A/N: hardly any reviews... perhaps this shouldn't be updated as often anymore, people really don't seem to enjoy it anymore...T_T
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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.
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SPOILERS FOR SHADOWS OF THE ERDTREE AHEAD!
"Even a Goddess can be broken...
~?
Of Childhood Past
Marika had always seemed untouchable.
Immutable and immovable, an unyielding pillar of gold and grace. To see her reduced to this—a small, clingy child with teary eyes and no recollection of her own name—was a bitter irony no one in the group knew how to handle. She clung to Naruto's leg with surprising strength for someone so small, her tiny hands latched on like ivy to a tree trunk.
"Don't leave me," she whispered for the fifth time that morning, looking up at him with wide, shimmering golden eyes.
Naruto sighed, patting her head. "I'm not leaving. Just… let go for a second, will you?"
"No." Her voice was petulant, her lip trembling.
So troublesome...
Melina, Reyna, and Ragnar exchanged glances from their spot on the edge of the field, where they'd taken to playing under the watchful eyes of the adults. Melina, ever the older sister, took it upon herself to solve the problem as only she knew how.
"Come play with us," she said, holding out a hand to the shrunken Marika. "We'll have fun."
Little Marika hesitated for a moment but eventually released Naruto's leg, toddling after Melina. Reyna giggled and grabbed her other hand, leading her toward the flowers. Ragnar followed, clearly unsure how to treat the woman-turned-child who was technically his grandmother. He opted for silence, keeping close but letting the girls handle things.
Truth be told, their absence was a small mercy in and of itself.
Naruto exhaled in relief and turned back to the adults. Messmer and Rellana stood nearby, both looking worse for wear. The former held his head high, but the way his shoulders sagged betrayed his guilt. Rellana's expression was harder to read, but her eyes darted toward Marika every so often, a flicker of regret visible in her gaze.
"So," Naruto said, crossing his arms. "Let's hear it. How do we fix this?"
Messmer's lips twitched. "Fix? That's a strange word for it."
"You broke her," he snapped back at him. "So you're going to help fix her. Start talking."
Messmer's eyes flicked toward Marika, who was even now weaving flower crowns with the children. The sight softened his stern expression, if only slightly. He sighed and sat on a nearby rock.
"There is a way," he admitted, rubbing his temples. "But you won't like it."
Rellana's head jerked toward him. "Messmer…"
"Don't." He silenced her with a raised hand. "He deserves to know."
Naruto clenched his jaw but waited. Messmer leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"The Shadow Realm is not kind to gods," the oldest of the demigods began. "It warps intent, reflects inner truths. Marika was already fragile. Coming here shattered her." He gestured toward the child playing in the field. "What you see now is… what remains. A pure, unguarded version of herself, stripped of power and pretense."
Pretty words, but they didn't help him. "You're stalling," he said. "Get to the point."
Messmer's lips pressed into a thin line. "To restore her, we need a fragment of what she lost. A piece of her soul, untainted by the Shadow Realm."
"And where do we find that?"
"We don't," Rellana cut in, her voice tight. "You do."
Naruto recoiled with a frown, stung by the insinuation. "What does that mean?"
"The Lands Between still hold echoes of what she once was," Messmer explained, indicating their surrounds with a wave of the arm. "Fragments tied to her greatest triumphs and failures. The Erdtree… the place where she shattered the Elden Ring… they may hold what we need. But finding them will not be easy. And taking them will… cost you."
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "How much?"
Messmer hesitated, but before he could answer, Reyna's voice rang out.
"Papa! Look!"
Naruto turned to see Marika wearing a lopsided flower crown, beaming as Melina and Reyna twirled her around. Ragnar stood nearby, holding another crown in his hands, looking as though he wasn't sure whether to join in or retreat.
Despite himself, Naruto smiled. Then he sighed and turned back to Messmer. "We'll figure it out. We always do."
Messmer's gaze lingered on the children. His expression softened, but only briefly.
"You may wish you hadn't," he said quietly.
(.0.0.0.)
Elsewhere in the Lands Between, grief hung heavy over Castle Redmane.
