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[Elden Ring: My Ending] Chapter 48
🕑 Added 2025-02-28 20:47:17 +0000 UTCPrimeval Sorcerer Azur didn’t look great—there was barely anything human left in him. His body was covered head to toe in emerald stones, his very existence raising countless questions.
Then again, the current Lands Between were built on unanswered questions.
"You don’t look so good," Kosta said calmly.
"…"
The living heap of stones responded… in silence.
Judging by the energy in the air, it was probably something caustic and hostile(1).
Sellen didn’t comment, though it was clear she had her own interpretation of the situation—admiration. It shimmered in her eyes as if she were looking upon a masterpiece.
"You have achieved something incredible, Master Azur. Do you still remember me?"
"…"
"Yes, it’s me, Master! I wanted to see you and thank you."
"…"
"I know, it sounds absurd," the woman laughed. "Coming all this way just for such a small thing is foolish. But it truly is my only reason. My heart is at peace now."
"…"
The sorcerer didn’t seem convinced.
Kosta, listening to her, suddenly paused for a moment.
"You… can understand him?"
"You just have to listen. Master is displeased that you destroyed his experiment(2)," Sellen said, raising a finger importantly.
Kosta could have sworn that the emerald-encrusted head tilted ever so slightly, agreeing with his former student.
Against his will, Kosta glanced back.
It hadn’t taken them long to find the village. Perched on a slope, it was small, practically abandoned (which, in fairness, described most of the Lands Between in one way or another). It was mostly inhabited by demi-humans, and they welcomed travelers in the same way most demi-humans did—by attacking.
The sound of "clearing the area" soon drew the village boss, who promptly joined the growing pile.
By now, these weren’t even the kind of enemies that could pose any challenge to Kosta—unless he really went out of his way to make things harder for himself.
Clearly, this wasn’t the time for such niche trials.
"Happens," Kosta shrugged.
His spark for farming had faded, and it was barely yielding anything worthwhile anymore. Now, he only farmed those who attacked him first. Clearly, the demi-humans weren’t in the mood for a conversation.
"…"
Kosta got the distinct feeling that Azur had just said something very unflattering about him.
"I can’t hurt you(3), but that doesn’t mean I can’t toss you off a cliff or bury you in a cave somewhere," Kosta said, completely deadpan.
"…"
If before he’d only felt like Azur was insulting him, now the primeval sorcerer actually raised his stone-covered hand—flipping him off.
Kosta’s eyebrow twitched.
"What weirdos!"
Sellen giggled, but Kosta and the primeval sorcerer ignored her quip.
"…"
Kosta frowned, somehow grasping the vague meaning Azur was trying to convey.
"Yeah, I’m a casual, so what?"
"…"
Not only did the sorcerer understand, but he even replied. And this time, Kosta caught the meaning even more clearly, deepening his frown.
"I have thought about that," he admitted, lowering himself into a squat next to Azur.
"…"
Kosta listened to the silence again, then extended his hand. A faint ember of light flickered to life in his palm.
"Look."
Azur slowly reached out his stone-covered hand and touched the light.
"…" The primeval sorcerer seemed lost in thought. "…"
"Yeah, I’ve also been considering the degree of influence a specific type of casual energy has on the world," Kosta nodded. "But…"
"…"
Kosta raised an eyebrow.
"I wasn’t finished."
He suffered from the same tendency, so he didn’t hold a grudge.
"…"
"Has no one shown you the 'Point Downwards' gesture(4) in a while?" the Tarnished asked calmly.
Honestly, he completely understood why a brilliant game designer had never added a text or voice chat to the game. A single gesture and some meaningful silence could already say everything and more.
Seeing how deeply engrossed the two men were in their… conversation (or in Azur’s case, deep silence), Sellen quietly stepped back.
It wasn’t every day she got to see Kosta speak so much—and with such enthusiasm. And not just with anyone, but with her mentor.
