would be too heavy and encumbering." Her smile widened. "This went on for a while until Miss Melina reminded them both that you could take the anvil through the Grace without needing to transport it ourselves."
Aerfen chuckled. "Indeed." Approaching the anvil, she touched it and, after a few seconds, the whole thing vanished in motes of light. "Has everyone packed their bags? We shouldn't tarry."
Roderika gave her a wry smile. "Twas quick. We didn't have much to begin with."
"More the reason to make sure we're leaving nothing behind." The Tarnished said, putting a hand on the other woman's shoulder and squeezing reassuringly. "Let us gather the others and be on our way. The sooner we're behind the gates of Raya Lucaria, the better."
There was a certain finality to leaving the Roundtable Hold behind, this time around. And while Aerfen had no doubt that she would eventually visit its counterpart that resided on another plane at some point or another, it felt like she was closing a chapter in a story.
The soldiers and knights of Leyndell didn't give them more than a watchful glance as they walked through the streets of the capital, although they noticeably tensed when Aerfen made a short detour to climb on the Bolt of Gransax.
The first time she had obtained the legendary armament, it had been nothing short of a chore. Breaking a fragment of the gigantic spear big enough for Hewg to fashion into a weapon had taken days. But in all the resets that had followed...
Laying a hand upon gold-like material, Aerfen watched as its surface rippled like water. Plunging her hand into it, she grasped and pulled, slowly dragging a scaled-down version of the great ancient dragon's weapon from the ripple.
The Tarnished raised the spear to the skies, smiling behind her helmet as red sparks of lightning danced across its length.
Her task completed, Aerfen made her way back to her companions.
"Gransax... I remember all too well how she rained calamity upon Leyndell." Enia commented from atop Torrent. "Never had the royal capital suffered such an assault before, and I doubt it will ever again. Single-handedly causing the walls of Leyndell to fall is certainly not a feat anyone could replicate."
"Rykard certainly came close, one time." Aerfen replied. "In terms of sheer destructive power, few can match the Great Serpent after it has gorged upon hundreds of Tarnished and added their strength to his own."
"I can feel it." Roderika said in wonder, causing everyone else to turn to her. The spirit tuner was gazing at the corpse of Gransax with awe. "For a while, I've been hearing something all around the city, a sound like the rumbling of thunder. It's her. Her spirit still lingers here and the echoes left in her wake are powerful. Stronger than any other spirit I've seen." She shivered and looked at Aerfen. "She says that she approves, by the way."
Aerfen looked between the blonde, her weapon, and the dead Ancient Dragon for a moment. "Glad to know it." She slowly said. "I... don't suppose we could take her ashes with us?"
Roderika gaped at her for a moment before shaking her head. "Even if we could, you'd need to have the spiritual reserves of a God to summon her. And that is if she is consenting to being summoned." She looked back at the dead dragon and shivered again. "Needless to say she is not."
"It was worth a try." The Tarnished shrugged. "Let us move on, we're burning daylight."
It took them the rest of the day to exit the capital itself, passing by the Draconic Tree Sentinel guarding the entrance and proceeding into the outskirts. Aerfen had to hand it to Morgott, he had placed his troops well. To enter Leyndell proper the fastest way, you had to get past two Tree Sentinels, a Valliant Gargoyle, and the Draconic Tree Sentinel, not to mention the soldiers, knights, and golems. Armies had fallen to less and it spoke of the Omen King's prowess as a general that he had managed to hold the capital against the forces of the other demigods.
It was a shame that he had made the costly mistake of sacrificing his defensive position in favor of pursuing Rykard's forces all the way to Mount Gelmir, resulting in heavy losses for his side.
"It's been a while since I've had company this pleasant." Cere, the nomad merchant in the hermit shack who had graciously welcomed them for the night, rasped. "The few knights and soldiers that do business with me tend to not be very talkative, you see. I do get visits from my cousins, but these are few and far between. So this is a nice change."
The man, after a bit of haggling, accepted to part with his cart for a few thousand runes. With Torrent strapped to it and all non-combatants seated inside, they would move at a faster pace come morning.
"So far so good." Aerfen hummed, sitting by the fire. "I am honestly surprised that Morgott kept his word. I had half-expected an ambush as soon as we stepped outside the walls."
"The Omen King may engage in subterfuge, but not in duplicity." Melina, who sat beside her, replied. "As he has shown, time and again, he despises those who break their oaths. It would not surprise me that he takes pride in his ability to be true to his word."
"Right. Do you think-"
There was a sharp intake of breath from Roderika, causing everyone to look at her. "Something approaches." The spirit tuner said, eyes locked onto something only she could see.