Ranni stood at the edge of the courtyard, her gaze fixed on the pyre where Rykard's body lay. Radahn stood beside her, his massive frame stiff with barely restrained anger. Malenia and Miquella knelt before the pyre, their heads bowed in silent mourning.
"We should have been here," Radahn growled, his voice low and rough. "We could have stopped this."
"Do not blame yourself, brother," Ranni said, her voice soft but steady. "The Black Knives were cunning. They caught us unawares."
Radahn clenched his fists, his massive hands trembling. "And now Rykard is dead. Godwyn's actions… they cannot go unanswered."
Miquella raised his head, his golden hair catching the firelight. "They will not," he said firmly. "Godwyn may be undead, but he will answer for this."
Malenia lifted her gaze, her unflinching determination mirrored in her brother's eyes. "We will avenge him."
Ranni's hand tightened around her staff. "Then we must act swiftly. The longer we wait, the stronger his forces grow."
Radahn nodded. "Agreed. We strike before he can consolidate his power."
As the flames consumed Rykard's body, the siblings stood together, united in their grief and resolve. Their mourning would not last long.
Vengeance waited, and they would not be found wanting.
(.0.0.0.)
Back in the Shadow Realm, Naruto found Marika napping under the shade of a tree, her flower crown slightly askew.
Melina and Reyna were curled up beside her, while Ragnar sat nearby, keeping a quiet watch.
The boy glanced his way, concerned at his approach, quietly despairing.
Fix this, his gaze seemed to say, Please.
Naruto approached and knelt beside his daughters, brushing a strand of hair from Marika's face. She stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent before settling back into sleep.
"You're really not making this easy, are you?" he murmured.
Messmer's voice interrupted his thoughts. "You'll need to move quickly. The longer she remains like this, the harder it will be to restore her."
Naruto rose and turned to face him. "I know."
"Do you?" her son's tone was sharp. "This isn't just about finding her fragments. It's about earning them. They'll test you. Push you to your limits. Are you ready for that?"
Naruto didn't hesitate. Why should he? "Yes."
Messmer studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Then you should begin forthwith."
Crouching low, he swept the slumbering girl into his arms. "If you even think about harming my kids while I'm away...
"Perish the thought." Messmer replied. "I'm not so foolish as to incur your wrath a second time. I shall be accompanying you in any case."
That...alleviated some of his concerns, oddly enough.
He was being sincere; he could sense that much. Whatever anger the Demigod held toward Marika was still there, but it was muted, faded, burnt out, for lack of a better word.
Maybe he'd learned his lesson after all...
(.0.0.0.)
The journey to find Marika's fragments was anything but straightforward. As Messmer had warned, each location tied to Marika's greatest victories and defeats was a challenge in itself, layered with trials that tested not just Naruto's strength but his resolve.
Their first stop was the ruined battlefield of the Fire Giants, the ashes of their once-mighty civilization still smoldering beneath the snow. Naruto carried Marika on his back as they climbed the icy slopes, her small arms wrapped around his neck. She hummed softly, oblivious to the heavy air of the place.
"Papa, it's cold," she murmured, snuggling closer.
Urk.
It felt wrong being called that, but he bulled on ahead, adjusting his cloak to shield her from the biting wind. "I know, kiddo. We'll be quick."
The fragment they sought lay buried within the ruins of the Fire Giants' temple, guarded by restless spirits. Each one rose to confront Naruto, their spectral weapons clashing against his golden light. Though the battle was fierce, it was Marika's soft voice that ultimately stilled them.
"You don't have to fight," she said, her golden eyes glimmering with innocence. "Please rest."
One by one, the spirits laid down their arms, their anger fading as they dissolved into the air. At the heart of the temple, they found the fragment—a golden shard pulsing with faint warmth.
As Naruto reached for it, the ground beneath him trembled.
Onto the next.
(.0.0.0.)
Every fragment brought its own revelations, each one a glimpse into Marika's soul. By the time they reached the Erdtree, Naruto felt the weight of her past bearing down on him. The tree's roots were thick with memories, and touching the final fragment brought a flood of images—Marika's triumphs, her sorrows, and the choices that had shaped her.
