There is a discord for this fic. It has Live Updates about chapter progress and when they are completed, among other things. I'm also very active there and am likely to respond to any message sent there. Join at discord.gg/aWZ9qX9mAW
Glory to my Proofreader: Bakenekon. For he is the one who points out mistakes and acts as a good wall to bounce ideas off of.
Hmm.. took longer than expected to get this chapter out…
Then again, I had to write 3 other chapters in between and literally moved countries soo~
Mayhaps the consistent updating schedule is the friends we made along the way!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tarnished patted his clothes clean of dust, exhaling as the last remnants of the battle settled in the dimly lit chamber. A small, familiar notification blinked at the corner of his vision.
[Item Acquired: Assassin's Crimson Dagger]
His gaze flicked to the floating text before nodding to himself. A useful talisman. He could see himself using it if he ever needed an emergency burst of healing in a fight.
Rolling his shoulders, he let his eyes sweep over the eerie chamber, its walls gnarled with twisted roots that pulsed faintly with unnatural energy. Something was still wrong here, a presence lingering even after the assassin had been dealt with.
Then his eyes landed on it.
At the base of the room, nestled amongst the Erdtree's roots, was a bulbous, pulsing mass of decay, blackened tendrils digging into the golden bark like a parasite. A sickly mist seemed to waft off of it, the air around it almost thick with something vile.
Before he could comment, Marika materialized beside him, her expression immediately sharpening with recognition.
Her golden eyes narrowed as she tilted her head slightly. "Mine Champion… Get thee closer."
Tarnished blinked but obeyed, stepping forward cautiously. He wrinkled his nose as the stench of death and stagnation thickened, his instincts screaming that this thing did not belong here.
"…Why?" He asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
She exhaled slightly, arms crossed beneath her chest as she studied the rot-infested root. "Whilst I hold some autonomy, mine senses are… Tethered unto thine own. If I am to understand the nature of this corruption, I must perceive it as thou dost."
Tarnished hummed at that, kneeling beside the decayed root with curiosity. It was worse up close—it pulsed, like something alive, and he could see thin, hair-like tendrils burrowing into the surrounding roots, as if desperately trying to spread further.
A tumor growing within the Erdtree's body.
Marika's lips pressed into a thin line, her hands clenching slightly. "Foul…" she muttered, almost to herself. "This blight… 'tis not of mine Order."
"Yeah, no shit…" Tarnished muttered.
He unsheathed his Uchigatana, gripping the hilt with both hands before hacking into the Deathroot with a swift, clean stroke. The blade bit deep, but the root did not fall away so easily—it was tough, resistant, unnatural.
He clicked his tongue, adjusting his stance before bringing the katana down again. And again. And again.
It took a solid minute of slashing, cutting, and hacking before the bulbous mass finally tore free, a wet squelch echoing as he wrenched it from the base of the root. Dark ichor leaked from the severed section, thick and putrid, like something long dead and yet… still struggling to remain.
The moment he held the Deathroot in his hand, he felt an unnatural chill crawl up his spine. The air itself felt heavy, like an unseen force was pulling at the back of his mind.
Tarnished scowled and turned it over in his hand. The black, veined root pulsed ever so slightly, as if still alive. Marika's gaze darkened as she leaned forward, studying the mass with an unreadable expression.
"…This is no mere decay… Nay, 'tis something else entirely."
Her golden irises gleamed as she reached out, though her hand stopped just short of touching it. "…Put it away, mine Champion. 'Tis best kept safe, until I may discern its true nature."
Tarnished didn't argue. If she was worried, then it was better to not keep the thing exposed for long. He opened his inventory and tossed it inside, the cursed root vanishing in a small flicker of golden light.
With a small sigh, he wiped his blade clean against his pants before standing up properly. "Alright. That's done."
Turning on his heel, he accessed the system menu, selecting the fast travel option. A flash of golden light enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye—he was back at the Catacombs' Site of Grace.
The cool night air immediately washed over him, a stark contrast to the stale, death-ridden atmosphere he had just left behind.
He took a slow breath. The sky above was littered with stars, the pale silver light of the moon casting gentle shadows over the clearing. The wind stirred the leaves around him, rustling the distant trees with a whispering hum.
For the second time since landing in the Lands Between, Tarnished… paused.
He let himself take in the moment—the vast sky, the open fields, the sheer beauty of this world. He had always thought the game looked amazing, but living it? Breathing it?
