A/N: I WAS RIGHT TO WAIT FOR THE DLC~! So much to work with now! We'll be getting back to the other categories shortly, just need to update all my Elden Ring stuff for the month/week.
...have I really been on this site for sixteen years, now? Wow. Makes me feel proper old.
Short chapter this time, I'm not pushing myself too hard lately, lest I have another anxiety attack. We're also paying homage to a certain scene here, as was an Elden Ring Comic that gave me inspiration for *SPOILERS*, but I cannot remember the name of it for the life of me, nor can I seem to find the bloody thing again -at the time of this typing-now that I'm actively looking for it. I recall it was voice acted on youtube and everything! It was gsoooooo good! Graaah! Somebody help me!
Aha! Found the darn thing after a loooooong search!
"Elden Ring the Star and the Moon chapter 5 Empyrean." The comic dub was done by Chris Oakland, while the original comic was created by Qizeaq. There are five chapters altogether on youtube at this time and, can't recommend them enough! There we are, that's all the credit given to those fine fellows! Go check them out!
Just wanted to say, I appreciate you all! More feedback means faster updates! It's especially important, in these, trying times, with the main site notifications down. Every word counts and i appreciate you all! All these reviews really keep me inspired! Looking forward to hearing from you~!
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. They're tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
SPOILERS FOR SHADOWS OF THE ERDTREE AHEAD!
"Journal entry #10.
"I always thought, everyone in that place was crazy. That notion was never true. But the crazy ones have the louder voices, and make it seem like they're all there is, so they can trample all over other people's lives.
Although...I guess that wasn't entirely the case. I mean, just look at her. Marika's crazy, isn't she? I don't know what she's thinking.
I'm sorry. I wish I could've kept our promise...
~?
Shadow
His attackers struck at dawn.
Naruto was dimly aware of them as the door creaked open, even deep in his slumber as he was. Still he dozed as they crept closer. He felt no fear; on the contrary, he was mildly bemused that someone -anyone!- would have the gall to attack "Radahn" so openly in his own bedchamber. That took guts, if nothing else. He could respect that much.
"Respect, he says." Kurama huffed sullenly. "They have some nerve trying this at the crack of dawn. Back in my day ambushes were made during the night, not the bloody morning!"
Naruto didn't rise to that retort, nor did he stir, even as the pitter-patter of bare feet padded across the stone floor of his room.
A golden eye creaked open just an inch, barely a centimeter really.
There they were. Close. Closer. Closest...
A shadow fell over him.
They pounced!
"Radahn~!"
Breath burst from his lungs as two small bodies landed on his back; he didn't feel a thing, but feigned pain instead as his younger siblings crashed into him. They really thought they'd managed to surprise him; him when his guard was always up, his defenses never lowered for a moment...but he couldn't bear to see Ranni and Rykard's disappointed faces.
"And what have we here?!" he feigned surprise and grinned at them. "A pair of assassins?!"
He tickled them, drawing a giggle from them both.
"What time is it...?
Ranni chirruped happily. "Just past seven, big brother."
He palmed his face with a groan. "Ugh, don't call me that, makes me feel old."
Rykard tilted his head, solemn as always. "But you are our brother, and you are older. It is only rational to call you such."
"As I ceaselessly reminded everyday." he drew them into a fierce embrace. C'mere!"
THe last three years had been rather quiet, insofar as life went. He rather enjoyed being a big brother to little Ranni and Rykard, adorable tykes that they were.
Mother and Father had left him in charge of Raya Lucaria for the week whilst they attended to some urgent business. Urgent busienss, bah! They probably wanted a chance to canoodle in peace. Well, far be it from him to stand in their way. He was the lord general after all, he could run this place for a week or so in their absence. Still, it would be nice to know where they'd gone...
Still, if he got another sibling out of this "urgent business" who was he to complain?
"You have a meeting to attend, brother."
He groaned. "Don't be so serious, Rykard."
"That's right, listen to him!" Little Ranni bounced on his chest, drawing a grunt from him as she sang happily. "He's king of the castle, he's king of the castle~!
Their younger brother rolled his eyes and ignored them both. "Friede said Gaius and Freyja will be here soon. You must wake and dress."
"Fine, fine, such a studious little brother I have...
But first and foremost!
He flung on a robe, conjured a shadow clones for the kids and strode through the magic mirror.
Multitasking, thy name is shadow clones.
(.0.0.0.)
Gwynevere was waiting for him.
Lounging upon a bed of delicate silk, she appeared every bit the princess she truly was, regal and composed...if one couldn't sense her emotions. She must've flung herself down on the bed while his vision was adjusting from the warp; because she looked proper frightened. As he looked on, she laid her palms in her lap and studied her feet.
...I need your help."
"Anything." He knelt, and clasped her hands in his. "Tell me what you need."
"But can you even help with this?" She almost seemed to despair for a moment before rallying. "Even you have limits."
"Who decided that? I decide my limits. No one else."
A small bereft giggle tumbled past her lips. "Such confidence. Would that I had such...would you help me grow stronger?"
He gave his answer.
(.0.0.0.)
