Stormveil Castle
"Damn that is a mighty tall gate~" Percy whistled.
The large wood and metal plated gate was closed. It was an intimidating gate, to say the least with how sturdy and daunting it looked. Not to mention the line of soldiers and ballistas facing its way. Percy could see them through the gaps that were large enough for a person to fit their head inside as well as an arm but small enough that you couldn't squeeze through lest you want to get stuck.
"I'm not sure if I want to go that way… then again do I even want to go that way?" Percy mused to himself. "Perhaps there's a way to scale the walls-"
Percy was about to turn back and study the walls but stopped when his gaze caught an open door to the left. "...What kind of castle has a door right outside their damn gate… what the fuck?" Percy uttered in disbelief.
"Enemies could literally rush in here and- oh well look at that they did!" Percy scoffed at the sight of the broken table and smashed chairs.
"Psst."
"Who said that?" Percy unsheathed his claymore and studied the room. There in the corner stood a ghastly figure with a greyish-pale face and long stringing hair.
"You're Tarnished, aren't you?" the person asked.
"Yes, I am…" Percy hesitantly walked up to the man - judging from his voice and physique.
"Good… good, well then Tarnished. I would advise against taking the main gate into the castle."
"Yeah, I came to that conclusion a few minutes ago. Plus, it's not like the gate is open." Percy rolled his eyes from underneath his helm.
The man ignored him and continued. "It's tightly guarded by hardened old hands."
"Hmm, I saw those soldiers and the ballistas aimed my way. You're point exactly?"
Once again the man ignored him. "Try the opening right here. The guards don't know about it. You'll breach the castle undetected."
Percy could only shake his head in disbelief. "Unbelievable… the damn guards themselves don't know about this."
The man stared at Percy which Percy found weird.
"I'll get going then…" Percy nodded and went to leave only to be interrupted.
"I bid you luck, Tarnished, and next time please don't interrupt me."
Percy cringed and turned to apologize but saw that the man wasn't there anymore. It looked as if he wasn't even there to begin with. However, where he had been standing was a smithing stone. Percy picked it up and studied its quality finding that it was a smithing stone six.
"Man I feel bad now," Percy winced. "I didn't ask for his name too. Ugh, what would my mom say… well no use dwelling on the past. Let's just get going."
Percy stored the smithing stone in his pouch where it disappeared until he needed it. It was valuable and would help when he needed to upgrade his sword once more with the help of Hweg. Now then with that done, he continued on his way around the outskirts of the castle walls. It was a quiet journey and a tedious one as Percy was walking right beside a cliff.
Nevertheless, the path was straightforward and soon enough Percy came across a wooden staircase that led up to an open tower. He hesitated to walk on the stairs due to how creaky and weak it looked. Yet he had to if he wanted to get inside Stormveil however, what Percy failed to notice until the last second was a soldier who had singled out their comrades.
Percy stopped in his steps and his eyes widened. He barely had time to parry the sword aimed his way but with a flick of his wrist and the adrenaline rush that came from his near-death; Percy counterattacked by grabbing the soldier by the shoulder and pushing them off. He didn't get to check though as two other soldiers in similar garbs appeared from within the tower.
Fortunately, the staircase was only wide enough for one person to get through so Percy was able to make quick work of the two guards. "That was a close call," Percy whistled. "Hey, at least I'm finally inside Stormveil."
Making his way inside Percy was met by multiple enemies who sought to end his life. There were people who seemed to have been regular citizens of Stormveil, they may have been the servants but now they were mindless individuals who lacked the ability to communicate. Because of that Percy was left with no choice but to end their lives, granting them peace from their pitiful states of being.
Percy not only fought mindless servants, he also came upon guards like the ones he had thrown off the cliff. He had hoped to communicate with them but like the servants, they were mindless individuals; thus leading to their deaths by Percy's hand. An enemy that did pose a problem to Percy was the golden knight in a room that appeared to be a dining room. It was a tough fight that led to the destruction of the room but in the end, Percy prevailed and that was all that mattered.
But of course, not everything would be smooth sailing. Because right after ending the golden knight's life Percy entered another building through a broken window. It was the only way out since the other doors of the building were locked leaving Percy with no other way out into the courtyard.
