A/N: Please read this note, would you kindly? Angling for a double update today. Hopefully I succeeded.
First, what's all this about a "secret" ending someone found in the DLC? Are these rumors? Or did someone actually find something? Supposedly there was a video over on youtube, but it got taken down right quick. Not sure if its a hoax or not. I've been digging around and have found no such thing, but a lot of people seem to be talking about it as of late...? I suppose we'll find out sooner or later.
Second, the spree continues!
Third, I 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!
Warning; this chapter proves...emotional.
Minor verbatim for Messmer from my "Shed no Grace Upon Me" story.
"Welcome, honored guests...
~Not Who You Think.
Welcome to the Family (Interlude)
It was...surprisingly simple to find their way to Messmer's keep.
Almost suspiciously easy.
Worryingly so.
Naruto didn't fail to notice that; even with little Melina and Reyna in tow, he and Marika made good time as they ascended upward; granted, it helped that she essentially had a backdoor into her son's castle -the two tree sentinels guarding said entrance had taken one look at Marika and promptly thrown down their weapons to kneel before their Returned Eternal Queen- but even so he couldn't quite quell the niggling sensation of doubt as their journey carried them to ever higher heights.
"That's a big bat!"
He instantly heeded Reyna's warning from where her perch upon his shoulder and brutally backhanded the beast as it swooped down upon him. A solid crack was his reward as his armored knuckles, broke both wings and sent it tumbling down to its doom.
Ryena clapped happily, the darling girl.
He spared his child a bemused look. "Better?"
"Hmm!" His blue-skinned offspring beamed. "Papa's the best~!"
His chest swelled with pride and he bounded forward, determined to prove himself again.
Melina made an annoyed noise behind him, idly clinging to Marika's hand. "Unfair...why can't I ride on father's shoulder?"
"Slow down, husband!" Marika clicked her tongue at him in mild admonishment alongside their second daughter. "Don't wander too far! You do not know the castle as I do!"
Reyna leaned off his back and stuck out her tongue at her sister. "Slowpoke~!"
Melina bridled. "Mother! Reyna's being mean!"
Naruto chortled softly as he lengthened his stride, forcing his dear queen to sweep their recalcitrant daughter into her arms and hasten after them, lest she be left behind.
Reyna and Melina were each taking in everything in with wistful wonder as they ascended, treating this as a grand game, or stranger still, a vacation. They did not truly understand the horrors of this place, and perhaps that was for the best. And yet for all that, they shied away from the grislier aspects of combat; and who could blame them? After the fearsome fright they'd received just the other night, it made perfect sense that they would be supremely skittish when it came to bloodshed.
And that was before they reached the specimen storehouse. Ghastly creatures...
Strangely enough, few fought back as they stormed the upper levels. There was combat to be had of course; monsters and shadows and the odd fire knight who'd grown too big for their britches. More than a few foolish foes attacked and perished outright, but even more froze at the sight of them. A number even bent the knee when they encountered him.
No, not him, he realized.
Marika.
Nearly to a man, almost every adversary prostrated themselves before her.
"Mother," Melina chirruped softlu, "Why are some of them staring?
She smiled sadly. "Because I led them once, sweetling."
Reyna frowned. "Then why did you leave?"
A stray fire knight lunged at Naruto out of a side corridor before she could answer. Annoying little bugger. He parried their blazing blade, caught the poor fellow by the neck, ripped him into the air, swung him around -heedless of the furled fingers grasping at his throat- and smiled at them now as he dragged them to a nearby ledge. "Have you ever flown before?"
The foolish knight gulped. "No?"
His arm cocked back to throw. "First time for everything!"
Too late, his unfortunate victim blanched. "I don't think that's a good ideaaaaaaaaaaaargh!?"
Whatever else he might've said trailed off into a distant scream as he hurled him away into the abyss.
Oooh!" Reyna clapped her hands giddily. "He really did fly!"
"So he did. "Marika quirked a golden brow. "Was that truly necessary, husband of mine?"
He retaliated with an arched eyebrow of his own, mildly amused. "Would you rather I break his neck?"
"No, I suppose not. Wouldn't do to scar the little ones." So speaking, she casually flattened another knight beneath her hammer. "They're young and impressionable girls after all."
Melina tilted her head at the poor, unfortunate soul. "That one's still alive, mother."
"Why, so he is, dear daughter! Allow me to rectify that." She grabbed the dying knight by the face and rendered him so many motes of golden light. "There, isn't that better?"
The girls applauded politely.
Naruto flung up his arms. "How is that any different from what I did?"
"My love, you threw a man to his death." she flicked a hand through her golden braid and tossed her head. "I turned one into shards of grace. We are not the same."
"You literally dissolved him!
She flounced away, hips swaying. "I know not what you mean, my dear consort eternal."
"Marikaaaaa!"
No matter what he said or did, she refused to speak on the matter any further as they ascended the keep, until, finally, they could ascend no more. A lift led them to a pair of stars, which in turn brought them to a narrow corridor stifled by a black door of unknown make.
And there, just beyond them, he sensed something; a dark and weary presence, a flickering flame on the verge of guttering out entirely.
Marika released Melina's hand and strode forth, hammer at the ready. "...he's just within. Prepare yourself. This won't be easy."
Naruto plucked Reyna off his shoulder and set her down beside Melina. "Whatever happens, stay behind us, alright?"
Their girls nodded.
Much to their surprise, the doors swung open smoothly on well-oiled hinges.
Naruto half-expected darkness within; instead he found the opposite; the space beyond was well lit by lanterns and candles alight. The gentle sound of a minstrel's harp greeted his ears, and baffled, he stepped forth into this strange sea of candles, with Marika and the children only a step behind.
