JohnnyZ
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[My Ending] Chapter 17
🕑 Added 2024-12-07 20:32:00 +0000 UTCRanni knew about Sellen. How could she not? One of the most talented sorceresses in the history of the Academy—there was no ignoring her. A heretic who used Academy apprentices for her experiments. A follower of a doctrine that would most likely lead to her ruin. A woman who wouldn’t mind overthrowing Ranni’s mother.
Naive sorceress.
She also knew about her current predicament. Bound in enchanted chains deep within the Weeping Peninsula, Sellen continued her research through a material illusion. As long as Radahn, who had intertwined their fates, remained alive, she had little to fear and was content with her situation.
For a time, the lunar demigoddess ignored the existence of the mad witch, promising to teach her a lesson only if she made any move against her mother. But now, looking at her new servant...
The situation could be played differently.
Talented mages could often discern with just a glance whether someone possessed a gift for magic. In this regard, Konstantin was an anomaly to Ranni: spirits gravitated toward him, as did the stars themselves, creating an utterly unique aura around him. He wasn’t just someone who could become a brilliant astrologer(1).
He already was one, though he refused to fully embrace his abilities, favoring a sword over a staff. What’s more, he spoke of magic as if it were a curse rather than a blessing.
This intrigued the daughter of the Queen and Leader of the Academy of Raya Lucaria. She wanted to see what he was truly capable of. But to achieve that, she needed to push her strange servant to confront and overcome his inner barriers.
Besides, her new servant would need a guide to navigate the Academy. It was vast and filled with decidedly unfriendly sorcerers—Ranni knew this better than anyone. Though she could have accompanied the Tarnished herself, why bother when she could combine the pleasant with the practical?
After all, she wasn’t fond of getting her own hands dirty. Even though her doll body had four of them.
To the demigoddess’s surprise, the Tarnished had heard of Sellen. While the infamous sorceress was certainly well-known, her notoriety was more localized to the Academy, where the Tarnished had clearly never set foot. Admittedly, Ranni hadn’t expected him to be familiar with their magic at all.
Yet, he was.
"I’ll take you to her," Ranni said slowly, waiting for her new servant to collect himself.
"The Weeping Peninsula, ruins south of the Church of Marika. I can get there quickly on my own."
At least in this, he was still himself…
Konstantin’s hollow voice gave Ranni pause. At that moment, his Tarnished soul seemed genuinely... extinguished.
"So you know where her true body might be," the demigoddess mused. "Good. Now listen carefully, my servant..."
Konstantin nodded, his expression devoid of life.
The waifu fanboy within him let out a wounded victory cry, trampling the remnants of his hardcore gamer pride into the dirt.
Once again, he was ready to disgrace himself. A blasphemous traitor, a heretic, a casual.
The moment he saw the doubtful yet sincere concern of Meli-Meli, Konstantin had already resigned himself. If the best waifus asked him to stoop to casual gameplay, he would do it. His inner hardcore gamer struggled, resisting with all its might, fighting tooth and nail, but...
The waifus were too strong.
That didn’t mean, however, that he intended to follow their orders blindly.
Not Meli-Meli, not Ranni, not anyone.
After listening to the satisfied demigoddess, the Tarnished slowly stood and positioned himself before a Site of Grace.
"I’ll accept her help, but I’ll use magic only as an absolute last resort."
With that, he reached for the flow of energy. It enveloped him and, with a flash of golden light, transported him to the nearest Site of Grace by the ruins.
Another quest was about to be broken almost completely, before it even started.
The lunar demigoddess remained where she was, watching the Tarnished leave with a curious expression.
She doubted Melina’s plan would go as intended.
Ranni’s body dissolved into starlight and followed after him. Her curiosity about how events would unfold was too great.
Sellen didn’t know how long she’d been shackled. Time in the Lands Between had long since lost its meaning, leaving the few survivors of the Shattering with only a sense of emptiness and despair.
Though her true body was bound, her mind was elsewhere, continuing her studies. The lion’s share of a sorcerer’s power came from their mind’s development and flexibility, and in this, Sellen far outstripped the majority of the Academy’s members.
Unfortunately, the stranger sought not her material illusion but her true body.
Honestly, this frightened her a little. She hesitated. Prepared for an assault on her illusion, she had stopped paying much attention to her physical form. She believed the illusion would suffice. She was sure no one would find her, let alone look for her, in the depths of the Weeping Peninsula(2).
She’d allowed herself to forget that her primal glintstone—her very soul—remained within her true body, protected by the stone.
However, her composure quickly returned: whoever this intruder was (and she wasn’t so vain as to believe there were no exceptions), the likelihood of them posing a real threat was minimal. No weapon could pierce her defenses (a slight exaggeration, of course), and no warrior could get close enough to harm her (also debatable). Magical blades would appear to shield her before any foe could act.
The real danger wasn’t her theoretical defenses but herself.