Her master had already seemed to forget his ruined experiment, while Kosta had long been accumulating questions and thoughts.
And no matter how much he tried to push them aside to focus on quests, the scientist (lore enthusiasts) within him refused to stay dormant. He needed answers, theories, and explanations—even if he couldn’t find the truth, he at least wanted something close to it.
If the Soulslike community didn’t have dedicated scholars (lore masters), the series would never have reached its cult status.
Love through hatred of repetition—that was the true mark of an elightened mind (lore junkie).(TN)
"The hunted sorcerer is near."
Sellen turned in surprise to see Melina manifest. The maiden didn’t say anything else before vanishing again.
That, of course, didn’t stop Sellen from whispering, "Thank you."
Melina hadn’t lied, nor was there any reason for her to—Seluvis appeared shortly after.
Gideon had made it his mission to personally close the book on the rogue sorcerer, putting all other affairs on hold. One of the demigoddess’s retainers could feel the inevitable end drawing near.
His mistress hadn’t protected him, letting him become a victim of his own arrogance. She didn’t need to punish her false servant herself—only to not intervene on his behalf.
And, at the same time, to watch what Kosta would do.
"Sellen!"
Seeing the sorceress waiting for him, a thoroughly exhausted Seluvis felt a flicker of relief.
Gideon was on his trail, closing in with a retinue of faceless figures, ready to seize him at any moment.
At that moment, Kosta finally turned away from his "conversation" with Azur and stood up.
"I’ll check in with you after I finish the main quests," Kosta mused.
At least, he hoped so. This wasn’t a situation where an illusion would cut it—listening to the specific nuances of the primeval sorcerer’s speech required all available brainpower.
"…"
Azur’s stone-covered head tilted toward Sellen, where Seluvis was sprinting toward her at full speed.
"Yeah, I know she’s reckless. I won’t let anything happen to her."
Either Kosta had lost his mind (in a different way), or he was actually getting better at understanding the primeval casua, who somehow managed to speak through silence.
It was, at the very least, unsettling.
"…"
"A man in white?" Kosta repeated, confused. "Why? What was his name?"
Apparently, some time ago, a man in white had approached Azur, offering for him to join something.
The primeval sorcerer just shrugged his stone-encrusted shoulders—he had launched a custom-made comet at the guest before he even had the chance to introduce himself.
Probably not the best idea to start a conversation by asking someone to "join a cause."
Still, one particular trait made it easy for Kosta to figure out who it had been.
"Varre," Kosta muttered, surprised.
When he first awoke in the Lands Between, he’d been in a… peculiar state of mind.
Looking back, he felt just a little embarrassed about it—especially in front of Meli-Meli.
The first time he met Varre, Konstantin physically couldn't do anything to him—he was too weak, refused to rely on casual strategies, and Varre himself, after trying to kill the audacious fool who attacked him, quickly realized after just one successful hit from Kosta that running away from the half-naked lunatic was the only option.
Back then, the Tarnished hadn’t given it much thought, his mind mostly preoccupied with waifu-related matters. Or rather, nearly all of his few thoughts revolved around that.
Could Konstantin’s reckless actions have led to something… strange?
The man sighed heavily.
"I need to go. You probably won’t understand me, but I have to thank you for giving casuals such a powerful boss skip without requiring any quests. Back in the day, it brought a lot of joy."
Sellen had no choice but to keep her word, but Konstantin owed nothing to the puppet master—nor had he ever promised one of the best waifus that he would protect the sorcerer.
The Primeval Sorcerer gave no reply, only watching the Tarnished as he left.
Despite choosing to live in isolation, rumors still reached Azur. And now, with his own eyes—or whatever was left of them—he saw that those rumors were not false.
More than that, the Tarnished didn’t even seem… particularly insane. By the standards of the current Lands Between, the man could almost be considered completely sane.
"A star…"
He had believed himself to be like the stars, but it seemed his journey was far from over.
