JohnnyZ
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[My Ending] Chapter 12
🕑 Added 2024-11-28 10:04:30 +0000 UTCThe appearance of a new bearer of a Great Rune filled Nepheli with immense joy. Before parting ways, the warrior had extracted a promise from the new Rune-bearer to meet her at the Roundtable Hold, and now that moment had come.
Although this was the Tarnished’s first visit to the Hold, he maintained an icy composure, showing no surprise at the massive convergence of Grace around the table—one of the largest any Tarnished could ever witness.
Honestly, this slightly disappointed the warrior. Unlike him, she could marvel at such a wondrous gathering of Grace for days. The warmth emanating from it, healing and rejuvenating them, was truly magical.
‘He is wearing clothes?’ the thought flitted through her mind.
Could it be true that he only undressed for battle? What an unusual fighting style!
With a smile, Nepheli waved at Konstantin.
“I suspected they’d invite you to the Roundtable Hold soon enough. Nepheli Loux,” she said, patting her chest. “We met at Stormveil Castle. It’s good to see you again.”
She truly was glad. The sight of a fearless warrior, single-handedly battling through Stormveil, a new bearer of a Great Rune, had left a lasting impression on the warrior from the Wastes.
They had parted ways without much conversation; the man had seemingly vanished when Stormveil’s soldiers approached him in reverence. Nepheli didn’t know the exact reason for his departure, nor did she dwell on it. Her thoughts had first been consumed by the great victory she had witnessed and then by the pressing need to address the issues caused by the fall of the castle’s lord. The situation remained precarious, and a capable leader needed to be found.
Konstantin nodded, glancing around. Even he seemed impressed by the fortress. Perhaps not as much as Nepheli might have hoped, but even so… it was enough!
Nepheli smiled, pulling a talisman from her pocket.
The warrior didn’t mind much that the man wasn’t particularly talkative. A true man solved problems with actions rather than words. That was normal.
Or, in Konstantin’s case, with rolls.
“I have something for you,” she said, handing him the talisman with a smile. “I found this in Godrick’s grafting grounds. You defeated him. You should have it. Make good use of it. I don't intend to make a habit of scavenging corpses.”
She had discovered it among the mutilated corpses left in the wake of the deranged demigod’s rampage. The special talisman was meant for someone who had eased the burden of those tormented souls, even a little. Nepheli believed in that.
It was a shame she couldn’t give it to him sooner. The man had simply vanished.
Konstantin looked at the talisman for a while, then, after some deep thought, accepted it.
“Thank you.”
For some reason, Nepheli thought the new bearer of the Great Rune had been wrestling with some sort of moral turmoil before her…
Probably just her imagination.
The man, likely sensing their conversation nearing its end, seemed ready to leave, but how could the warrior let her new comrade go so easily?
She wouldn’t let it happen again!
“Do you want to take a look around?”
Konstantin did look around, pondering. Nepheli noted that the newcomer truly wasn’t much of a talker.
“Yes, I’d appreciate that.”
In truth, the problem was more complex: Konstantin didn’t entirely know how to interact with the waifu-warrior. Where Melina was calm, albeit with a hint of malice, Nepheli was fiery and didn’t seem to tolerate overly tender treatment.
But how could a true waifu fan not treat a waifu with tenderness?
Konstantin found himself facing a peculiar dilemma—one he decided to address as he went.
After all, something awaited him that no seasoned Soulslike player could anticipate in a world where you weren’t merely unwelcome but outright hated.
Something that, at one point, had brought tears to thousands of men—and perhaps women—across the globe.
They had been gifted unlimited waifu hugs that didn’t even end in the player’s gruesome death, but rather a small blessing accompanied by a minor debuff. A debuff that could be removed at any time. It was far more than even the youngest, most optimistic, and naive Soulslike fan could imagine.
