(A/n someone mentioned lack of character interaction. It will pick up next chapter, I just don't want to drag out the prologue and just want to speedrun it where I can. They will have a proper conversation next chapter onwards and then plot of main story will start. I know it feels bland like a summery but please bear with ot, the character interactions will pick up and be like my other stories.)
[Shadow Copy] number 1 pov:
Years had gone by and the Cursed Empyreon Twins Malenia and Miquella had grown up.
Well, Miquella didn't age physically past that of a child's appearance but mentally he did.
Because Radagon and Marika is one of the same being, them as a singular individual giving birth to Malenia and Miquella had given each of them a curse.
Malenia's body was inflicted with Rot and would deteriorate from the inside.
Miquella was cursed with eternal childhood, cursed to forever appear and be a frail young child in body but an adult mentally.
Long ago, after the war with the Fire Giants when Marika killed the Fell God, the Outer God which the Fire Giants worshipped, she received the curse of the Fell God.
Her hair was slowly turning red, she needed to maintain her image in front of her subjects so she found a solution.
She split herself and made a part of herself manifest as a seperate being. She transfered the curse to this being naking their hair turn red while she maintained her golden hair.
This being she made was Radagon, her other half.
Because they were a singular being this caused the Empyreon Twins to receive a Curse.
Meanwhile, Radahn, Rykard and Ranni who were birthed by Rennala and Radagon didn't receive a curse.
Morgott and Mohg are the Omen Twins and Marika Godfrey's first children.
Morgott and Mohg received their appearance because of the genetics of their father and Horah Loux's (Godfrey) past asociation with The Crucible.
Because Marika is a God, and Radagon is the other half of Marika he is also a God, meaning any child of theirs will be a Demigod. This is why the Demigods exist and how they were born in the Lands Between.
I travelled to the Royal Capital of Lyndell to meet Malenia and Miquella.
I had to observe them for a long time but I was finally able to follow them until they were alone.
It was a difficult conversation with the tense and on guard duo but I gained their slight trust even I promised a way to cure them of their Curses.
Miquella wants to cure his sister Malenia while Malenia wants to help Miquella in any way she could.
I told them that it was not for free and I want to make a cooperative deal with them.
I became aware of Miquella's plans to create the Haligtree thanks to my familiars of which I made them adopt a more realistic and organic appearance as to not stand out like I had done so before on purpose in Liurnia.
Malenia would teach me what she know of welding a sword while Miquella taught me and shared his knowledge of icantations, even though I can't use them They may be useful to know, and about the process to creating Unalloyed Gold.
Unalloyed Gold was a material Miquella made that can stave of the influence of Outer Gods.
One of which is the God of Rot which Malenia and Miquella revealed had entered Malenia's body.
The Unalloyed Gold would help serve as her armour and prostetic limb in order to remain in close proximity to her body to help ward of the God of Rot and in turn halt the infection of the Scarlet Rot inflicting her body.
It took some a great many years but eventually I had been able to create perfect replica of their existing bodies. That also includes their inborn Empyreon flesh and the power potential it carried.
Unlike Ranni, I need these two to have their Empyreon bodies for what I have planned.
I got I contact with Ranni greeted her after a long time.
After getting her up to date on events she agreed to help me in transferring the souls of Malenia and Miquella into their new identical bodies.
Malenia's old body still contained the God of Rot but the moment Malenia's soul left the body, the God of Rot was able to awaken and posses it.
Fortunately, I and Miquella had been prepared and had Malenia request help from her mentor the Blind Swordsman to imprison the God of Rot once more.
I even made a new body for the Blind Swordsman upon Malenia's request because he had been inflicted with Scarlet Rot as well.
You know that large Scarlet Bloom flower outside of Malenia's boss fight in the game?
Yeah, that is the blooming flower of the Blind Swordsman, but now that he has a new body he won't undergo that process of Evolutionary rebirth.
For Miquella's new body, it was the same but since it noblonger has the curse of Eternal Childhood the cells would be able to naturally decay and die like normal and allow him to age to full adulthood.
I made them both an offer to come with me to my own world where they would have the freedom to control their own fate and destiny unlike this world where the Greater Will schemes in the background to control.
They both agreed to this and even offered this to all those that are their subordinates. Needless to say they all accepted and proclaimed they would follow Malenia and Miquella in whatever their decision was because they had been saved and given a safe Haven at the Haligtree.
The Albinaurics are the artifical lifeforms created by the Nox, the Numens who were banished deep below the ground by Marika, who she herself is a Numen, because of their defiance against the Greater Will.
I tried locating the Eternal City Nokron but it had proved harder than I had anticipated.
I suppose I will wait for now before obtaining the Fingerslayer Blade.
*******************
A thousand years had gone by and I was back in my home in Liurnia waiting for Ranni to appear.
It was then that a knock on the door came.
I stood up and walked to the door to open it but what I saw had completely shocked me!
"Master, may we enter." Ranni spoke from besides the tall man with fiery red hair, much like her own.
"I-uh yes. Sorry, I was suprised is all. I didn't expect an additional guest. Please come in and make yourself at home."
I said after getting my bearings.
I wasn't afraid since Ranni was here and would protect my body, even if this body is a [Shadow Copy], my mind was still connected to it meaning that if Maliketh used the Rune of Death, he could easily kill my real body as well by destroying my conciousness which the [Shadow Copy] had with the real body.