The last person Gideon expected to see was Konstantin. Of course, he had known for some time—days… months… however long it had been—that the accursed puppet master had been seeking someone’s help. But he had never expected that help to come from a terrifyingly powerful madman.
As it turned out, though, Seluvis hadn’t actually come to him for help.
"Stay out of this, sorceress."
She looked vaguely familiar to him. Gideon had eyes and ears all across the Lands Between, and there was no way he hadn’t heard of a sorceress named Sellen at least once. But recognizing her now, in this unfamiliar body, was more difficult.
"I gave my word," the woman said solemnly.
"Exactly!" Seluvis hissed, tearing off his broken mask. "Keep your word, Sellen!"
The puppet master looked terrible—exhausted, hunted, pale. Despite his ability to move quickly across distances, he was still just a man. More than that, his magic didn’t always work, forcing him to rely on his own two feet… and those were already failing him.
Gideon removed his own mask, plastering on a benevolent smile as he turned to the one person who could end this conflict before it began. The leader of the Tarnished understood that this decision wasn’t up to Sellen.
"My friend, it’s been some time since we last saw each other. I’ve heard of your exploits. It seems you’ve hardly visited the stronghold lately?"
Konstantin met Gideon’s gaze and shrugged.
"I had my own quests."
And, honestly, he just found it exhausting to interact with people too often. But now… he could admit he felt much better.
"I’ve heard," the knight-sorcerer chuckled, clearly understanding him. "As well as the fact that my daughter is now under your care. I should thank you for all the help you’ve given her."
"Don’t let him sweet-talk you!" Seluvis screeched. "Konstantin, we serve the same mistress! You owe me, damn it!"
His pride vanished instantly. Or rather, he had never had any pride to begin with. What value was there in such a thing? Life was far more important. The moment he saw that accursed figure—that damned Tarnished—standing beside Sellen, the old man immediately grasped the situation. But that didn’t mean he was willing to give up.
"So, you’ve chosen to serve a demigod?" Gideon’s expression remained unchanged. It seemed he wasn’t even remotely surprised. "To be honest, I’m a little shocked. But it’s your decision, Konstantin of the Tarnished. We—"
"I don’t have much time," Konstantin interrupted. "I’m not obligated to protect someone who tried to turn a waifu into a puppet. Only not to attack."
Seluvis was one of the most heinous heretics in the Lands Between, having gone against one of the best waifus in the most shameless and vile way possible. Of course, collecting figurines and waifu dolls was a sacred and honorable pursuit, respected by all. But actually turning the waifus into dolls?
If not for the risk of ruining Ranni’s questline, the Tarnished wouldn’t have tolerated this sorcerer’s presence in any capacity.
Fortunately, that quest was nearly over, just like so many before it.
"Worm!" Seluvis spat. "Sellen, you promised!"
"I remember, I remember…" Sellen sighed. "My dear mentor and student, I can’t refuse him."
"You don’t need to," Konstantin said calmly. "You physically can’t help him. That’s not your fault."
"Huh?"
That thought seemed to echo in everyone’s minds. Strangely enough, the puppet master was the first to understand what the Tarnished meant.
"You—"
Seluvis never got to finish his sentence.
In a single instant, Konstantin appeared at Sellen’s side, pulling her into a firm embrace. A flash of golden light enveloped them both—then they were gone.
Seluvis stood frozen, completely alone, surrounded only by Gideon and his warriors. He stared blankly at the empty space where his last hope had just vanished.
"Marika’s tits…"
Slowly, the professor turned his gaze toward the ever-smiling enemy before him, now surrounded by countless glowing blue blades of pure magic.
Some distance away, hidden behind the hills, the Primeval Sorcerer Azur watched the scene unfold, as still and silent as a stone.
"…"
It was impossible to know what he had said, but evidently he found this very interesting.