It was something else entirely.
He exhaled. "…Huh. Didn't expect it to be night already."
Marika appeared beside him, her golden hair softly glowing beneath the moonlight. She studied him for a moment before speaking.
"So it seems. 'Tis strange… for time to pass so swiftly, yet thou hast been within this realm for but a single day."
Tarnished hummed, rolling his shoulders. "Guess I've been busy."
She folded her arms, tilting her head slightly. "Dost thou desire rest? If so, seek it soon. I have no desire to see mine Champion slain by exhaustion and negligence."
"Nah, I'm fine-" He opened his mouth to argue, but mid-sentence, a yawn tore its way out of him.
Marika raised a brow. "…Truly?"
Tarnished cleared his throat, refusing to acknowledge the betrayal of his own body. "I'm fine."
She stared at him, expression unreadable. Then she narrowed her eyes slightly, giving him an expectant look.
The kind of look that made it very clear she wasn't buying a single word of his bullshit.
Tarnished tried to hold her gaze, but… Well. She didn't blink, she didn't need to.
The staring contest lasted a grand three seconds before he sighed and groaned in defeat, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Fine…"
She nodded in satisfaction, turning on her heel as her golden hair shimmered under the moonlight. "Good. Then seek shelter, lest I must watch thee collapse like a fool."
Tarnished tapped his chin in thought. He needed somewhere safe to sleep, preferably indoors, but he hadn't reached the Roundtable Hold yet…
Then it clicked.
Snapping his fingers, he smirked. "I'll crash at the Church of Elleh."
Marika paused mid-step, glancing at him over her shoulder with a raised brow. "The merchant's den?"
Tarnished nodded. "Yeah. It's quiet, it's got a Grace, and Kale's chill."
She gave him an unimpressed look. "Thou dost truly trust that merchant with thine own life?"
He snorted, waving her off. "Of course! Kale's trustworthy!"
She deadpanned.
"…Thou hast met him but once. For two minutes."
Tarnished stared at her blankly for a moment, then without another word, he clicked the teleport button.
A flash of golden light engulfed him, and just like that, he was gone.
Marika stood in place, blinking at the empty space where he once was.
Then she sighed heavily, rubbing her temples.
"…Stubborn idiot."
…
Tarnished reappeared in the dimly lit Church of Elleh, golden light fading around him as his boots touched the cool stone. The old ruins were quiet, save for the soft crackling of the distant campfire where Merchant Kale rested.
The air was still, the night sky above stretching endlessly, stars glimmering faintly around the pale glow of the moon. Marika materialized beside him, her arms crossed as she tilted her head with an exasperated sigh. "I must insist, mine Champion, that this mayhaps be one of thy less intelligent-"
She abruptly stopped, her expression shifting instantly.
Her golden irises narrowed as her head subtly turned, as if tracking something unseen. A strange, familiar presence had settled upon the church—ancient, cold, and vast as the cosmos itself.
Tarnished felt it too.
A chill ran through his body, not of fear, but recognition. Something—no, someone—was here.
Then, a voice called out.
"This way, Tarnished. May I have a word?"
Tarnished turned, his eyes scanning the shadows of the ruined church.
And then he saw her, perched atop a pile of crumbling rubble, bathed in the eerie glow of her moon, was a pale, four-armed witch.
Her regal blue cloak billowed slightly in the night breeze, her silver hair cascading down her shoulder like strands of woven starlight. Misty fog curled at her feet, dancing lazily across the church floor as the temperature seemed to drop slightly.
Her gaze—a deep, otherworldly azure—met his own, unreadable as ever.
"Ranni…" Marika muttered when she laid eyes on her wayward daughter, her face darkened as her voice was filled with far too many emotions.
On the other hand, Tarnished's face lit up immediately. "Wife!"
Ranni froze.
Marika blinked. Then her expression darkened considerably.
"Wife?" She repeated, her voice slow, questioning—and carrying just the faintest hint of danger. "Mine rebellious, traitorous daughter?"
Ranni, for her part, was entirely caught off guard. Her normally composed expression faltered, her brows subtly knitting together as she stared at him.
"…W-Wife?" She echoed, clearly trying to process the absurdity of the claim.
Tarnished simply crossed his arms, nodding confidently. "Wife."
Marika visibly twitched, a slow, deep inhale filling her lungs as she tried—tried—to process the sheer audacity of her champion.