The figure descending the staircase was unfamiliar to Sellen. Yet, the sorceress was confident that, had they appeared before, she would have heard of them: her keen perception told her that this was no ordinary individual.
So extraordinary, in fact, that she struggled to describe it.
Sellen was intrigued. And just a little afraid.
"Tarnished, are we?"
She didn’t wait for an answer. Before Konstantin could say anything, she spoke again:
" A wonder you should turn up here," she murmured dryly, narrowing her eyes. Unfortunately, hidden beneath the massive crown of glintstones that obscured her face, this went unseen. "I am Sellen, a sorcerer, quite plainly. Why are you here?"
The Tarnished before her sighed, a sound tinged with sadness.
He felt like he was staring at a creepy disco ball. (3)
"Konstantin, or just Kosta. I... uh... I need your help."
Sellen tilted her head.
It was the first time she'd seen someone get so visibly uncomfortable over such a simple statement.
"And for this, you've sought out me, the disgraced witch-heretic, on the very edge of these lands?" Sellen smirked. "Interesting. Perhaps you're eager to learn the brilliance of..."
The sorceress trailed off when she caught the man's expression.
"Ah, I see, you’re not interested," she said quickly, stepping back verbally with surprising ease. "You’re an odd one... Quite the reaction. So, how can I assist you then?"
Konstantin glanced around warily, clearly aware someone was watching him.
"I need to get into the Academy of Raya Lucaria."
"Ah!" Sellen exclaimed. "The Great Rune of Rennala, the Full Moon Queen! Fascinating. Konstantin of the Tarnished, yes, I’ve heard a thing or two recently..."
Despite her exile, Sellen wasn't entirely cut off from rumors. In fact, had she the inclination, she could have known of any event that interested her. But she didn't care to; her research was all that mattered. Even so, she’d caught bits and pieces.
The fame of Konstantin the Tarnished had grown rather loud lately.
"That's quite the dangerous venture, Konstantin," Sellen noted with a playful lilt. "I can see why you'd want to go there, but why should I help you?"
"A new body, perfectly suited for you. Seluvis has it."
The casual, matter-of-fact response made Sellen frown. The man had said perhaps too much—he clearly knew about her primal glintstone, understood the importance of a new vessel to her, and even knew Seluvis, that vile, loathsome puppeteer.
This stranger (was he even human?) knew far too much. And he wasn't even trying to hide it.
"You really are something else," Sellen muttered, a little thrown. "But right now, that body means little to me..."
"Radahn won’t last long. DLC won’t help him." (4)
Sellen froze, shocked by the man's cold, confident tone. He said it with such absolute certainty that it left no room for doubt.
Konstantin clearly understood her predicament—knew that her fate would be set in motion the moment the demigod holding back the stars fell. He knew that her destiny, more than anything else, signified death.
Though she didn’t entirely grasp his final remark, she dismissed it for now.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're an arrogant madman?" Sellen said with a wry grin. "Rhetorical question. Even if your words are backed by some power, it won’t be enough. A deranged demigod won’t fall so easily. I can't just take your word for it."
She intended to toy with him a little. Truthfully, Sellen was utterly intrigued. She didn’t doubt that the man before her was powerful. She could see it, feel it. Likely not powerful enough to defeat one of the most fearsome demigods, but certainly strong enough to infiltrate the Academy and steal the Great Rune. Rennala, the Full Moon Queen, had long since become a shadow of her former self. The rest—the Red Wolf tasked with guarding her included—was secondary.
Unfortunately, Kosta was thinking along entirely different lines. A bright, victorious smile spread across his face, radiant and triumphant.
A waifu was still a waifu, but... If she stayed here just a little longer, nothing would happen to her, right?..
"Yeah, sure, I get it. Sorry for bothering you. Goodbye..."
He had done all he could. Ranni wouldn’t say anything. Nobody had given him any instructions about what to do if he got rejected. He’d have to handle it himself, like a true hardcore gamer.
Perhaps his inner Soulslike player would rise to the occasion.
Looking absurdly pleased with himself, Konstantin practically skipped toward the exit, leaving Sellen—and Ranni, whose single open spectral eye twitched—with dumbfounded expressions.
Outraged, Sellen nearly hurled her flying blades at the Tarnished.
"Wait! I’ve changed my mind! I’ll help! Where are you going?! Get back here!!!"
Sellen huffed as Konstantin hunched his shoulders like a scolded child and returned.
"I can’t entrust my essence to you just like that," she said, curling her lip in mock disdain. "My illusion will accompany you. She’ll guide you through the Academy and all its dangers to the Queen."
Konstantin nodded morosely.
"Maybe I should just do it on my own?"
Sellen stared at him incredulously before breaking into peals of laughter.
"You really are something else!"
Even if this lunatic perished the moment he set foot in the Academy, Sellen had to admit she’d likely remember him.
The Lands Between, after all, had a fondness for the unhinged.
How else could anyone find entertainment in a dead world?..