If it weren’t for the questline’s ending, Konstantin might never have recovered from such unprecedented generosity, searching for hidden drawbacks even in the endgame. But the conclusion had quickly set things right. (1)
The Roundtable Hold, like everything Konstantin had encountered so far, was far larger than what he had seen in the game. The layout was roughly the same, but that was it. For him, this was more than enough, but with a guide like Nepheli, who knew every stone of the fortress, exploring the new location became much easier.
Unfortunately, the mechanics of the real world meant that people couldn’t just loiter in the Hold all the time, complicating Konstantin’s progress on…
Certain quests.
Even so, he recognized some familiar faces.
As they walked through the corridors, the man and the warrior came across Roderika, who was quietly admiring the architecture. The girl smiled timidly upon spotting Konstantin.
“Konstantin, h-hello…” she said, bowing slightly. “It’s good to see you again. My name is Roderika. Sorry I didn’t introduce myself earlier. Hello, Nepheli.”
She seemed noticeably braver around Nepheli, which the warrior couldn’t help but notice.
“So, you two have already met?” Nepheli grinned. “You’re chattier than I thought, Konstantin!”
Konstantin nodded gravely.
Now that two such different waifus had crossed paths, he understood even less how to act. While he avoided making any glaringly obvious mistakes, he still wasn’t sure what to do.
Life, as usual, had not prepared him for this.
Fortunately, no long speeches were required from Konstantin—for now, at least.
“He helped me find my ‘little spirits,’” Roderika said with a radiant smile so warm it dimmed Nepheli’s own. “Thanks to Konstantin, I’ve found my confidence…”
She clutched her crimson cloak, gazing at Konstantin.
“A magnificent sight, isn’t it? The Roundtable Hold, secret refuge of the Two Fingers, a meeting place for heroes vying for the Elden Throne… Who would’ve thought that such powerful entities watch over us Tarnished…”
Roderika giggled as if genuinely finding it amusing. She continued without expecting a response:
“But honestly, it all feels a bit much…”
Konstantin nodded solemnly again.
The daughter of the Tarnished leader cast a strange glance at the slightly unhinged girl before smiling once more.
“Got it. I want to show the newcomer around, so we’ll head off.”
“Of c-course!”
The warrior led Konstantin further, glancing back at Roderika.
“Father didn’t even look at her. She clearly feels out of place here. I pity her.”
“She’ll manage.”
The warrior looked at the suddenly serious and determined man with slight surprise before nodding. She had no reason to doubt the words of such a fearless and formidable warrior.
"Understood."
It wasn’t just Roderika who resided in the fortress—Sorcerer Rogier was there too. The warrior-mage (but mostly mage!) was holed up in one of the rooms, surrounded by an assortment of magical scrolls and weaponry.
The moment Kosta laid eyes on the forbidden casual knowledge those scrolls contained, he felt the walls closing in on him.
"Konstantin!" The sorcerer tipped his hat with a welcoming smile. "Good to see you here!"
"Likewise."
The grim tone in Kosta's voice sounded so foreboding, as if he might roll into Rogier at any moment, that the sorcerer's smile faltered instantly.
‘What’s this madman displeased about now?’ The sorcerer wondered.
Nafeli resumed the tour.
"Do you not like sorcerers?"
Kosta was unsure how to respond. On the one hand, casual players were free to choose their own path. On the other hand, this particular casual player had tried to push profane magic on him. Despite Rogier’s considerable help and generally decent character, Kosta couldn’t quite shake his distrust.
The slippery slope of casual’ity begins with small things...
Of course, Kosta harbored no such judgments for sorceress waifus. Waifus were exempt from any rules—self-imposed or otherwise.
Though his Soulslike sensibilities often clashed with his waifu enthusiast instincts, the latter always prevailed when it came to matters of waifu loyalty. The fanboy in him was too powerful, even for his inner hardcore gamer.
Nafeli smirked, clearly catching on to his conflicted reaction.
"Many warriors don't like them. But my father taught me that even magic has its uses. Please don’t be too harsh on Rogier—he’s a good man."
"Fine."
And he meant it. It would have been foolish to argue with the dusky-skinned warrior. Especially since Rogier had been so helpful with Roderika.