Maybe it was because Margitt acted like a sane person regardless of his 'unique' bodily features; that Percy felt no disgust towards this creature or maybe it was due to the anger that immediately lit up in his body; because upon seeing what Percy was sure was the creature Roderika had been talking about, he felt nothing but anger and the urge to kill it in the most inhumane way possible.
Regardless nothing else crossed Percy's mind not even his health because without hesitation he jumped from the loft above and onto the crawling beast. His claymore dug deep into its back inciting a loud screech of pain from the abomination. It wailed around and ran mindlessly around the destroyed chapel. Yet Percy did not let go, instead, he grabbed one of the many daggers from his belt and stabbed it relentlessly into the abomination's back.
With every stab, it screeched in pain. It did not annoy Percy nor did it hurt his ears. The painful wails of this grafted scion whom he and Roderika had labelled were music to his ears and deep down Percy felt himself enjoying the pain he was inflicting.
"This is for Roderika."
Stab
"This is for her people."
Stab
"This is for the pain you caused them."
Stab
"This. Is. For. Vengeance."
Stab
With one final stab, the grafted scion fell limp on the floor. Blood as dark as the shadows that lurked in the room spilled from the various stab wounds. It coated the abomination and its tattered piece of clothing, dripping down its humanoid limbs and spilling onto the floor where it began to pool around its body.
Percy took a breath and hopped off from its back but not before beheading it. Just like what Roderika had said, the beast's head was that of an adolescent girl. It was horrific, to say the least, and sad as this girl was probably a victim as well. But there was nothing to be done, it was best to leave the thought be.
Soon enough the body began to break into particles of light. They drifted off into the air in an uncontrolled pattern until they all disappeared into thin air. What was left was a ball of light that resembled the item Roderika had mentioned.
"Chrysalids."
Elden Ring
"Rogier? What the hell are you doing in this place?"
The rapier-wielding sorcerer jumped from his place at the altar. He clumsily drew his blade and pointed it at Percy who casually waved at the man.
"Easy there Rogier, it's just me." Percy took off his helmet and offered the man a smile.
"Ah, Percy I apologize for that ill-mannered display. You merely frightened me." Rogier sheathed his blade and took a seat on one of the benches.
"From what I've seen from this place… you have all right to be a bit jumpy," Percy shrugged.
"Oh yes yes, we're in Stormveil where all of Godrick's soldiers are patrolling the castle. You never know where they might come from- oh look there," Rogier ducked down, hiding himself behind the bench. "You see those two over there? Large fully armored man with a giant halberd and its comrade who holds the torch?"
"They're hard to miss," Percy whispered at his place by the door.
"They've been patrolling out there preventing me from further going on my journey," Rogier sighed. "Under different circumstances, I would have dealt with them, but I fear my trusty rapier cannot pierce that beast."
Percy nodded. "Don't worry I'll deal with those two."
"Thank you, oh thank you! I knew I could count on you," Rogier cheered in joy only to shut up when the two guards came back into view.
"You mentioned journey, are you trying to get out of Stormveil and into Linuria Lakes?"
"Oh no no no, my journey is far and long. I'm merely here since I have heard telltale rumours of something of value hidden underneath this castle."
Percy looked skeptical. "How are you sure those rumours are true? Better yet, who told you these rumours? It better not be that self-proclaimed seer."
"Hahah, you see Percy I can tell whether rumours are true or not. It's a proud skill of mine!"
"If you say so." Percy shrugged.
"And I do! Now what about you? Last I heard you left the Roundtable three years ago to go out and explore. You know you're mother was mighty worried at times and it took Diallos and I to reassure your success… well more like Diallos, your mother seems to dislike me and ignored all my attempts to talk to her." Rogier frowned.
Percy gave Rogier a blank look. The reason why Percy's mother disliked the man was because, on his tenth birthday, he had tried to take him on one of his journeys. Now there were three things wrong with that. First off, he was only ten and didn't have any proper training. Second, Rogier didn't ask his mother for permission; and lastly… Rogier was just too immature to be trusted to take care of a kid.