The sewing needle. Who would’ve thought a demi-human would dare return to the cave where mindless beasts could tear him apart at any moment, all for an ordinary sewing needle?
At first, Melina doubted Boc's story. And rightly so. But after hearing where he planned to retrieve the needle, all her doubts vanished.
"I’ll bring you your sewing needle, Boc."
"Oh, no!" Boc exclaimed. "It’s too dangerous; you don’t have to!"
"Not for me."
It was true. While Melina wasn’t a warrior in the traditional sense, she was a skilled blade. Moreover, she was still the Daughter of a Goddess. Forgotten and bodiless as she might be, she was not to be underestimated.
Not by any means.
And she didn’t even need to show herself.
Fading into the air, she moved unseen into the cave. While she could have carved her way through the entire cavern, she opted instead for stealth, retrieving the needle without disturbing the mindless creatures. She saw no reason to engage them.
Where her Tarnished would barrel through, she chose the subtle route.
Boc waited nervously at the entrance, shifting from foot to foot. Melina reappeared behind him.
"The needle was with the pack leader. I retrieved it."
Boc yelped, startled, and turned to her with wide eyes before they quickly darted to the slender, old needle in her hands.
"My sewing needle? You really found it?" Boc gasped, his wide eyes brimming with emotion. "Why are you helping me? My mother was a seamstress... This kit is all I have left of her..."
Melina smiled softly.
"My Tarnished needs a worthy tailor to tend to his garments. One day, he’ll become Elden Lord, and he’ll need a true master. Are you up to the task?"
Bok nearly fainted.
"I... I always wanted to be like my sweet old mother... Now, it seems I have no right to just lie down and die... I’ll do my best..."
Melina's smile grew just a bit wider.
"I’ll guide you to Stormveil Castle. There, you’ll find your purpose."
The demi-human, still trying to process his shock, nodded uncertainly.
Truthfully, the spectral maiden was convinced that nothing could ruin her mood now. Even if Boc turned out to be a terrible tailor, Melina believed that what truly mattered was his determination and motivation. With enough practice, he was bound to improve.
And so, feeling that she had addressed what she saw as the main problem, Melina decided to resume her search for everyone Konstantin had mentioned in passing.
If not for the inclusion of at least one man (could a giant, sentient jar with no discernible gender really count as a man?), Melina might have begun to suspect that her Tarnished was utterly obsessed with women.
...Well, he was obsessed, but apparently not entirely hopeless...
To her surprise, as she once again traversed the Lands Between, she actually found him.
"Is... is anyone there? Help! I'm stuck! Hey, someone, please answer!"
Invisible, Melina came to a halt beside the giant living jar, its body half-buried in the ground. She still struggled to fathom how her Tarnished could know about something like this.
In moments like these, she wondered just how much Konstantin really knew—and what he might say about her purpose. He had to know how her fate would unfold. Yet neither of them had broached the subject. It was too soon.
Melina lingered beside the unfortunate jar warrior for a while before deciding to return to her Tarnished. He could help the jar himself—surely that was why he sought it out, wasn’t it? Thankfully, despite being in a different region, distance was hardly an obstacle for Konstantin.
Unfortunately, the spectral maiden encountered a problem: she couldn’t find him. The Lake of Liurnia was eerily empty, as though the mad Tarnished had never been there at all.
Melina stopped near the corpse of a defeated dragon, its body already being picked apart by the local wildlife. They wouldn’t get the most important part, though—the dragon’s heart had been taken care of by the Tarnished.
"Where is he?"
The grim-faced maiden turned her head toward the lunar demigoddess who appeared beside her in a burst of starlight.
For some reason, Ranni’s expression struck Melina as... odd.
The lunar demigoddess frowned thoughtfully, sensing how their—her—plan had started to go off the rails.
Melina had wanted Konstantin to disguise himself as a sorcerer, complete with a crown, and infiltrate the Academy stealthily. Ranni, on the other hand, had hoped he would not only find a guide but also rely on magic if the situation required it. Warriors could do little against mages at range. Even with a bow, Konstantin wouldn’t stand a chance against hordes of hostile astrologers without spells.
And yet...
Konstantin had indeed opted to leave the bow behind. Instead, he had prepared something else entirely.
"...Blowing up the Academy with fire pots?"
Melina froze for a long moment, trying to wrap her mind around what was happening. She had been certain he wouldn’t charge in so recklessly. She had made him promise to try and proceed cautiously.
But...
"...Blowing up the Academy with fire pots?"
It seemed that with each passing day, the two women were beginning to understand each other more and more.
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(1) Originally, sorcerers were mainly interested in the starry heavens, learning to harness power from falling meteors, making them more akin to astrologers than classic mages.
(2) The player first encounters not the real Sellen but her illusion, which is guarded by a small boss. Her real body is unguarded.
(3) Sellen's questline has an ending that is both unexpected and bizarre, if not outright unsettling.
(4) Radahn's defeat in the main game is a rather bittersweet victory.