After all, there weren’t many forms of entertainment in the Lands Between, especially for the primeval persecuted sorcerers—those who had turned themselves into heaps of emerald stones and had been exiled for practicing forbidden magic.
Konstantin and Sellen reappeared far beyond Mount Gelmir, standing in one of the many fields leading toward the capital.
Sellen blinked, taking in her surroundings. A crooked smirk crossed her lips. She had more or less anticipated how things would play out, but…
This method still struck her as a little barbaric. Effective, but barbaric.
"You’ve made me the kind of person who doesn’t keep their word, my dear Konstantin?"
"It was never within your power," the man answered calmly. "You did everything you could."
She paused.
That was true. She would have fought Konstantin if the situation had required it. That was the power of a vow. If she said she would help, then—whether she wanted to or not—she would have.
But fortunately, Konstantin was not someone a mere sorceress could oppose. She would have given it her all, upheld her word to the very end… only to hit a wall she simply couldn’t overcome.
What a shame.
Content with that conclusion, she leaned against the man, already thinking of how she should properly thank him, but—
Kosta suddenly stopped her, turning his head toward the empty space beside them.
"You already got what you wanted. Later."
"You—"
"I’ll deal with your academy issue as soon as possible," he added, just as unshaken as ever. "Just wait a little longer."
She flinched.
Breaking away from Sellen, Konstantin grabbed the "empty space"—which let out a surprised yelp—by its burn-covered arm and vanished along with it.
Clearly, yet another massive influx of runes, coursing through his body and soul, had sharpened his awareness just a little more—enough for him to finally acknowledge that some things could no longer be put off.
The others—women who had spent decades hesitating, drowning in contradictions—could afford to wait. But Kosta?
No.
Alone once more, the stunned witch watched the fading light of their departure.
It seemed the man had decided to intervene in their… relationships, settling matters once and for all. On one hand, that was a little disappointing. But on the other… it was a relief.
A commoner, staring blankly into the void with a vacant expression, was doing his best to pretend he understood absolutely nothing.
However, the intruder into his personal space had his own opinion on the matter.
"Am I truly so unpleasant to the King of Omens?"
White-Mask Varre offered a friendly smile.
The figure concealed under the illusion didn’t hold back, casting an irritated glance at the lunatic.
"That’s not me! Get lost! The illusions of the Golden Order are flawless!!!"
The last words were practically shouted, thick with wounded pride.
Varre, however, was entirely unfazed by the words of the material illusion.
"My offer still stands," he gently repeated. "He has become far too dangerous. If we don’t unite now, at least for a single battle, then later…"
"Put these foolish ambitions to rest. Your arrogance disgusts me," the illusion of Morgott growled. "I will accept battle as befits the Last King, not as some cowardly mutt! Begone before my mercy runs out, wretch!"
Varre thoughtfully adjusted his cracked mask.
Hidden under illusion, the copy of Morgott, scheming to strike down the Tarnished in cowardly betrayal, didn’t exactly exude the noble presence of a warrior. But, then again, that wasn’t his concern.
White-Mask Varre smiled widely.
"You will regret this, false king…"
"You!"
The illusion nearly lashed out at the insolent man, but before it could, Varre vanished—gone as if he had never been there. The enraged Morgott, scanning the surroundings with a scowl, eventually settled back into his position, trying his best to appear both casual and completely unresponsive.
"The illusions of the Golden Order… are flawless…"
Honestly, it didn’t sound quite as confident this time.
Perhaps he needed to prepare just a bit better.
(1) The player can "speak" to Azur, but he remains silent. Then again, who knows what he is actually saying…
(2) On the way to Azur, the player encounters Demi-Human Queen Maggie, who is connected to the sorcerers—not only evidenced by her magic staff but also by her ability to wield it.
(3) Sorcerer Azur is invulnerable. Completely. The player can attempt to harm him, but it’s entirely futile.
(4) Probably one of the most popular gestures among both toxic and casual players alike.
