Tarnished

Chapter 1 the Lands Divided

A deep red blaze glowed in the distance. The entire Lands Between seemed to shimmer in the ominous glow of red flames. All could see the Erd tree clearly casting the ominous light from its burning branches. The once great, shining beacon was slowly burning in the distance. The ash and soot could be felt and seen in every corner of the continent and the sight was almost more breathtaking than when the tree filled the world with a bright, golden light.

The blasphemous act would not be the end of the tree though. It might eventually regrow and heal. Others might take its place. The tree also had many saplings and many possible successors as well as advanced years and previous experiences with fire. Though it would take time. Likely the tree would once again be back or replaced by another. Eventually the Lands Between would be the same once more. At the very least the necessary evil had been done and the new Elden lord had arisen to the throne as a result.

In the past, such news as a new Elden lord would have been a grand event of celebration, announced on trumpets and upon the the rooftops of every city but, instead of the reception of triumphant horn blasts and a kingdom spanning celebration, the new era was ushered in by a slow march by a lonely figure all the way back to the First Step.

The figure was none other than the new Elden lord herself, Sophie, Knight of the Dark Moon. She took a seat on a large rock overlooking the hillside just north of the Mausoleum at the First Step. From this vantage point Sophie looked over the sights of Limgrave. Here was where she had met Verray the White mask. The first person to speak to her when she first became a tarnished wandering the Lands Between. An unfriendly character but, at least he hadn't attacked her on sight and was very much alive when they first met.

Going further down the road leading back the way she had recently come from was the derelict church where she met Ranni the Black Moon Witch, a puppet possessed by a demigod who at the time had gone under the name Renna. Beyond that was the fort where she had met Melina, her best friend and trusted companion. The lunar princess and the burnt maiden had been Sophie's greatest allies. Now both are gone. Ranni had left on her dark moon path and might not be back for quite some time. Meanwhile Melina had sacrificed herself to allow Sophie access into the Erd Tree allowing her to become Elden Lord in the first place and was mostly the cause for its current state.

No she was victorious and yet at the very same time very lonely. Sophie, having left Melena's ashes in a Mausoleum near the roots of an Erd Tree earlier, was now retracing her steps to commemorate their adventure. To remember both her friends and in a way honor Malena's memory. This was her last stop. Sophie looked at the mausoleum she had first woken up in and sighs.

"Been a long time." She says to herself. Relaxing on the rock. "A real long time." She adds in a solemn voice. She was remembering all that had happened. All she had been through and now felt very tired.

Sophie herself wore heavy, gold colored, steel armor, a katana at her hip and a glintstone staff in her left hand which she twirled idlely as she sat there pondering. Her helmet resting beside her, Sophie letting her long, flowing, red hair out. Sophie's red, tattered cape moved slightly in the breeze as she relaxed. Her first moment of quiet in a long time. Possibly her first moment of peace since she had come to the Lands Between. No one trying to kill her, no fears of being attacked at night. Not worried about what the future might hold.

It didn't last long though. A figure strode towards her from the side of the hill "Did it work?" A familiar voice asks. Sophie turned around, recognizing the voice and was quite happy to hear it.

"You look better." She comments. Standing about 9 feet tall. Blaidd the half wolf did his best to smile with his wolf-like maw, showing off his sharp teeth

"I feel better. Thank you for not shanking me when I was out of it." Blaidd says remembering the time he had gone berserk due to influence from Ranni's two fingers and nearly killed Sophie. She nods.

"That's good, I'm glad you're back to your very kind and polite self again. As for your question. We did it. Rani and I… We…. Well I am now the new Elden Lord."

Blaidd shows off his sharp teeth in another wide smile. "That's a relief. I saw the Erd Tree ablaze and then some light show. I thought you'd have a hand in it but I wasn't sure." He pauses folding his arms then Blaidd tilts his head to the side to think. "So is Ranni… the Emperion?"

Sophie nods "mostly." She says "Though she did also leave to talk with the moons and It might take a while for her to come back. So in the meantime it's my job to fix things here in the Lands Between as Elden Lord."