Ranni, meanwhile, let out a small, exasperated sigh, closing her eyes momentarily before responding. "I believe thou art mistaken, Tarnished. This is the first time we hath met."
Tarnished simply grinned, completely unbothered by the skepticism. "I don't let space and time limit me in my choices."
Ranni tilted her head slightly, her celestial features shifting in intrigue. "…Is that so?"
He nodded. "Besides, I've got a gut feeling that we were meant to be. Call it… Fate."
For the first time since appearing, Ranni's second astral face twitched slightly, her spectral eyes subtly widening in what could only be interpreted as flustered surprise. Her primary form remained still, composed—but he could tell.
A smirk crept across Tarnished's lips as he pointed at her face. "You're blushing."
"…Thou art mistaken." She replied, looking away slightly.
At this, Marika abruptly appeared right beside Ranni, arms crossed as she practically loomed over the smaller witch. Her golden gaze was sharp, her posture radiating a level of exasperation and disapproval so strong that it could likely shatter stone if she willed it.
Tarnished could practically feel the intensity of her stare boring into him.
Tarnished watched as Ranni cleared her throat, a delicate motion that betrayed just the slightest bit of fluster beneath her composed exterior. Then, with a graceful tilt of her head, she shifted her posture slightly before addressing him once more.
"Anyways…."
Her voice was smooth, lilting with its usual air of ethereal calm, though he could sense the subtle effort she put into recomposing herself. She folded her hands in her lap, her azure gaze settling back upon him as she introduced herself properly:
"I am the witch, Renna."
Tarnished quirked a brow slightly but said nothing. Marika, however, was not as silent.
She scoffed softly beside him, her arms still crossed, golden eyes sharpening slightly as she narrowed them at her daughter. "Why dost thou claim thy former teacher's name? Hast thou abandoned thine own?"
Tarnished briefly side-eyed Marika, but remained silent, letting Ranni continue as the witch turned her attention fully onto him, her lips curling into the barest ghost of an amused smirk.
"I'd heard tell of a half-naked Tarnished hurtling about atop a spectral steed, robbing and stealing anything that isn't nailed down within sight."
Tarnished grinned shamelessly, giving her a mock bow.
She tilted her head, eyeing him up and down, taking in his state of undress with something between mild amusement and quiet exasperation. "And upon meeting thee, I can only surmise that talk is of thee."
She let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head slightly. Then, her gaze became just a bit more serious. "Thou art possessed of the power, no? To call forth the spectral steed named Torrent."
Tarnished nodded, then whistled sharply through his ring, activating the spectral steed's call. A shimmer of blue mist swirled around them, coalescing into the form of Torrent. The spectral horse snorted, shaking his head once before tilting it slightly—first at Tarnished, then at Ranni.
There was recognition in his ethereal eyes.
Tarnished caught that. So did Ranni.
She nodded slightly, as if confirming something to herself. "Ah. As I had hoped."
Her fingers moved gracefully, and a moment later, two items materialized in her palm.
"I was entrusted this, for thee. By Torrent's former master."
She extended her hand toward him, offering a small silver bell and a set of Spirit Ashes—the faint wisps of spectral wolves swirling within.
Tarnished took them from her hand as a notification flashed in the corner of his vision:
[Item Acquired: Spirit Calling Bell]
[Item Acquired: Lone Wolf Ashes]
He turned the Spirit Calling Bell over in his fingers, running his thumb over its smooth surface, before glancing up at Ranni with an appreciative nod.
She explained further:
"'Tis a bell for calling forth spirits. Summon them with it, from ash unreturned to the Erdtree. The spirits will obey thine command but briefly, as they recall battles past. Now, it is thine. To do with as thou wishest."
Tarnished already knew this, of course, but he nodded regardless. "Appreciate the assist."
His gaze flickered over to Torrent, then back to Ranni. "And pass my thanks to his former master, too. Torrent's been invaluable on my journey."
For the first time, Ranni's expression shifted.
There was a brief pause, a fleeting moment of hesitation.
Then, she spoke—calmly, as always. "I shall try to pass on thy thanks to him. But I promise nothing."
Tarnished narrowed his eyes slightly at her phrasing.
'Wait, him?'
That was an interesting choice of words.
He considered pressing further, but ultimately let it slide. Instead, he flashed her a grin and added, "Well, if you do see him, tell him I owe him one."