"To answer your question, I'm here to defeat Godrick."
Silence settled between the two.
"D-D-Defeat... G-G-Godrick?" Rogier's face grew pale. "Whatever for?! Why would you want to go against the Grafted?! You know he sacrifices our kind for grafting!"
"Listen Rogier." Percy gestured for the man to sit back down. "This is what I have been training for, this is the first step in my journey to become the Elden Lord. I need to purge this castle from Godrick's influence and retake Stormveil."
"Purge!?"
Percy sighed. "Yes, purge. After I'm done Godrick will be reborn no more. He will be gone, his soul severed, his body destroyed. He will cease to exist once I am done with him."
Rogier didn't say anything, only looking at the alter intently with worry in his face. Finally, after some time he returned his gaze. "There is nothing I can do to stop you yes? You've already gotten permission from your mother, and I assume Ofnir as well. Hence how you are here to purge Godrick and not merely defeat him."
"Correct."
"All I can do is pray for your success and await your return at the Roundtable."
"Thanks, Rogier." Percy smiled. "Well, then I'm off. I'll return once I've dealt with the two out there."
"Yes, yes… until we meet again Percy." Rogier bowed.
Elden Ring
"Brother? What are you doing here?"
"Nepheli?" Percy turned and found a young female warrior who was roughly the same age as him standing inside a cell. "Why are you in a cell?"
"I asked first, Brother." Nepheli put her free hand on her hip whilst staring at him expectantly.
Percy smiled under his helm. "I'm the oldest so you go first."
"Ugh! When will you ever stop it with that 'I'm older' excuse?"
Percy laughed. "Never, dear sister."
Nepheli Loux was Percy's little sister - even though they were roughly a year apart - in all but blood. Whereas Percy was found by his mother's friend and taken to the Roundtable; Nepheli had been found by Gideon Ofnir roaming around Limgrave. She had been ten when she was found and funnily enough she was brought to the Roundtable during Percy's eleventh birthday. Ever since then people, especially Diallos, joked that Sir Ofnir won the best present award.
"You gave him a sister for crying out loud!" Diallos had laughed.
"How do you know he'll consider her as a sister?" Achilles would ask.
"Simple, just turn your head," D would answer.
The trio would then catch Percy, the birthday boy, already pulling Nepheli around the upper floor of the Hold with a wide smile and happy chatter. They had played together all afternoon during which Percy helped the girl associate with the rest of the residents of the Roundtable - easing her out of her shyness.
"Fine big brother," Nepheli rolled her eyes. "I'm here by my father's decree. This 'grafting' of Godrick's ill befits a Lord. He's tainted the very winds and corrupted this castle."
"Gideon did? But why wouldn't he mention it…" Percy frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The reason I'm here, Nepheli, is to purge Godrick. I told your father about this a day ago and you know he never forgets anything."
Nepheli nodded in understanding. "That is very weird of him. Maybe he really did forget?"
Percy wanted to disagree but he didn't have any other answer. "I guess so."
"Hey, think on the bright side. This means I get to fight alongside you!"
Percy winced. "It's not that simple, Sister."
Nepheli frowned. "What do you mean? We're both here to kill Godrick so let's find him and kill him together!"
"Nepheli I'm not here to kill Godrick. I'm here to purge him."
Nepheli looked confused but soon that confusion turned into fear. "You can't do that! Purging him means… it means that-"
"Once I die I won't return."
A solemn silence drowned the side of the crackling torches and the faint marching of the soldiers from outside. "I don't want that to happen, Percy. Please don't do it." Nepheli grabbed Percy by the shoulder.
"I'm sorry sister but this is why I'm here. To get rid of Godrick and his influence from this land forever. No more will his presence corrupt the lands of Limgrave."
"I can't do anything to stop you, can I?" Nepheli frowned.
Percy didn't respond and only shook his head sadly while patting her head much to her annoyance.
"Do you promise to come back then? That's all I ask-"
"No, I won't promise anything."