The power of waifus once again triumphed over the spirit of hardcore gameplay, and Kosta felt no shame in this.
"Great! Let’s move on. I haven’t shown you everything yet..."
In truth, the fortress was mostly empty. Kosta didn’t see many familiar faces, and Nafeli explained that Tarnished heroes were usually busy with their own quests, only visiting the hub—er, location—occasionally.
However, some residents never left.
Nafeli brought him to the smithy. To his surprise, it was vastly different from what he’d seen in the game. Before him was a fully equipped forge: a furnace, an anvil, hammers of various sizes, shelves crammed with mysterious items, and a massive workbench. All of it belonged to a single old man whose leg was chained to the wall. The blacksmith was a creature out of place in a world where the Golden Order reigned supreme.
"Master Hewg!" Nafeli called out. "Master Hewg, I’ve brought the newcomer! The one who bested Godrick the Grafted!"
The smith, who was hammering away at a sword, paused and turned toward them with a disgruntled expression, giving Kosta a better look at him.
Hewg was old—very old (which, in the Lands Between, was far from a death sentence). He was short, his body covered in horns and growths. In another life, he might have been mistaken for a Misbegotten slave in the fallen Castle Morne. A true outcast.
"The new bearer of a Great Rune?" Hewg’s sharp eyes scanned Kosta. "Now, look at you. Those eyes tell a story. Of a challenger, who's felled her mark. Fine and well. Now, lay out your arms.”
Nafeli burst out laughing, clearly expecting Hewg’s usual gruffness.
‘Guess he’s surprised by Master Hewg’s reaction!’
"Kosta hasn’t mastered—"
Before she could finish, Kosta approached the smith and produced an ordinary sword he’d found in the Graveyard. A weapon with no special qualities or upgrades.
"I don’t have the materials or runes just yet," Kosta said, his tone deadly serious. "But when I do, you’ll turn this sword into something capable of slaying a god." (2)
Nafeli’s laughter died abruptly, and the smithy fell into an oppressive silence. Hewg’s eyes bulged for a moment before his face broke into an unexpected smile.
“Huh?”
Nafeli, struggling to process Kosta’s audacious proclamation, watched in astonishment as Hewg grinned for the first time.
"Have you gone completely mad, Tarnished?"
Kosta saw no need to answer.
His battles against both the illusion of a demigod and the demigod himself—crippled as he may have been—had shown Kosta the limitations of simple iron. The bleeding effect had left a stain on his soul; any true Soulslike purist would consider such an ability a sacrilege. Even though the sin wasn’t unforgivable, it weighed heavily on him.
Unfortunately, the world demanded that he upgrade his weapons, whether he liked it or not.
But no bleed effects. That was a last resort. Everything for the waifu.
Except for magic.
…right?
Kosta shook his head, banishing heretical thoughts. The inner hardcore gamer within him howled in protest, trying to counter with parries and every argument he could muster.
"I hear you," Hewg said slowly, seemingly making up his mind. "Leave the sword. Bring me the materials, and we’ll talk."
As they left the smithy, Nafeli gave Kosta a peculiar look.
"You’re the first person to earn the old man’s trust so quickly, Konstantin. Now, let’s get you introduced to my father! Or… maybe not."
She frowned, lost in thought.
"You should probably speak with the Two Fingers first. I’ll guide you."
Honestly, thanks to Nafeli’s eager assistance, Kosta felt somewhat uneasy.
Wasn’t being led by the hand the ultimate form of casualizing the experience? Any player knew the path to a boss was often harder than the boss itself. This was a critical part of the gameplay experience. Soulslikes had taught him better than this… (3)
Luckily, Meli-Meli gave him enough time to get used to the basics with her checks, during earlier encounters.
The journey to the Two Fingers took a while, involving more than a few corridors and a pair of ancient doors ready to open for the new bearer of a Great Rune.
Once again, Nafeli hoped to see some flicker of nervousness on Kosta’s stoic face. Yet, just as during the Stormveil assault, there was nothing—not even a hint of emotion, as if nothing could faze him.