Not just that but it's possible any powerful individual like a Demigod or a Godskin Apostle could achieve a similar effect to kill me.
The tall man with red hair that entered was only slightly taller than Ranni, who I will say is still dwarfing my size.
Ranni's original Empyreon body stands at 1.87 metres while the suprise guest was 1.98 metres tall.
The man sat down on the sofa that was specifically and specially made for Ranni's Demigod body's size.
I poured him some tea and the same for Ranni and myself.
"Thank you. It was delightful."
Ha, his words were the same as Ranni's from when she first had my tea.
I could remember that because of my Mind being in the Heroic Ranks allowing for perfect recall.
"Excuse me, I haven't introduced myself yet. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Lord Tallon. I am Praetor Rykard." The red haired man greeted as he placed the empty tea cup down on the table.
(A/n Praetor is the commander of an army, and/or is an elected magistratus. Can also be called Lord in place of Praetor.)
"A pleasure Lord Rykard. I see that my apprentice has already introduced me to you." I said while I turned to face Ranni who was nervously smirking as she was well aware she had broken her promise to keep me a secret from others.
"I apologise for telling him about you. But he needs to know, for time has come." She replied with all due seriousness.
"Hmm, explain." I said while putting my cup down to listen to her ernestly but I was well aware of what would soon happen.
"We intend to steal the Rune of Death from Maliketh the Black Blade." Ranni stated and the room went silent for a while.
Everyone in this world was well aware of who Maliketh was as every living thing in this world feared him.
Maliketh is the Shadowbound Beast of the Goddess, Queen Marika the Eternal.
Maliketh was sent by Maliketh to single handedly destroy the Godskin cult and had killed Queen Marika's Empyreon rival, the Gloam-Eyed Queen.
The Gloam-Eyed Queen was the first wielder of Detined Death and the one that created the Godskin cult.
But Maliketh single handedly slayed her and took Destined Death from her dead body as per Marika's orders.
Maliketh has remained in Farem Azula ever since along with Destined Death.
Destined Death, also known as the Rune of Death can kill and erase ANY BEING from Reality.
Not only that but it has complete control and dominion over the concept of Death itself.
This was how Marika earned her title of Marika the Eternal, because she had removed the concept of Death from the Lands Between using the Rune of Death.
This would allow all beings upon death to die and be reborn via the Erdtree as they once were.
This is why Spirit Ashes and Remeberances exist in the game.
"How do you intend to steal Destined Death from Maliketh, who need I remind you two is the God Marika's Shadowbound Beast. Not a single being alive other than Marika herself has a chance of fighting on even grounds with him. Let alone the fact that a single cut inflicted by Destined Death will kill the individual permanently and instantly on the spot." I told them, letting them know full well of what they were planning to do.
"Yes we are aware. That is why we came to you, once we've acquired a fragment of Destined Death we'll need your help with the rest of the plan. We need your help in capturing Godwyn." Rykard replied to my earlier doubt.
I knew the plan would succeed, but I had grown worried for Ranni over the time I've bonded with her in this world.
The Black Knives which are the Nox people, would be tricked by Ranni into helping her steal a fragment of the Rune of Death from Maliketh. Ranni would help in this as she would personally use her magic to enchant their gear to help them remain hidden from Maliketh and Godwyn's eyes when the time comes.
Rykard would also aid Ranni and the Black Knife Assasins in stealing the fragment of the Rune of Death from Maliketh.
After that Ranni would create the Blasphemous Claw, a item that has a piece of the Rune of Death inscribed onto it and was gifted to Rykard to serve as protection to repel Maliketh's attacks either Destined Death should Maliketh come after him seeking revenge.
As for why Rykard a devout follower of the Golden Order would suddenly help Ranni oppose them?
It's because Rykard had also learned of the Greater Will's manipulations of him and everyone in the Lands Between.
After the Night of Black Knives, Rykard will declare his open opposition and rebellion against the Golden Order and the Erdtree.
"Very well, but will the assasins you have under you be adequate in this task. Godwyn is in the Royal Capital. It would be near to impossible to get him out of the capital while remaining hidden." Hearing my words the duo looked at each other before Rykard took out a old looking scroll and unfurling it on the table.
Looking at the scroll that had revealed itself to be map showing the Royal Capital with a series of tunnels underneath it leading to a chasam.
"This is..." I started but Rykard beat me to it.
"A map of Lyndell, this reveals the true reason the Erdtree exists, it is a parasite. Leeching of the Great Tree, The Crucible. The prefect place to kill Godwyn at, the irony and shame it would cause them is prefect."
"Ranni, your aware that this needs to be done at the exact time you yourself do the ritual. While I will etch half of the Rune of Death onto Godwyn's back, you yourself must do it at the same time. Then the both of you must die at the 'same time'. If it's even a second off, the both of you will suffer the consequences and experience the full effect of the Rune of Death rather than half of it as you intended."
"I know. But that is why I can only trust you with this. Rykard will be with me to engrave the other half of the Death Centipede onto my back. Once we aquire the fragment of Destined Death, we will discuss more of this later. You should prepare yourself for when the time comes. You will help me with this? Wont you master?" Ranni asked after seeing my hesitation.
"*sigh* Very well. I can't trust those assasins to do something like this in my stead. I'll make a plan to kidnap Godwyn and meet you here at the place I will kill Godwyn, so we can discuss the rest of the ritual. I wish you luck in dealing with Maliketh."