A look of grief and fear painted Nepheli's face far different from her stoic and serious appearance. Nepheli was a proud warrior, she was loyal to the Roundtable and her loved ones. To others, she was only seen as a stoic individual with no other hint of emotion. But to Percy and the rest of the upper Roundtable, Nepheli could show compassion and she did.
"I can't promise anything because I will come back. There's no other option for me except victory. After all, defeat is not in my vocabulary," Percy laughed and patted her head.
"You are such an idiot," Nepheli grunted and punched him in the stomach. Percy lurched over and coughed.
"Now there's my little sister! Feisty, short-tempered, and straightforward." Percy laughed while he evaded a string of punches that came his way.
"You better shut it before I use my axe!" she threatened.
"Ok ok! Peace sister," Percy surrendered.
Nepheli sighed and threw her hands around him. "Be back soon ok?"
Percy's arms snaked around her and deepened the hug. "You got it."
"Caw caw!"
Percy and Nepheli turned simultaneously towards the sound. Their stance shifted into a defensive one as their eyes scanned the area. There wasn't anyone there nor did it look like the soldiers had caught on to the deaths of their comrades.
"False alarm?" Nepheli asked.
Percy shrugged. "I guess so but that sounded oddly like a bird."
"A bird in here? Pshh yeah right, Brother."
Nepheli was soon proven wrong when a majestic bald-headed eagle with a red cross on its head landed in front of them. It looked at them curiously with its avian eyes as if it were studying them. Nepheli broke the stare-off by raising her hand and whistling at the bird. It flapped its wings once and latched onto Nepheli's arm, its sharp talons sinking into her flesh. Much to Nepheli's credit she did not utter a single word nor react with a hint of discomfort.
"Hey look at this, it has a scroll." Nepheli untied the piece of paper stuck to its left leg. "I wonder who this is from?" she hummed as she unscrolled the letter.
"Hold on, Neph. This bird where have I seen you before?.." A look of recognition flashed on Percy's face. "Oh! You're Ealswitha, Alfred's eagle companion." True to his words, the eagle cawed in agreement while proudly showing off its wings and puffing its red-feathered chest.
Percy laughed and caressed the bird. "You're a brave bird for flying here, Ealswitha. You could've been shot down or hunted by one of those damn hawks with talons."
"Hey, Percy, read this." Nepheli passed the letter to him.
To Perseus, son of Lady Fia
I would have preferred for the contents of this letter to be one of goodwill. Alas, this is not the case. I heard from one of my associates who had been resting at the Roundtable that you have ventured to Stormveil. I only hope that you have not reached it yet for I am in dire need of your assistance. Castle Morne ruled by Lord Edgar of South Limgrave has been overruned by its servants. The Tarnished who were posted in that area have all perished except for one. Perseus, if you get this letter and are available; I urge you to meet us at the Bridge of Sacrifice and help my men and I retake the castle and save Lord Edgar and his family along with his remaining soldiers.
Sincerely, Alfred the Just.
"What are we to do, Brother?" Nepheli asked upon seeing Percy put away the letter in his pouch.
"I am going to meet up with Alfred and his band. I owe Lord Edgar a lot, he granted me shelter in his castle on the sixth month of my journey. Ever since then, he's welcomed me into his halls whenever I needed a place to rest. Not to mention one of the very rare times I could sleep on a bed."
"He sounds like a good man," Nepheli smiled, but her smile soon disappeared and turned into a hard glare. "And what do you mean by only 'I'? Surely you don't expect me to let you go by yourself?"
"Uh… Alfred only mentioned me, plus, Alfred and his comrades will be coming along. That's enough manpower right there to quell a rebellion."
"So you expect me to go back to the Roundtable?"
Percy shrugged. "What were you planning to do when I went to face Godrick? Speaking of Godrick, he'll have to wait for now. But regardless, in the end, he will be purged. I'll see you later, Sister."
With a simple nod, Percy closed his eyes and pictured the site of grace by the Bridge of Sacrifice. This was one of the main ways to travel when going long distances. You close your eyes and think of the place you'll go. No matter what you'll always remember the place. It's like a memory that will never be forgotten.
