A/N: Foxfire needs more time. As do "Dread" and "Red Queen."
Advent is hard at work on those last tw of those, worry not. As for Foxfire, we're hitting a timeskip, hence the delay, also trying to get future chapters for that in order, which is taking longer than I'd like... Alas, I ran out of time for Long May he Reign today.
I'll update that one tomorrow, worry not.
Well, well, well! Seems I was right to cross the FromSoftware worlds after all, and I did it before NightReign~! That was a happy surprise. Dark helped immeasurably with this chapter. All that remains to be update is "Kindness of Gold" and everything will be current. Folks still want me to write a Naruto-as-Messmer story -to say nothing of the eventual Night Lord- and I'm struggling with that. Is that truly something folks would like to see?
Do let me know in the reviews below!
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!
"And so our tournament draws near to its end.
I hope you enjoyed the festivities.
Because now cometh the...
...consequences.
~?
Have Your Fight
Godwyn the Golden returned to the arena stands with his latest prize in tow, striding through the narrow stone corridors of the coliseum with a presence that parted all who stood before him. The golden flames that had crowned him in battle had long since dimmed, but the heat remained, radiating from him in an aura that was not quite divine, nor entirely mortal.
Maria stumbled after him, her bloodied attire in tatters, hair matted against her forehead, lips swollen from the bruising force of their battle. She was light in his grasp, almost weightless, but she followed like a shadow, unwilling to be cast aside. He had won, and she knew it. That knowledge sat heavy in her, but heavier still was something else—the knowledge that she had been bested, wholly and utterly, in mind, body, and perhaps something deeper still.
The stands came into view, a balcony overlooking the sea of onlookers who still bayed for blood below. The final rounds approached.
Fia saw them first and was thus the first to rise from her seat, the ghost of a smirk playing on her lips. Tiche, seated beside her, looked markedly less amused, scowling as though she had swallowed something bitter. Lansseax, however, was another matter entirely. She leaned forward, golden eyes glinting with something between curiosity and knowing mischief.
"Oh, my," Lansseax murmured, one hand cradling her stomach as if soothing the child growing within. "And what is this you've brought me, dear mate? A new sister-wife? You do spoil me so."
Maria turned red enough to match the blood crusted along her throat. "I—"
"Spare me your protests," Lansseax cut in smoothly. "I've seen that look before." Her golden fingers drummed against the stone seat. "I assume this one lost?"
Godwyn gave a noncommittal grunt and dropped into his chair, stretching long limbs with a sigh. "She put up a fight."
Tiche scoffed, arms folded tight across her chest. "Did she?"
Fia, ever the peacemaker, offered a knowing glance at Maria. "You must forgive them. They get terribly competitive over who gets to sit closest to our dear Godwyn."
Maria was spared the need to respond by the thunderous roar of the crowd below.
A new match had been announced, and much to her relief, it was Godwyn's penultimate bout.
Although as as he departed, she realized something.
She'd been left alone with the three of them.
They were, all of them, staring at her.
.
..
...this was going to be a long day, wasn't it?
(.0.0.0.)
The crowd wanted blood today.
Naruto could feel it in the air, hear it in the constant stamp-stamp-stamp of their feet, taste the tension.
His
Laxasia the Complete -or so the announcer called her- stood in the arena, clad head to toe in that ridiculous shell of iron she called armor, a hammer crackling with lightning held in both hands. A legend in her own right, but still bound by iron and steel, by the weight of her own rigid discipline.
Doubtless she had her own reasons for being here, drawn across the fabric between worlds for her own earnest wish.
.
...
...maybe he could have a little fun with this one.
After all, once she was finished, only the final match remained...
Conjuring a throne from the dirt he sat in it with a smirked, resting his chin against his knuckles as he peered down at her.
"Take that armor off," he called lazily, stifling a yawn behind one hand. "You look ridiculous."
The response came in the form of a searing bolt of lightning.