Blaidd nods "I couldn't think of anyone better for the job."

"I could." Sophie admits "I'm strong but I've never done anything political. Now I technically rule all of The Lands Between. Something done by demigods and Emperions."

"And you've killed demigods and an Emperion." Blaidd interjects. "Trust me you're the woman for the job. After all Nephilli felt the same way before taking Godricks old job."

Sophie blinks and then thinks on it for a second, he was right but, "Crazy old Rick was not a hard act to follow. It's also a lot more for me and I don't have a Kevin Heights to show me what to do." She says feeling the weight of her new responsibility start to settle in. She had known it would be a lot but, now she was here she really felt and understood it, understood what it was like to be an Elden Lord with all this responsibility.

"Well I have some good news then. Me and Iji are here to help you. We may not know much. Well I may not know much but Iji does and we have resources. Though there are things ahead that will be tough, You have allies."

Sophie nods standing up "You're right. Thanks."

Blaidd smiles once more then says. "Besides. There are still fights ahead. The kind you like the most with demigods and champions."

She sighs "of course there is. So what first?" Sophie was pretending to be disappointed but, on the inside she was excited. She had been adventuring for a while and didn't want things to slow down quite yet.

"Well we need to head to Storm hill and meet everyone." Blaidd says "They are all antsy. They want to know of your success as much as I did."

Sophie smiles picking up and putting on her helm. "Alright. Let's head out then." She says calling the tempest with a whistle. The spirit appears beside her, the large antlered horse appearing as if from thin air in a burst of blue sparks. Sophie then climbs atop her horse.

Blaidd looks at her "Could I get a lift?" He asks sheepishly, staring up at her, his ears folding a bit making him look more like a sad dog then a wolf.

Sophie blinks "Ugh sure. Don't you have one though?"

Blaidd blushes a bit "Not really, they usually get scared off by me." He admits, embarrassed by that fact.

Sophie looks about awkwardly then she finally relents "Fine hop on."

"Thank you!" Blaidd says excitedly then clammors behind her. He was a bit big and awkward on the horse but Tempest was no ordinary horse and at the very least it could stay standing despite the extra weight. In fact it was hardly affected at all. The spirit was strong despite its frame. Once Blaidd was firmly on It, Tempest began gracefully trotting towards Stormhill. Marking the beginning of Sophie's second journey through The Lands Between.

Sophie and Blaidd rode into the castle. Blaidd quickly hopped off and stretched once they were within the castle walls. The ride had been longer with the extra weight. Sophie gets off the horse herself, whistling to recall it. The spirit then disappeared in the same blue sparks it had appeared in. "So Blaidd where is this meeting at?" She asks, looking about. She felt a bit awkward standing here. Banished Knights were around the castle manning various posts and stations, leading patrols and of course, every so often staring at her. Not to mention Godrick's soldiers were milling about as well.

Back when Godrick the Grafted, the castle's old master, ran things the entire castle was converted into a massive array of defensive lines and structures. Ones that had blocked Sophie's way specifically to stop anyone from getting Goddrick's great rune. Despite these efforts she killed Goddrick and a good portion of the soldiers there and stole his rune. After his death the ownership of the castle went to Nephilli.

Now under her Command the Castle was slowly being cleaned up and restored. With no need to defend it from constant tarnished attacks and Godrick's paranoia no longer in command of the place Nephilli was looking to restore good relationships between her and the citizens of Limgrave. She also had used the Exiles and Banished knights to get Godrick's rabbal back into line.

Now with Limgrave united things were looking up and Sophie could already see the improvement in the castle alone. Yet she still felt awkward. She felt like she was in enemy territory. In fact she recognized a few knights that she had fought with. She of course had attacked both sides while trying to survive in The Lands Between and assumed that they, especially those she had actually fought with, had some bad feelings because of it.

Despite the unfriendly history though the soldiers themselves seemed neutral to both her and Blaidd as they strode though partially restored courtyards and walkways. Returning to the inner portions of the castle. Soon enough the pair even came to the place where she had fought Godrick himself. Here she saw a familiar face, Gostoc. The tall, lanky man was cleaning up a bit of rubble that still remained from the fight. "I heard a rumor that we had a new lord, is it true?" The man says a slimy smile on his thin lips exposing his poorly kept teeth.