"Wait-"
Elden Ring
Bridge of Sacrifice
Percy manifested by the site of grace just a few ways away from the Bridge of Sacrifice. His body still glowed briefly as a shower of golden particles slowly gathered together to form his body. It is a euphoric feeling once your body fully forms and a wave of cold soothing air fills your body. All the aches you felt, every single injury you had, and any ailments that you were suffering from - blood loss, poison, rot, etc - gone upon interacting with the grace.
'Alfred said to meet at the Bridge, but where the hell are they?' Percy frowned upon seeing the Bridge of Sacrifice still being manned by soldiers of Godrick. 'Are they on the other side? But they should have recaptured this place already…"
The word recaptured brought out a groan of annoyance from Percy. Just like the ruins outside Gatefront, the soldiers of Godrick didn't seem to learn their lesson as they kept sending soldiers to this location.
Now, Percy's worries were valid as Alfred had enough men to retake the Bridge. After all, it was Alfred and his men who patrolled the lands of Limgrave; going on their way to dispose of any threats such as patrolling Godrick soldiers, undeads that loiter around the path, and even the occasional mercenaries that would appear. However, the latter were often avoided due to their strength and how they were usually roaming with a large group of enemies.
The Saxons they were called. Alfred or Alfred the Just as the other Tarnished referred to him. Led this group of able-bodied men and women to bring peace to Limgrave. Their goal was to help Tarnished both new and old, safely traverse throughout Limgrave; as it was the most common area for a Tarnished to awaken in; not to mention one the most forgiving lands in the Lands Between. But regardless the Saxons couldn't be everywhere at the same time so it was still advised that the Tarnished are to be careful.
Back then Percy had briefly joined their group where he was taught by Alfred and his officers. They were also the only ones who had permission to bring him outside of the Roundtable when he was still a kid. Percy enjoyed his time with the group and thought of them as another family, one that had their own unique quirks. But, one has to remember that the Lands Between was a dangerous place to be in as such no one was ever immune to death - death did not discriminate.
Six deaths and all six of those Tarnished Percy knew personally. Brothers Aella, Aelfric, Bada, and Cenric; and sisters Hilda and Wynnfled. Bada, Aelfric, and Hilda were veterans of the Saxons; while Wynnfled, Aella, and Cenric were Tarnished who had just joined. A cloud of sadness covered the group when those six died and a relatively long hiatus from the group's goal.
It was because of this that Percy began to get worried. He didn't want there to be another accident and yet there was nothing he could do. The letter emphasized the importance of aiding Lord Edgar with his rebellion. So with a heavy heart, Percy summoned Torrent and headed towards the opposite direction, South, to Castle Morne.
However, unbeknownst to Percy, he wasn't the only one who had arrived at the grace site…
Elden Ring
"Sir… this… am I seeing this right?"
"No this can't be real. Why the hell is it here?!
"What do we do? Castle Morne needs our help but… this thing, how is it here?!"
"There's no choice we have to kill it."
"Fool don't you remember what happened last time?"
"That was different!"
Located a few ways away from the Bridge of Sacrifice, atop a small cliff overlooking the Godrick manned structure. Was a group of ragtag individuals baring swords and shields. They were all dressed differently with some wearing leather armour and others dressed in full-plated gear. Yet they all had something in common, the sigil of a golden cross on a light blue background was found somewhere on their person - with a majority of them with shields bearing the mark.
"Alfred, what do you want to do?"
A man of relatively high stature sat upon a spectral steed. His short straight brown hair was combed to the side and a gold headband sat securely on his head. He wore lightly plated armour with a simple longsword strapped by his waist. When one glanced at his hand they would see how it clutched onto the reins tightly and if you were to look up you would see how their brown eyes studied the ominous sight before him.
"What is there to do but push forward, Odda?"
The old man known as Odda sighed deeply. A chuckle escaped him as he laughingly patted Alfred's shoulder. "After all these years I still wonder why I have to ask. I'll ready the men and we'll wait for your signal."
Alfred nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. "We will be successful, Odda."
The Saxons waited for the signal of their leader. Although many of them were scared and worried they still had their utmost fate in him. Many had fought with Alfred for years and they knew that no matter what Alfred would always be there to lead them into victory.