He did not move. The strike lanced across his bare chest and dissipated against his golden skin, crackling in defiance before fading into nothing.
Naruto hummed and rose from his throne with a grin. "Heh. It tickles."
Laxasia snarled and charged, boots pounding against the sand. The crowd roared as metal met flesh, as another bout of madness unfolded beneath the golden glow of the Erdtree.
Their weapons clashed with ear-splitting fury, bolts of lightning flashing as Laxasia's hammer sought his skull. He caught her next strike with his bare hand, his fingers tightening around the handle of the hammer. A sharp twist sent her stumbling forward, and before she could recover, his knee slammed into her gut.
Laxasia coughed out a breath, swinging wildly, but he was already behind her, a powerful elbow striking the back of her helmet with enough force to dent the metal. She staggered, the weight of her armor slowing her, and he seized the opening. A golden arc of raw energy surged from his palm, sending her sprawling across the arena sand.
She rose again, sparks flying from her armor, fury crackling in her eyes. "I will not be humiliated! I must win! For my master!"
He shrugged, rolling his shoulders. "Then try harder."
Poor choice of words, in hindsight.
With a feral roar, she lunged once more, but this time, he met her in kind. A golden fist crashed into her chestplate, cracking the metal. Her eyes bulged and she tried to retreat, but he didn't give her the chance. Whether she had a second phase or not, he wasn't about to let her surprise him. Instead he remained relentless, delivering a devastating combination of strikes, ending with an uppercut that sent her rocketing into the air.
When she landed, he knew the fight was over; if only because she didn't rise again.
He strode over to her and nudged her with a foot. "Are you quite done?"
A groan was his reward. She glared hatefully at him.
"Nothing to say?"
Her glare continued, unabated.
"Don't suppose you have a wish that needs granting?"
She clenched her jaw and spat at him, unable to do anything more. "Damn you...!
Not a good wish, then.
He stomped down, silencing her.
"Don't have to tell me that. I already am."
The crowd roared its approval, but Naruto barely acknowledged it.
The guards would throw her in the dungeons, where he could interrogate her later.
For now, his mind was already racing ahead, thinking of the only opponent who truly mattered...
(.0.0.0.)
Marika rose from her throne, curious to observe her son's triumph, if victory would indeed be had today.
All his hopes and dreams had come to this final, pivotal moment.
She doubted this bout would be easier than the last.
What fun, what fun it promised to be!
She raised her arm high.
And just like that...
It began.
(.0.0.0.)
Finally.
It was her turn.
She had been waiting for this.
Ohhh by the skies and stars, how she had been waiting.
Flora clutched her shoulders, stifling a shiver and the silent sigh that followed.
Patience was a virtue, or so she had once been told. She had never much cared for virtues, or for those who wielded them as weapons, but she had abided by it. She had waited in the shadows, she had watched, she had entertained herself with lesser amusements. She had torn hearts from chests, tasted the blood of those who thought themselves worthy, and yet none of it had been him.
Godwyn. The golden beast. The one who stood above all others, burning like the sun, impossible to look away from. She had felt his power even from a distance, had tasted it in the air, thick and intoxicating. He had been bound by mortal limitations for so long, shackled by chains he had long since outgrown. And yet here he was, still playing their games, still holding back. Still teasing.
It drove her mad.
She had fought creatures beyond comprehension, had shattered men with a mere whisper, had been worshipped. But none of it had mattered, none of it had felt like this. Like the thrill singing in her veins, like the anticipation curling in her gut, like the feverish hunger clawing at her insides.
This fight—this moment—was what she had been waiting for.
She descended into the arena with slow, deliberate steps, feeling the weight of the world settle around her shoulders. The stars whispered above, singing her name, urging her forward. She had danced on the edge of oblivion before, but this…this was something else entirely.
Godwyn stood across from her, golden and grinning, a beast unchained, a god among gods.
She saw the hunger in him. The anticipation.
Good.
"Are you ready?" she asked, voice light as silk.