There was the slightest twitch on her secondary face—the tiniest indication of fluster. Ranni, however, did not acknowledge it.
Instead, she straightened her posture, her voice even as ever. "Forgive mine intrusion, Tarnished. I doubt we shall meet again. But all the same, learn well the Lands Between."
Tarnished smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Oh, I think we both know that's not true."
She ignored him. Instead, her gaze darkened as she regarded him one last time—this time, with an edge to her tone that even made Marika tense slightly.
"How long will it be, I wonder… before the Tarnished tire of obeisance to the Two Fingers?"
Then, before he could respond, her form dissolved into a haze of blue mist. Her dark moon faded from the sky soon after. Leaving behind only silence. The low crackle of Kale's campfire was the only thing that remained.
Tarnished turned slightly, his gaze shifting from the flickering embers of Kale's campfire back toward the empty space where Ranni had once sat. His mind replayed their conversation, lingering on her words, on the way she had referred to Torrent's former master as 'him.'
His brow furrowed slightly as he mused to himself.
'Who's 'him'? I thought Torrent's former master was Melina, no?'
For a brief moment, Marika remained silent. Then, after a pause, she spoke, her voice softer than usual. "Nay… His original master was mine own son, Miquella."
Tarnished blinked, caught off guard. 'Huh. Didn't expect that.'
He rubbed his chin, mulling it over as he turned away from where Ranni had once sat. 'Then again… I guess that makes sense, though. I did see official art of him riding Torrent at some point, didn't I?'
Marika offered no response. Her presence lingered in his mind, but she was… quiet. Tarnished frowned slightly but filed it away for later. Instead, he made his way toward Kale, the merchant still idly tending to his wares. The older man looked up as Tarnished approached, his red hood shifting slightly.
"Ah, Tarnished. Back so soon?" Kale greeted, his voice friendly but curious. "Do you require more supplies?"
Tarnished shook his head, waving a hand dismissively. "Nah, not this time." He then gestured around the ruined church before flashing a small, easy grin. "Actually, I was just looking for a place to crash. Mind if I sleep here tonight?"
Kale's brow lifted slightly, clearly not expecting the request. But after a moment of consideration, he simply shrugged. "By all means, help yourself. I do not mind company."
Then, with a slight chuckle, he added, "Though, I should warn you. I am not nearly as strong as you, Tarnished. If some great beast or soldier were to attack us in the night, I doubt I'd be able to defend you."
Tarnished grinned, already settling himself down by the fire. "That's fine. Just wake me up if anything happens."
Kale nodded, returning to his wares, while Tarnished leaned back against the ruined wall of the Church of Elleh, the warmth of the crackling fire washing over him as he gazed up at the starry sky.
For a while, he simply basked in the stillness of the moment, letting the sounds of the night settle around him. The soft chirping of crickets. The distant hoot of an owl. The gentle rustling of leaves swaying in the midnight breeze.
Then, after a long moment, he spoke.
'You're awfully quiet… Are you mad at me or something?'
A beat passed.
"Oh, why would I ever be mad at thee?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, every syllable laced with a mocking sweetness.
Tarnished chuckled under his breath.
'Sarcasm? Didn't think you were capable of that!'
Marika offered no immediate reply. She remained silent for a while, her presence in his mind felt subdued. Then, finally, she spoke again, her tone losing its mockery, shifting into something… almost contemplative.
"Thou called Ranni 'Wife'..."
Tarnished paused.
"What didst thou mean by that?" She continued, her voice a mixture of curiosity and something else he couldn't quite place. "Was it merely thy usual shameless philandering of every attractive woman thou meetest?"
Tarnished let out a short snort of laughter. 'That obvious, huh?'
"Painfully so."
He chuckled again before shaking his head slightly. 'No, it wasn't just that. I mean… Sure, she's my type, but there's more to it than that.'
Marika hummed slightly, prompting him to elaborate.
Tarnished rested his arms behind his head, staring up at the vast expanse of the night sky as he continued. 'I always liked Ranni. Every time I played the game, I'd always do her ending.'
Marika's voice shifted, carrying a subtle hint of intrigue. "Her ending?"
'Yeah. The Age of Stars. The path where she leads the Lands Between into a new era, free from the Greater Will's influence. And in the process, she and I… Well, we get married.'
Marika's presence stiffened slightly and Tarnished felt it immediately.
Her voice was carefully measured when she next spoke. "Married?"