A few minutes go by with Alfred still observing their foe. His mind was thinking of all the different ways they could follow to achieve victory. Yet although he had found a few they would always end with casualties. But there was nothing Alfred could do. That was until a loud ruckus was heard from the bridge.
It was distant and very faint. But with Alfred's superior hearing, he could make out the angry yelling of a young woman spurring a variety of curse words.
"Die scum! Get the fuck out of my damn way! Argh! Percy, you will pay for leaving me behind!"
Alfred chuckled and shook his head in disbelief. "Maybe there'll be no deaths today."
Elden Ring
With that group of Tarnished facing a foe mighty enough to make them hesitate. Percy on the other hand had stopped shortly after he had just ridden away from the site. It wasn't because of no enemy, however, nor was it due to an item.
"Irina?"
A young woman with a cloth tied around her head looked towards the voice. "Percy?"
"Irina!" Percy jumped off Torrent and rushed to the young woman sitting on a rock. Her blonde hair was dirty and her clothes were filled with grime and blood. "What the hell happened to you? Why is there blood on you?! Are you hurt?!"
Percy gently but hurriedly looked over the blonde with a worried look. He had stashed his helmet away in his limitless storage space provided by the grace; making it disappear altogether so that he could check over Irina much better. Finally, after making extra sure she was alright Percy took a knee. He grabbed her hands and felt how cold she was.
"What are you doing out here, Irina?" Percy asked in a worried tone. "It's dangerous here and you're freezing!"
Irina smiled and withdrew her hands away from Percy making him look at her curiously. But that curiosity turned into a smile when she hugged him. They stayed like that for a bit neither one minding at all.
"Will you answer my questions now?"
Irina's calm facadé died down. "The servants have rebelled. It was so sudden, Percy. I was so scared," Irina said in a shaky voice. "They just started killing everyone left and right. Everyone was caught off guard, no one was ready. Fortunately, Father secreted me out of the castle…"
Percy frowned at the silence and the slight frown that marred Irina's face. "What's wrong? Has something happened to Lord Edgar?"
"No… I-I don't know. He decided to stay."
"It's Lord Edgar, I'm sure he is fine. However, has he not sent an escort with you?" Percy frowned, a hint of anger in his voice.
Irina shook her head. "No, I had an escort but… but they- we were ambushed along the way. I'm the only one left and it was only because of their sacrifice I was able to get this far."
"Percy please save my father. I… I fear for his life. My companions were not spared and we were far from the castle. They hunted us down but unlike us, my father stayed where all the fighting had started. He's in the thick of it all and I have no clue if he is safe."
"You don't have to worry no longer, Irina. I was just on my way there. I'll find your father and get him and his remaining men out of that castle."
"Oh thank you, Percy! Thank you so much," Irina cried as she threw herself at him.
Percy rubbed the young woman's back and whispered soothing words. "But first you mustn't stay here, Irina. It's not safe at all. Here, take this and say the words 'Roundtable Hold', and you'll be sent to my home. Ask for my mother, she'll take care of you."
Irina grabbed the tiny little bell. Her fingers traced the smooth metallic surface as her eyesight was far too weak. "Roundtable Hold," she repeated Percy's words. True to his words the young woman began to slowly disappear.
"Stay safe, Percy! Please come back, you and my father," Irina said one last time before her body disappeared in a shower of light.
| Notes |
Alfred, the Great: Leads a group of Tarnished called the Saxons. Alfred is a good man, he is kind, loyal, compassionate, wise, and a good leader. More information will be given
Ealswitha: An eagle that Alfred had befriended during the first few months after he returned to the Land's Between. Now Ealswitha serves as Alfred's messenger and companion. Never call Ealswitha Alfred's pet.
The Saxons: Tarnished who have volunteered to help keep the lands of Limgrave safe, or as safe as it can be, for all Tarnished who wish to traverse the land.
Odda: One of Alfred's oldest friends and advisor. Odda woke up in the Lands Between just days after Alfred. Odda first meets Alfred in the Church of Elleh where the latter had been in a conversation with the merchant Kalé.
| End |
Updated: 6/30/2024