Upon his return, a distant clamor in the courtyard caught his attention below.
Mildly nonplussed by the interruption, Naruto dragged on his armor stalked down the steps.
Ranni stood with Rykard in the courtyard, still as stone and grasping her little brother's didn't take much to see why...no, not much at all.
Imagine his surprise then, when he arrived in time to behold a procession of Erdtree knights stalking up the steps. To a man they all wore their long signature faceless helms, while their armor wreathed in gilded gold and each noticeably carried a palanquin between them. And there, sitting atop, crouched like some kind of wizened old crone-wait...
.
..
...why were they bringing a Finger Reader here?
Kurama stirred deep within him. "I don't like the look of this...
"We abide by the rule of the golden order!" one of the tallest knights boomed, their voice ringing across the courtyard. "By the words of the two fingers, we deliver a message of the Greater Will!"
The wizened old Finger Reader stirred atop her stretcher, as though waking from a long slumber. "The fingers speak. Lunar princess Ranni." A wiry, trembling finger pointed his sister's way. "You have been chosen as an Empyrean.
Ranni froze. "Me...?"
"Yes, child." the hag tittered. "Your fate is now tied with the Elden Ring."
Naruto drew himself up, armor creaking ever so slightly. "And who decided this? Marika?"
"The Greater Will has-
"Shhhh." he held up a finger and shushed the miserable old biddy. "Don't lie before the children."
Rannia and Rykard turned a baffled look upon him; in his peripherals he noticed Latenna and Friede arriving. Good on them. He was glad of them to have his back if this came to a fight.
And that wizened gaze fixed upon him in return. "General Radahn. You...have also been named Empyrean...
Not a chance. He knew exactly what came of that titled and wanted nothing to do with it.
A red brow rose in mild consternation. "I refuse."
The crone bridled. "You cannot."
"I just did."
Brave of them, trying something like this while Rennala and Radagon were out for a few days. There would be hell to pay.
"But we come bearing gifts," the old crone rasped a laugh as the ranks of knights parted. "Behold...
In short order, he found himself presented with two hooded figures. The smaller of the pair went to Ranni, while the taller of the duo stopped before him and bent the knee.
Curious.
The boy at least, had manners. "I...bid thee greetings, princess Ranni. My name is Blaidd...
Ranni trembled for a moment before steeling herself, bless her simple soul. "Let me see thine face."
Beneath their watchful gaze, the young boy tugged back his cloak to reveal a lupine visage. Ah. He was a half-wolf then. Those were fairly fair nowadays, weren't they?
Curious, he looked to his own "Shadow" if she was one at all. She removed her hood and...
Small. That was his first thought of this frail creature.
Latenna bridled furiously. "Another woman?!"
Friede merely tilted her head, darkly amused by it all. But of course she would now, wouldn't she? She claimed her powers of prophecy allowed her to see into the future. Had she seen this coming perchance? Did she know he would feel bad for the poor wretch before him, and thus hesitate to turn her away?
His own shadow was a masked maiden in black robes, her face concealed by a stifling black helm, exposing only her long pallid ashen hair.
He crouched before her, the better to look her in what he hoped were her eyes. "And you are...?"
She bowed her head. "Yuria, my lord. A pleasure to meet thee...
He looked to the young half-wolf and nodded once. "Be welcome here, Blaidd and...you, Yuria." He frowned at his so-called shadow, midly nonplussed by her mask; it was all too easy to slip back into the regal persona of the genral. "You are among freiends here. Will you not remove your helmet?"
She studied her feet. "I would not subject others to my hideous face."
Curious. And concerning. "I'll be the judge of that."
A quick application of gravity magic mimicked telekinesis and ripped the dark helm from her face, sending it rocketing into his hand.
"No!" Yuria fell to her knees and covered her face. "Don't look at me! I'm ugly!"
He knelt and tugged her hands away, despite her protests. Eyes of deep amethyst shone from her a round face, utterly unfettered by any scar or blemish. She blinked up at him with wide, teary eyes, on the verge of all but collapsing against him and unbidden, he found himself wiping away her tears.
Ugly? Was she touched in the head? In what world was this ugly?
He patted her head. "You're beautiful."
Yuria hiccuped. "I am...?"
Friede preened. "Exactly as I foresaw." her bleak gaze swept to the Finger Reader. "A shame someone obviously told her otherwise."
Ah, yes. That made sense now, didn't it? Naruto craned his neck back to regard said Reader with abject disgust. "You've said your peace. Leave us."
She didn't oblige. "Not without you and the Lady Rani. Your place is no longer here in Liurnia, but Leyndell-
His right hand twitched, just so.
Contrary to popular belief, gravity magic also encompassed pressure. Force. Presence.
Case in point; his magic flared, flattening the knights that held her to the floor, choking the life from their lungs.
Bereft of balance, the Finger Reader tumbled free from her precious palanquin and soon found herself sprawled out amongst them like some backdocks slattern.
"You dare defy...?!"