Tarnished grinned slightly, sensing the subtle tension in her tone. 'Yep. I become her Eternal Consort.'
He could practically feel her golden eyes narrowing.
Then, after a pause, she exhaled softly, muttering something he barely caught.
"…Thou truly art a menace."
Tarnished laughed openly at that, letting the night wind carry the sound.
Kale raised an eyebrow at Tarnished's sudden burst of laughter, but after a moment, he simply shrugged, muttering something about Tarnished being a strange one before turning his attention back to his wares.
Tarnished, still grinning to himself, let out a small sigh and leaned further back against the crumbling wall behind him. The night air was crisp, the soft crackling of Kale's campfire blending into the gentle rustling of leaves overhead.
Then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar golden shimmer.
Marika appeared beside him, elegantly seated upon a piece of ruined stone, her divine form far smaller than usual—still radiant, still ethereal, but no longer towering over him like a goddess addressing a mere mortal. Instead, she had adjusted herself to match his height, sitting in a way that felt… almost casual.
Tarnished glanced over, his breath nearly catching for a second. The way the orange glow of the campfire bathed her golden hair, how the gentle flickering light cast soft shadows across her flawless features—she was, without exaggeration, breathtaking.
Marika's golden eyes studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, in a voice far softer than usual, she spoke. "…What about now?"
Tarnished's brow furrowed slightly, his gaze shifting from the sky to her. 'Hm?'
"What about now?" She repeated, her tone steady but carrying something… Uncertain. "Now that thou art mine own Champion… Wilt thou still abandon the Golden Order? Wilt thou still chase my daughter's Age of Stars?"
Tarnished tilted his head, letting the question settle for a moment. Then, he leaned forward slightly, resting an arm on his knee before replying. '...Why do I have to choose?'
Marika blinked, her brow knitting in confusion. "…Huh?"
He repeated, his azure eyes reflecting the firelight. 'Why do I have to choose?'
She opened her mouth to respond, but the words stilled on her tongue. Tarnished leaned back again, placing one leg over the other as he studied her face for a moment, as if gauging her reaction, before turning his gaze back toward the vast night sky.
'Age of Fracture. Age of Perfect Order. Age of Stars…' He mused as he bounced his leg lightly with every thought. 'Why do I have to choose just one?'
He lifted his hand toward the sky, fingers stretching out as if to grasp the stars themselves.
'Same thing with you, Melina, and Ranni.' His fingers slowly closed into a fist, as if wrapping around the cosmos itself. 'This isn't a game anymore. I have no limits in this World, no preset path. So why do I have to choose just one?'
The words lingered in the air.
Marika stared at him, her golden eyes searching for something—anything—to counter his words, but she found herself… Speechless.
She had never even considered the possibility.
To her, to all who walked the countless winding paths of the Lands Between, existence had always been a matter of choosing a side—of following a single path and forsaking all others. That was simply how the world worked.
How it had always worked.
But here he was. Her Champion.
Grinning. Unshaken. Declaring that he would defy even the very laws of fate.
'I don't want to choose just one.' His voice was steady, filled with conviction. 'Call me greedy, call me shameless if you'd like, but… I want it all. I want to do my own thing. My own Ending.'
Marika exhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a brief moment before shaking her head. A helpless, almost exasperated smile formed on her lips. "…Thou truly art a madman."
Tarnished laughed softly, his hand dropping back to his side as he continued gazing up at the sky.
Marika was silent for a long while. Then, in a quieter voice, she murmured, "…I wish I had thy confidence."
Tarnished's eyes flicked to her, his lips curving slightly. 'Why don't you?'
Marika hesitated. Then, she sighed with an ancient tiredness. "'Tis not the same..."
Tarnished smiled at her, then turned back toward the stars. The crackling fire cast long shadows across the ruins, the warmth of the embers flickering against the cool midnight air.
Neither of them spoke again for a while.
Then, a few minutes later, Tarnished let out a quiet breath.
'Goodnight, my Goddess...'
Marika watched him for a moment longer, her expression unreadable.
Then, just as softly, she replied.
"…Goodnight, my Champion."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note:
Stones for the Stone God, or something like that
…
Next Chapter Title: The Warrior Jar and the Hunter of Death.
…
If you want access to all my stockpiled chapters (currently 11 chapters ahead) as well as special privileges on Discord among other things, you can go do so on my Patreon!
Join at patreon.com/Helios539