Of course, she was wildly mistaken. She had no idea what could truly make the great warrior's heart waver.
"Good luck, Konstantin!"
The warrior woman hoped with all her heart that the newcomer would be liked by the Two Fingers. Surely he would be!
The man shrugged indifferently and entered the dark chamber. So dark, in fact, that he began to suspect why the frail old woman seated next to the two massive fingers was blind.
Konstantin raised his gaze to the unsettling appendages, noticing how they quivered slightly at his presence. His first thought was:
‘I wonder what this thing does when it has an itch?’ (4)
Thankfully, neither the Finger Reader Crone nor the Two Fingers themselves could read the thoughts of the mighty Tarnished. The blind old woman, attuned to the twitching of the grotesque entity, spoke in a low, creaky voice:
“Are you the new Tarnished? You've done well. I am Enia, the Finger Reader. I interpret the words of the Fingers, envoys to the Greater Will.”
“Konstantin,” the man said, shrugging with disinterest.
He looked as though he’d wandered into a random, obligatory NPC encounter that he couldn’t skip rather than an audience with emissaries of the Greater Will. He was ready to forget this interaction the moment he left the room.
Enia coughed, then gestured toward the twitching Fingers.
“Look there. The Fingers tremble. To welcome you, shardbearer. Let their wisdom wash over you.”
The grotesque fingers began to tremble even more violently.
‘Maybe they really do want me to scratch them?’
Konstantin frowned.
Enia listened again to the movement of the Fingers before speaking once more in her hoarse voice:
“Great Elden Ring, root of the Golden Order. Anchor of all lands, giver of grace, wellspring of all joy. Until it was shattered. The tragic corruption of the Order has taken its toll. Across the realm, life lies in ruin. Fallen to pieces. Foul curses and misery spread, unabating. But the Greater Will has not abandoned the realm, nor the life that inhabits it. So it is that the Tarnished are guided by grace. Called to act. Brave Tarnished,”
“Just call me Kosta,” the man interjected.
If they didn’t want to say his full name, that was fine by him.
Enia glanced at him with mild irritation.
“Brave Kosta, your Great Rune is a handsome shard of the Elden Ring. Seek another of its kind.
To become Elden Lord, and restore the Golden Order. Let the words of the Fingers guide you”
The man rolled his eyes internally.
‘How? Are they going to point me in the right direction?’
Enia paused briefly after her speech.
“Perhaps you wish to know more, Tarnished?”
It took all of Kosta’s willpower not to ask if the Greater Will's envoys had hygiene problems and how they dealt with itching.
“No.”
Outside the room, Nepheli was waiting, visibly anxious for the newcomer. After all, meeting the envoys of the Greater Will was a rare and monumental occasion!
“Well? How did it go?”
Kosta glanced back at the door.
One day, he would uncover the terrifying truth.
“It was fine.”
“Great! Then let’s head to my adoptive father. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to meet you.”
Nepheli noticed that the usually indifferent man frowned, as if he were about to dodge-roll on the spot. Oddly enough, this cheered her up; something in the stronghold had finally stirred some kind of emotion in the Tarnished.
Surely, he was eager to meet their leader!
The leader’s study wasn’t much different from the rest of the stronghold, except that it was crammed with shelves of books and a large wooden desk where a man sat, immediately looking up as Konstantin and Nepheli entered.
The elderly Tarnished gave Nepheli a glance, silently instructing her to leave. She complied, leaving the men alone.
“Oh, this is a rare occasion. I can't remember the last time a new Tarnished made their way to the Roundtable. Very well. As your senior, I bid you welcome. It is safe here. You may let down your guard.”
The white-haired man stood and approached Konstantin, extending a hand in greeting.
A faint smile appeared on the Tarnished’s face.