Godwyn rolled his shoulders. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
Flora smiled, baring her teeth. "I have been waiting for this longer than you can imagine."
She stepped forward, the arena lights bathing her in silvered glow, her voice a whisper full of promise, of hunger, of madness.
"Finally."
A/N: Here we go...
Tournament arc is nearly over, now. Its been a blast!
So, what say you? Should this continue? Would you like weekly updates?
Feedback is imperative and essential to all things, especially the Elden Ring stories.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. Meaning folks don't like this, it won't be continued. If the story itself ain't popular/well-received...well, I won't be able to continue it. I'm working two jobs, holidays are here too, meaning 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 the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly? And here, have some previews I've been pecking away at.
As ever, a warning to one and all. Spoilers, spoilers, and SPOILERS~!
Previews are mostly the same, don't want to spoil things.
And yes, I'm quite aware of Lies of P.
So many good Soulslike games
(Previews)
Laxasia the complete, eh? Take that armor off. You look ridiculous.
A bolt of of electricity ht him. He grinned.
Heh. It tickles."
The ringleader laughed. "...did you really think I would be foolish enough to face you alone, Godwyn? I already told you. I brought friends. And you...you've made enemies."
Naruto exhaled slowly. Shrugged off his cloak. The navy garment fell to the ground, exposing his bare chest.
The Bolt of Granssax spat scarlet sparks in his grasp, eager for action.
Azure eyes shimmered into cold crimson.
"You should have brought more."
Clap.
They froze.
Clap. Claaap.
"No. How...?!"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
He stepped out of the shadows, still smiling, still clapping.
"You know what they say; what's dead may never die. Unfortunately for you, I've died before...
He should be dead.
Why?! Why wasn't he dead?!
...I know your kind. You never learn...unless you're made to learn."
As they looked on aghast, Godwyn dragged himself up onto one knee. A hand rose. Tore his bloody robe away.
"Very well." he exhaled slowly, a low burst of steam leaving his lips. They couldn't see his eyes, not with him hanging his head like that. "I've given thee courtesy enough...
His back glowed gold. Then a monster burst forth.
"Its over...What should I do now...they'll follow me...
Footsteps echoed, deep in the dark. "You'd be right about that."
They rounded with a yelp. Paused. Laughed now, when the saw the state of him.
"Look at you! Godwyn the golden! Wounded and bloody! What can you possibly do in that state?!" More laughter. "Ha! That's what you get for protecting others! Weakling!"
Low laughter filled the sewers. "If you actually believe those words, you're pitiful. Honestly, you deserve a hug. If my last life, I woulda given you one...
Their smile died an ugly death. "...what?"
"Its true I'm not in the best shape at the moment." The first of the demigods pushed himself upright, uncaring of his mangled arm. "I can't even feel my right side anymore. "However." He lifted his head and ran a bloody hand through his long hair. "Just because I'm a little weaker, doesn't make you stronger now, does it?"
He stepped forward. They flinched. He saw it. Grinned.
"Sorry. There's only one ways to proceed from here onwards." two steps now. "Cuddle up, tremble in fear...AND RUN."
"R-Run?"
"That's right. Run away. And never return." he paused. Considering. "Or you could try and kill me now. Who knows. You might even succeed...
Such a ritual would undoubtedly grand her the freedom she so sought...but it meant he would die.
Ranni shook her head furiously, red hair swaying side to side. "No, no, no! I can't...!"
Do you hate them?
How could he hate the twins? Miquella and Malenia were his half-siblings and still much too young to know their true loyalties. Not even three years old and the poor tykes had their own illnesses to grapple with...no, the answer was obvious.
"I don't hate anyone. I pity those weaker than me."
EDIT: Hey, you made it! Thanks for reading!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. Meaning, if folks don't like this, it WILL remain onsite-but it won't be continued. I'm working two jobs with no end in sight and 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 the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Looking forward to chatting with you all when I get back from work~!
R ~!