Naruto knelt beneath the tree, the fragment glowing in his hands. Marika, still childlike, stood beside him, her expression unreadable.
"Is this mine?" she asked softly.
Naruto nodded. "It is. Are you ready to be whole again?"
She hesitated, looking down at her small hands. "Will I remember everything?"
"Yes."
Marika closed her eyes, her small frame trembling. Then she reached out, her hand resting on the fragment. The light enveloped her, and when it faded, she was no longer a child. She stood tall and radiant, her golden hair flowing behind her. Her eyes met Naruto's, filled with gratitude and sorrow.
"Thank you," she said, her voice steady once more. "For everything."
Messmer stepped forward, his expression conflicted. "Mother..."
Marika turned to him, her gaze soft but firm. "We have much to discuss."
Naruto exhaled, a weary smile crossing his face. "Glad to have you back."
(.0.0.0.)
The aftermath of Marika's restoration left the group in contemplative silence. The children were asleep, exhaustion claiming them after the emotional rollercoaster of the day. Ragnar curled up between Reyna and Melina, a bond forming between them that Naruto hoped would last.
Marika sat beside Naruto near the campfire, her gaze fixed on the stars above. Though she was whole again, there was a quiet melancholy about her. The events in the Shadow Realm had left scars that even restoration couldn't entirely erase.
"Will he forgive me?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Naruto glanced at her. "Messmer? I think it'll take time. But if he doesn't, that's on him. You're trying."
A faint smile touched her lips. "You always know what to say."
He leaned into her. "I try."
They lapsed into silence, the crackling fire their only companion. The future remained uncertain, but for now, they had hope.
And in the Lands Between, hope was a precious thing indeed.
(.0.0.0.)
He sensed it.
A sudden shift in the wind.
The faintest stirring of the breeze.
Even here in the Badlands, he was well aware of it; though he dearly wished he wasn't. Much time had passed since that fateful day so long ago. Since the accord had been made. The promise struck, the agreement done between the two of them. But still, he had hoped, had held to the promise made, in the hopes of the vow being honored. All this time. All these years.
Only to be forsaken.
He had sensed the moment of Godwyn's passing, as his flesh was slain.
His son was dead.
His wife had forsaken him.
His remaining sons had likewise betrayed him, thrown their lot in with her.
Marika had been shattered only to be restored, greater than ever before. And with her restoration, he felt the last tenuous thread between them finally...snap.
With it came understanding, bitter as the cold dawn.
She'd fully thrown her lot in with the Usurper.
So it was treason, then. Betrayal...
.
..
...unacceptable.
He would not allow it.
By the strength of his arms, he would not let this treachery pass.
Godfrey, the first Elden Lord, opened his eyes, rose from his throne of bones, and hefted his ax. Serosh sensed his anger, stirring sullenly atop his shoulders with a gravelly growl. He ignored the beast regent, for its time was not nigh. His hunger for battle may be suppressed, but his anger was not so easily doused. It burned in like embers of old, sparks waiting to be kindled into flame.
So be it. Now was the hour of the Ax, of Blood and Bone, of Strength and Defiance.
Rising ponderously on weary legs, he faced the army of Tarnished before him.
His warriors stirred, sensing his anger, longing for action.
He would gladly give it unto them.
"My sons, 'tis time to Return...
A/N: HERE HE COMES.
Messmer did warn Naruto, after all...
Well? Should this remain a story? Yay or nay? Do let me know!
As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot muster the strength to 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?
No previews this time~!
...alright, alright, don't give me that sad look. Just three!
(Preview!)
"A warrior knows when to dodge. A wise warrior knows when not to dodge."
"So when Mama tackled you like that...
"Like I said, a wise warrior knows when not to dodge...
Malenia exhaled slowly. "You're right. My father is the the teacher... I am His instrument... and you, shall be the lesson. An example, so that none DARE strike at us again."
The Black Knife Assassin balked. "What manner of madness are you spouting-
The Waterfowl Dance knew no mercy.
R ~!