"What is it?" Aerfen said, eyes scanning the night as she rose to her feet. "Another assassin?"
Roderika shook her head. "No. This presence isn't bothering with trying to hide their maliciousness."
Cere's eyes held a hint of fear as she spoke. "I've heard rumors from my cousins. Of a being who stalks who stalks the night and hunts us merchants and those willing to teach others. You don't think...?"
The Tarnished's brow furrowed and she gestured at the shack with her chin. "Everyone inside. Now." She ordered, the Bolt of Gransax jumping from its resting place on the ground and into her right hand. "I'll handle this. Melina?"
The maiden looked at her, one hand inside her cloak and no doubt palming the handle of the Blade of Calling. "Yes, Aerfen?"
"Keep them safe."
Melina hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Be careful, my friend."
Aerfen smiled at her. "Always." She replied as Melina joined the others inside the shack and closed the door.
With her free hand, she fished out the Spirit Calling Bell from one of the pouches on her belt and focused on the spirit she had in mind. The bell chimed and Aerfen felt the drain on her spiritual reserves as the spirit manifested answered her call.
"Tis unusual for thee to call upon me." Kristoff the Ancient Dragon knight said as he materialized into the physical world. "How may I assist thee, my fellow dragon knight?"
"An enemy is coming, one who means the people behind us harm." Aerfen told him. "I would see that they do not succeed. No matter the cost."
"Upon mine oath as a knight, they shan't get past me." Kristoff swore, banging his spear against his greatshield. "Lo, our foe approaches."
Indeed, Aerfen could see a red shadow coalescing into a hulking figure at the edge of the campfire's light. Her eyes noted the greatsword held in their right hand first, followed by the massive shield on their back, and finally the thorns that covered their form from head to toe. Even the sword and shield were wreathed in them.
Her eyes narrowed. Whoever this invader was, they were neither a recusant or a bloody finger. She would have remembered such an individual.
"You are not my prey this night." The figure said in a deep male voice, stepping into the light of the fire. "Move aside, and you may yet live."
"And what reason wouldst we have to believe thee, criminal?" Kristoff scoffed, pointing his spear at the man. "Dost thou think us unaware of the meaning behind the thorns adorning thine armor? Thine crimes against the Golden Order must be grave indeed to merit such a mark upon thee."
"I need not explain myself to you, shade." The man replied, brandishing his sword. "The state of these lands is all the proof one needs to see that your precious Order and its teachings are flawed."
"That may be true, but what reason do you have to target merchants?" Aerfen asked. "Or are you nothing but a common bandit after their wares?"
"I care not for what they peddle, it is of no use to me." He retorted. "Theirs is a practice that encourages indulgence and, as such, it must be purged. Only through learning to rely on themselves, not on gods, not on the Erdtree and its Order, not on anyone else, can the people of these lands rise above their mediocrity."
Kristoff tilted his head slightly before making a noise of realization. "Ah, I remember now. Thou art that ascetic from the land of Eochaid I was sent to capture. Thine rampage across the Lands Between right before The Shattering caused much grief before thou were stopped and sentenced to death." His voice had an undertone of anger. "Yet here thou art. And unless mine eyes deceive me, tis the Marais executioner sword thou wield. Honorless cur, thou couldst not accept thine punishment for thine crimes with dignity, couldst thou? Elemer the Bell Bearing hunter."
The man -Elemer- paused. "I thought your voice was familiar. So you are that knight from back then." He chuckled. "That we should meet again in circumstances so similar... truly, fate works in mysterious ways." A red aura encased his hand as he let go of his sword. To Aerfen's slight surprise, the weapon stayed where it was, hovering above the ground with its handle surrounded by the same aura. He raised his hand and the sword rose into the air with the movement "Things will be quite different this time, however."
"We shall see." The Ancient Dragon Knight replied as he and Aerfen readied their weapons.
That was the moment the Deathbird chose to drop from the night sky, screeching at both sides and swinging its poker indiscriminately at all three of them.
As I have said in my note at the start of this chapter, I have an important bit of news to share with you all.
I have started a ! You can find it at P atreon dot com / MidnightFenrir353.
This decision also comes with my intention to go from a full-time job to a part-time one for the purpose of being able to write more. The goal would be to write one chapter a month, which in turn would mean much more frequent updates.
Yes, I am shooting for the stars. And I can only hope that you will help me to do so.
As always, reviews and follows/favorites are greatly appreciated, criticism is welcome, and baseless flaming shall be ignored.
Until next time!
This is MidnightFenrir, signing out.