"You heard right." Blaidd says outright

"Well let me be the first to humbly request to be your most trusted servant." Gostoc says to Sophie giving her a deep and way over exaggerated now towards the Elden Lord.

Sophie sighs "Before or after you lock me in another room with an angry banished knight?" Blaidd looks at Sophie a bit questioningly. Then he took a look at Gostoc again.

Gostoc frowns "I'll take that as a no." Sophie nods and walks once again towards the castle's throne room, not giving the man a second glance.

Blaidd followed her, keeping an eye on Gostoc. "Did you really get locked in some room by him?" He asks, smiling just a bit, unable to hide his amusement about how Sophie was tricked in that way.

"Ugh yes I'm not proud of it." Sophie admits "I was new to the lands between and he was helpful until then." She says remembering the incident like it was yesterday.

Finally the pair pass through the final set of gates into the throne room. Nepheli, who was standing next to the throne, saw the two come in and bowed. "It has been a long time. Elden Lord." She says in a respectful yet slightly excited tone.

Sophie smiles, happy to see her old friend again especially after they had fought together to get to the Erd Tree. The strong, dark-skinned woman wore her usual hide armor which seemed to have been reinforced with bits of steel as well as metal boots and gauntlets. The armor made for her light and quick style of fighting. The added metal was most likely the idea of her advisor Kenneth Heights, a man as noble as he was a prick at times.

"I suppose you will turn down my offer to be my knight now that you answer to a higher power?" Kenneth himself says stepping into the throne room having heard the two arrive.

"I suppose, though I would have loved to have been one of your knights for a bit of course." Sophie says politely. She had saved him and his fort in the past but had never really agreed to be his knight; he just never stopped long enough for her to talk with him.

Kenneth chuckles, twiddling with his mustache. "I see you have brought Blaidd with you, that half wolf that our new friend Iji was talking about."

Blaidd nods. "More like I brought her here but, yes."

Kenneth shrugs. "Whatever the circumstance Iji is looking for the both of you. He says that he needed to share information in a sort of war council."

Sophie nods, Iji was the war master after all. She then looks at Nephelie. "Alrighty would you mind it if I were to hold council here then Lady Nephilie?" Sophie asks.

Nephilie bows once more with a bit of a smile on her face. "Of course as long as I am part of your council that is."

Sophie smiles back and says. "You are central to it." There was no way she wouldn't accept any help Nephelie could give. Sophie thought too highly of her skill and battle tactics to let Nephelie sit any war counsel out and Nephelie seemed grateful to her for that.

Kenneth nods. "I will fetch Iji then." He says turning to leave, heading off quickly to bring the war master to the throne room.

Nephilie nods. "And I'll have Gostoc set everything up. Grab a few pints, some maps and all that."

Sophie nods. "Hopefully this won't take long." Soon after saying that Sophie turns as the gates behind them open, Iji steps in. The large troll wore a mirror helm, magically enchanted to make it harder for foes to see or identify him. The tactical armor was used to hide the giant when Ranni's enemies tried anything they could against her and her allies.

The fact that he still wore it made Sophie a bit anxious. "I see that Lady Ranni's champion has returned." Iji says in his usual, more chipper tone of voice. The troll jolly and regal despite his large and rather threatening appearance. "I assume all is well?"

Sophie nods. "As well as it could be. Though I'm guessing there is still work to do if you're wearing that." She says pointing out the trolls' magic protection.

Iji nods "Much to do I am afraid. Shall we get to business then?" Sophie nods. Gostoc and a few other servants bring in some maps, a large, round table and a few chairs and place them around the room in front of the throne.

Sophie goes to take a seat at a chair as the map is laid out but Kenneth gets in her way. "One second my lord, it is only right that you as the Elden Lord were to sit upon the throne. Your vassal and councilors will sit at the table."

