The fallen leaves tell a story.... The great Elden Ring was shattered. In our home, across the fog, in the Lands Between....
Now, Queen Marika the Eternal is no where to be found. And in the night of the black knives, Godwyn the Golden was first to perish.
Soon, Marika's offsprings, demigods all, claimed the shards of the Elden Ring. The mad taint of their new-found strength triggered the shattering, a war from which no Lord arose....
A war leading to abandonment by the Greater Will.
Yet, there is still hope in these accursed lands.
Arise now, ye Tarnished! Ye dead who yet lives, the call of long lost Grace speaks to us all!
Hoarah Loux, Chieftain of the Badlands
The Ever Brilliant Gold Mask
Fia, Death Bed Companion
The Loathesome Dung Eater
And Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing
And one other whom grace would again bless.... a Tarnished of no renown.
Now cross the fog to the lands between, to restore and stand before the Elden Ring.... and become Elden Lord.
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[???'s POV]
I don't know anything about myself. Or should I say that I have but forgotten about myself...?
It's been too long. Far too long since I've stayed in this world, in this land. It's not natural, everything has stagnated.
Without a body, I am but a spirit barely clinging onto this world.... to the Lands Between.
All I know is that I was given a purpose.... a purpose which I know naught of, for I have been alive for far too long.
"Neigh!..." The steed shakes it's head, alerting me to my senses.
"Hmm...? What is it, Torrent?"
"Hush...." The steed exhales sharply, looking forward to the dark area inside this cave.
Lying face-first on the ground, is a man of muscular build wearing naught but his under pants.
"...A Tarnished?"
Yet another fool who died on his way to the Lands Between, a common sight for the both of us.
Torrent and I materialized out of our spirit form, gaining a physical body.
"Hush!"
I glances my hand across the neck of the steed, who can now feel my touch because of us being in a temporary physical form.
"Don't worry, fortune is on his side. We found him here after all."
I said as I got off Torrent and kneeled down in front of the unconscious man.
"Hiss...."
"Are you saying that he will be the one to lead us to the Erdtree?"
"Hush...."
"Perhaps I will put a small amount of hope in him then...."
I took out a small flask and tugged it into his hand.... one which contains Crimson Tears inside.
I've done this to countless Tarnished, gifting them a Flask of Crimson Tears to heal their wounds in battles. I've done it so many times that I've already lost count since last month.
I watched these 'clients' closely from the shadows, in my spirit form, hoping that one of them will actually survive out there....
But none made it pass the Tree Sentinel before losing their Grace, and dying for real.
"Urgh.... Who are...." The unconscious man looks towards me, barely clinging onto his life as he uttered those words.
"....."
"...you..." The man faints again as his face loses strength and dropped to the floor once more.
"....Are you sure that he will be the one?"
"Neigh...!"
"I will take your words for it, Torrent, but I still have my doubts. One of his kind is sure to seek the Elden Ring even if it defies the Golden Order.... but he doesn't seem fit for it."
Afterall, no champions will show up inside a dark cave with nothing on his body. No weapons, no magic scrolls, not even clothes.
How will he even survive...?
________________
[???'s POV]
"Cough!... Cough cough!"
A sharp pain filled my lungs... Water gushes out of my mouth, flowing out from my throat.... After a period of vomiting, I was finally able to finally breathe in peace.
"Hah...! Urgh..."
I sat down on the floor, taking a moment to breathe properly.... I could taste a good deal of salt in my mouth, from the water that I had just coughed out.
What the hell happened to me?
That's right.... that plum bastard stabbed me in the chest and threw me down the cliff into the ocean....
I did get a clean hit on his face with my sword but who knew he'd get extra pissed and started rushing at me like a mad hound?
At least I'm still here now.... but how the hell did I end up here?
"...Hmm?"
I gripped tightly in my right hand a small flask. A flask of crimson color, seemingly filled with vigor energy. A suspicious bottle.
I don't know what this is, but throwing it away might be a bit of a waste. Yet drinking unknown substances are kind of dangerous as well, what should I do....
Who even gave me this thing...?
"....Sigh." I tucked the flask to the straps of my pants.
As I did that, I looked at my bare chest where I had been stabbed in the heart not too long ago. There were no injuries.
It seems that my body had been reconstructed from scratch.... there's not even signs of a scar, or any damage for that matter.
This would be Marika's Grace huh...? A blessing from the Eternal Queen that helps Tarnished rise from their deaths faster than the usual goons, making them a force to be reckoned with.
"Phew.... Now then." I got on my feet and stood up from the rough stony ground.
This place is the inside of some sort of cave...? A golden sapling of the Erdtree sits at the corner, shining brightly inside the dimly lit cave.
"I should find a way out.... and a weapon."
I looked to the sides of the floor.... where I could see a long piece of wooden staff, a club.
"What kind of idiot would use a stupid club...?"
Well.... Not like I have any other options though, guess this'll have to do. I'm in my underpants as well, I'll have to find clothes before I get stabbed in the chest again.
(Chapter End)