"I find your lack of faith in me disturbing." Naruto placed his boot upon her throat, rendering her response a strangled squawk. "Aunt Marika can come collect us herself if she dares." Gwynevere would not be happy that he'd gone and sassed her mother as such, but he was sure Godwyn would understand. "That is, unless you believe you can force us to follow you?"
Here at last, the horrid hag flinched. "You would threaten an emissary of the Greater will?
"An emissary? No." he shook his head, setting his crimson braid swaying. "But you're not one at all, are you." he leaned down, grinning at the putrid wretch. "Tell me, how fares Metyr these days?"
The Finger Reader went still. "How do you know that name?"
Fried radiated smug satisfaction behind him.
"I know much. he shrugged one shoulder, feigning ignorance. "It is allowed to me. You'd be amazed what you find when you study the histories of the Lands Between." The truth was far darker and they both knew it. "So, shall we continue this conversation, or have you had...
"...Enough!" She cut him off hurriedly, drawing herself up on her ruined staff. "We are leaving!"
"That's what i thought." he took his boot frm her neck. "Oh, and before you go-
Snarling, he whirled and punted the crone into the air, sending her shrieking down into the Lakes below. Her knights dithered about, uncertain of how to react to such a sudden act of violence...right up until he granted them a toothy grin in return. Latenna brandished her war-sickle, adding weight to her own words.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" she gestured over the battlements. "Fetch her before she drowns. Unless you'd care to join her?"
The knights practically flung themselves from the battlements in their haste to escape his wrath.
Right, then. That was one matter settled. Onto the next.
"Come, let us make merry!" he turned to face his siblings, his friends and the two new shadows. "We have two new members of our family to welcome! Break out the food and drink!"
Ranni was trembling. "They named us Empyrean...
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it." he tousled her scarlet tresses until he made a birds nest of it and made her scowl. "Leave the matter with me."
She squirmed out from under his hand with a worried whine. "But, brother! I don't want to leave-
He laid a hand on her shoulder. "I said leave the matter with me, little sister."
She buried her head in Rykard's shoulder and refused to look at him. He let her and knelt to embrace them both. He couldn't blame them for their fear. After all, they were but children. They didn't know the truth of the world as he and his inner circle did.
For you see, the Greater Will was gone. It had been gone for a terribly long time.
He could not say when or how it had left, only that it must've fled long ago, for he could no longer sense its presence within the realm. As such, he and Ranni had essentially been named emissaries to a god who had long abandoned the Lands Between. Yet the "Fingers" still perpetuated this farce, a farce he had been prepared to ignore...until now. If the heavens, the very stars themselves declared this to be Ranni's fate...
He turned a baleful glare upon the skies above and made his choice.
So be it! He would conquer the stars, nay, all of heaven!
In that moment, the Starscourge was born.
A/N: We holdin' back the stars next chapter!
Aaaand scene. There we go!
Glad folks saw the Dark Souls references~!
Should this remain a story, then? Yay or nay! Do let me know~!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. If folks don't like this, it will remain...but it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular, it will fall further and further back in the update schedule. 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 my lifeblood. Without them, I cannot write.
So In the Immortal Words of Atlas... ...Revieeeeew, Would You Kindly?
They keeps an old man inspired and alive.
Previews are mostly the same.
Didn't have time to make new ones with the site BREAKING.
As ever:
POTENTIAL PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
YE BE WARNED!
Some are very far off, mind you.
Obvious references are obvious, of course~!
Someone requested the first preview, and I acquiesced. Guess who~!
(Previews)
YOU ARE NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT IS TO COME.
We'll trim up the previews to keep from spoiling things.
He gazed upon the stars and brandished his blades with a mighty bellow.
"COME!"
What have you done?
What was necessary.
...nephew. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
A single dread-inducing THUMP behind him served as Radagon's only warning.
...where do you think you're going, old man?"
"I have a duty, son. It must be done."
"Duty, is it? I have a duty, too...
WHAM!
...its called dragging you back to Mom."
"You cannot stop me, or what is to come. Marika is more powerful than either of us."
"Your faith in her is misplaced. As is your faith in the Golden Order."
"You would speak such blasphemy to me?!
"Blasphemy, is it?" Radagon looked on aghast as his son raised his arms. "Poor choice of words." Black flame smoldered within the younger man's palms, danced up his arms, writhing across the seals carved there. One by one they smoldered away and his eldest began to glow gold. "I see only one blasphemer here and it ain't me...
"You DARE-
Burning knuckles slammed into his chin, hurtling him away into the sky. Massive hands closed around either side of his head as he flew. Radahn's scowling face sneered at him, inches from his own. Radagon felt his skull creak beneath those giant palms but still, his son didn't let up. "Time to pay your dues, father of mine!"
They hit the mountain a moment later.
"Lord Brother, I have a request to make of thee, a plea most dire-
"No." he held up a hand. "Lemme stop you there."
"But-
"Nope."
"If you would just-
"Nuh-uh."
"Hear me out-
"Not interested."
"Listen to me, Radahn!"
He barked a laugh. "Not a chance, kiddo!"
EDIT: Hey, you made it! Thanks for reading! Hope you all have a great day!
Looking forward to chatting with you all when I get back!
R&R~!