Sophie rolls her eyes. "This is Nephelie's Castle." She says simply sitting in one of the chairs and relaxing. The others stare awkwardly at her. She sighs. "Please don't make this weird." She begs. "I will sit where I want regardless of the posturing or tradition ok."

Blaidd smiles. "Personally I like this better." He says breaking the ice and sitting next to Sophie. The others then sit around the table a bit more relaxed. Nephelie taking a seat on the other side of Sophie and Kenneth next to her with Iji sitting on the floor, criss-cross style on the other side of the table. Relaxing. Too big to fit on the small human sized chairs.

"I suppose we should get started then." Iji says. "I wanted to explain the situation to you. As you know the shattering left several factions all loyal to different children of Marika, yes?"

Sophie nods. "Goddrick, the Banished knights, The Cuckoo, the soldiers of Lyndell and Soldiers of Radahn. Fought with a few of each while running around." She says a bit proud of herself in knowing of pretty much all of them.

Iji nods. "Not to mention the Night's Calvary and the Albanaurics. Though those two don't have much in the way of land holdings." He says starting to mark up the map of the lands between a bit to show the land controlled by each faction.

"Soon after your ascension to the throne I sent messengers to talk with the factions to see if they would support the new Elden Lord. The reception I got was mixed. Nephelie of course agreed though I suppose you already knew that."

Sophie nods. "We fought Godfrey together." She says rather boastfully. The man was the first Elden Lord and her last test before fighting Marika herself.

"indeed you did. Well with her recent work in bringing Limgrave back under control the knights of Godrick and the Banished knights who stayed loyal to their employer are now loyal to you. The knights of Radahn also replied with similar feelings. You helped them with their Radahn problem and they wish to lend as much service as they can despite the situation in Caelid."

Sophie nods. She didn't expect much help from them but, it was nice to know the soldiers of Radhan, as elite as they were, would be helping it. It was good to know that they wouldn't be after her throat.

"Though that is where the good news ends." Iji says, a bit saddened. "Lyndell and its knights have yet to respond, neither have the Albanuraics in the snow fields. The Cuckoo on the other hand have also declared you a heretic and are rallying to dethrone you as we speak."

"You've got to be kidding me." Sophie says annoyed. Of all the factions the Cuckoo and her had it out for each other the most. She served Ranni, the darkmoon witch. Part of the Carian royal family, a family that had recently been betrayed by their knights and the lands of Liurnia under their protection was given over to Lyndell. The knights who once served the family became known as the Cuckoo and were quick to try and kill all the royal family they could except for Queen Ranala who they kept as a figurehead. Sophie had assumed they would resist her ascension to the throne but not like this. Not an open rebellion. Yet here they were.

Sophie nods. "Well I suppose I've beaten them before." She says thinking it over. "Though I suppose we need more than one assassin going around causing problems."

"Especially not the Elden Lord." Kenneth says quite sternly. The first time Sophie had seen him be anything but, vaguely Noble or a blowhard.

Iji nods. "Last time you fought with them you were little more than a wandering traveler. Now you are an Elden Lord they will come upon you with their full forces to kill or capture you and even someone as strong as you cannot defeat an army."

Sophie thought about it, Iji was right. "Alright. Well let's get our soldiers moving. Get as many as we can from Radahn's old forces without compromising the situation in Caelid and send those bastards back to the Erd Tree."

Iji chuckles. "It's not that easy but, I will get the word out. Nephelie I assume you will assist us as well?"

The warrior woman smiles. "I would love nothing more. We have struggled too much to put you on the throne for me not to fight to keep you there when challenges arise."

Sophie smiles. She was glad to have allies. "Well then let's get moving. We need to move quickly if we want to stamp out this rebellion." She says standing and looking over the map. "I know a lot of their forts, strongholds, everything. Unless they changed positions I should be able to mark most of them down for us." She says starting to make marks on the map.

"I've been spying on their more recent activities as well." Blaidd says piping up. "I should be able to confirm the information as well as provide insights of my own."

Iji nods "And as war councilor I'll formulate a plan of attack with all of us working together. It should make this easy." He says confidently. Sophie nods. "Alright let's get to work then." She says starting on her newest adventure.