And still, no attack came.
Someone had set a grand round table in the center of the chamber, arrayed as though for a feast. He counted a great many seats, but his gaze was inevitably drawn to the foodstuffs arrayed therein. Great steaming dishes of meat and potatoes, turkey, vension, the sweet scent of wine and freshly squeezed juice...
Beyond that, he glimpsed a bard of some sort standing in the center of the room, playing their instrument; no, playing for someone. A quick glance confirmed the fancifully clad fellow wasn't here under duress; his music was soft and sweet, the quick movements of his fingers effortlessly plucking forth a series of strange, stirring chords that roused the soul.
And then Melina sneezed.
The bard faltered at the sudden noise, and the music died.
"Welcome, honored guests." A low voice intoned. "I've been expecting you."
Almost immediately, his gaze snapped to the middle of the room and found a redheaded man seated upon what appeared to a throne of some sort, draped by scarlet curtains. He hadn't seem him there before impossible as it sounded; there was no darkness to hide within, yet somehow, he'd missed him all the same.
The bard faltered and fled. Naruto let him go. A bead of sweat ran down his brow.
Whomever this man might be, he was tall, nearly of a height with him and Marika. Clad in a mantle of red cloth and chai-mail, wearing a wicked helm coiled with winged serpents besides, his very presence invoked a strange, nameless dread, a fear he couldn't quantify. Gold of eye and red of hair, he pinned them with his stare, gazing forward without a care. And that was when one ignored the eerie serpents that seemed fused to his very flesh...or the child sitting upon his knee.
Naruto noticed him next and immediately wished he hadn't.
The lad was young, nearly of an age with Melina and Reyna, a redheaded child with eerie eyes. The left was a startling sunny gold, while the right remained deep and blue as the darkest sea. A strange, twisting tattoo took up the better half of his face, as though someone had carved a black dragon of ink into his very visage. And yet despite that he sensed only curiosity from the boy.
Strange.
Someone emerged from behind one of the curtains to stand beside him, a tall knight of a woman clad in gleaming silver armor. She took one look at the four of them and drew her blades-
"No, Rellana." the man held up a hand, forestalling her advance. "That is not how this must begin." Languidly, he tilted his head to regard them. "Hello...Mother. You look well." Glancing past her, he finally noticed Melina and Reyna at the last. "And these must be some of my sisters. The youngest, I believe?" His good golden eye narrowed, peering deeply. "And with yet another already on the way? My, but you've been busy since you and Father parted. You certainly don't lack for enthusiasm.
Melina and Reyna gasped. Naruto rounded on her. "So that's why you've been so emotional. You...you're pregnant, aren't you?"
She clasped both hands behind her back and looked away. "Surprise?"
"Oi! Is that all you have to say?!"
Marika granted him a small, watery smile. "I wanted to keep it a secret...
"Hmhmmhmmm." Messmer laughed, it was a soft, humorless sound that set his nerves on edge. "Mother was always fond of her secrets. But I suppose you know that, don't you? Dear Consort Eternal." Those three words dripped with mockery. "Did you know that you were the third-
The queen raised her voice. "MESSMER!"
...forgive me, mother." his voice dipped back into a diffident tone. "Wherever are my manners? I'm being a terrible host. Then again, I was never taught to be one...
Something was wrong. This man was undoubtedly Messmer and he could feel the fury seething within him, but cutting remarks aside, he'd made no real effort to express it. Was this a trap? It didn't feel like one. The doors still yawned wide open behind them, and Rellana had made no move to close with them.
And yet...!
Marika approached tentatively, acknowledging the redheaded youth at last. "Messmer...who is that with you...?"
"This?" He gestured to the bright-eyed boy sat upon his knee. "This is my son, born of I and Rellana. I suppose that makes him your grandson."
Marika choked. "Grandson...?"
"Quite." Messmer clicked his tongue. "Did you think I would not hesitate to start a family of mine own in this dark place?" A pale hand nudged the blue-eyed boy. "Say hello, Ragnar."
At some unseen signal, the boy hopped down off his fathers knee to bow, low and deep at the waist. "Hello, grandmother. Its a pleasure to meet you."
"A pleasure indeed." Mesmmer clapped his hands, rose, and gestured to the table before him. "Now that we're all here...shall we feast...?"
A/N: ...I'm sure you all know who Ragnar is a reference to.
Messmer is clearly up to something.
You all know what's coming next, and it's gonna be wild.
Well? Should this remain a story? Yay or nay? Do let me know!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this particular story, and others. If folks don't enjoy it, the story will remain, but it won't be continued. And there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. Just wanted to thank everyone for sticking with me.
I'm weary from work these days, but coming home after a long one to read feedback really make it worthwhile~!
So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review...Would You Kindly? And have some previews~!
I'm deliberately being coy with them this time around.
Some are far off. Others are closer than you think.
Once again, SPOILERS AHOY!
Seriously, ye be warned~!
Mostly the same here.
(Previews)
They ate in stoic silence.
Marika broke it first. "I can't take it anymore! Why aren't you angry at me?!"
Messmer set down his fork and turned his good eye upon her. "Whomever said I wasn't it?"
"A challenger at our gates? How quaint."
"He says he's a messenger...for someone called the Gloam-Eyed Queen."
Marika smiled. It was not a pleasant smile. "Finally got too big for her britches, did she? Perhaps I should send Maliketh after her...
Malenia came crashing through the door. "I know who the traitors are!"
All eyes turned towards her.
"Oh. I'm late, aren't I?"
EDIT: Hey, you made it! Thanks for reading! Hope you have great luck and a great day~!
Looking forward to chatting with you all when I get back from work~!
R ~!