“You've received the wisdom of the Two Fingers, have you not? Then, just as promised, I bid you welcome, as a true member of the Roundtable. I am known as Gideon Ofnir. As a Tarnished who wishes to stand before the Elden Ring and become Elden Lord, I am accumulating knowledge. To be all-knowing. You now belong to a select group of fellows. As such, I ask that you remain constant.”
Kosta did not take the offered hand. This was the man who manipulated his adoptive daughter and was partly responsible for the suffering of another Tarnished’s beloved creature. Hurting a waifu was a sin greater than even casual magic.
The fact that Gideon would later try to kill him several times concerned Kosta far less.
Were it not for Nepheli’s loyalty to her father, Kosta would have already executed a lethal roll.
Seeing his handshake ignored, Gideon quickly pivoted.
“Perhaps it’s not customary in your homeland,” he said, his smile becoming slyer. “You plan to seek out the other Great Runes, don’t you? Then allow me to…”
“I don’t need your help.”
Even so, he was grateful to Melina for giving him time to adjust.
Gideon’s smile didn’t falter for a moment.
“At last, the Roundtable Hold has found a true warrior after so long. I’m counting on you, my friend.”
It took every ounce of Kosta’s restraint not to break Gideon’s face on the spot.
One thought kept him in check:
“Did you speak with my father? Did he treat you well?”
Nepheli met him as soon as he exited Gideon’s study, her nervousness evident.
Kosta nodded impassively.
“It could’ve been worse.”
And that was the honest truth.
Nepheli exhaled in relief.
“In that case, welcome, Konstantin of the Tarnished! I hope you’ll agree to a sparring match someday. It would be a great honor, hahaha!”
Kosta froze as his inner Soulslike purist clashed with his waifu enthusiast in a nuclear explosion.
To roll-dodge... against a waifu?
The man’s vision darkened.
“I must go now, Konstantin,” Nepheli laughed, pounding her chest. “It was a pleasure to meet you. If you ever need help in battle, I’ll always be ready to lend you my axe!”
Now they were offering to make things easier for him.
Kosta stood by the Roundtable alone, reeling from the bloody internal clash between his hardcore instincts and his devotion to waifus.
He took a deep breath and exhaled before…
With stiff legs, he made his way toward the one who had helped countless tryhards survive their darkest crises.
Winding through the stronghold, he soon found himself in another room. There, sitting on a bed and reading a book, was the waifu who had once given—and then taken away—hope from countless martyrs.
Fia, the Deathbed Companion.
The blonde woman in modest attire looked up at the man in surprise, before offering him a soft, tender smile, like that of a loving mother.
“Greetings, brave soul, guided by grace. I am Fia.”
“Konstantin. Or just Kosta.”
Fia’s smile grew even gentler, exuding warmth. She closed her book, silently inviting him into the room.
It was as if she had been waiting for him all along.
"Circumstances have compelled my stay at the Roundtable Hold. Perhaps this will sound strange to you, but please, noble soul, allow me to embrace you. Perhaps your will to live and boundless courage will grant me strength."
The woman opened her arms with a loving smile, inviting the man into her embrace.
The great warrior, a tryhard, Soulslike aficionado, and no less a devoted waifu fan, didn’t ask any silly questions. He silently approached the woman, knelt before her, and allowed himself to be hugged.
Typically, wary Tarnished would question Fia's motives or even call her unpleasant names. But Konstantin was the first to comply without hesitation.
Surprised and delighted by the Tarnished's easy agreement, Fia reached out mentally to his essence, seeking to take a small portion of his warmth in exchange for her blessing. Then...
Her smile froze as she sensed something utterly unique.
“Y-your body radiates... greatness,” Fia whispered, struggling not to cry out. “I... I can feel it... In return, I grant you my blessing... the Blessing of the Baldachin... Do you find this vulgar? Where I come from, this is a sacred act...”
The warmth. It was too intense. Too concentrated. Too powerful. In her arms was not a mere human but something else—something incomprehensible and grand. She felt as if she had tried to touch the Sun. The real Sun.
She attempted to offer him a fragment of her blessing, but...
It was instantly absorbed by this Sun.
And it was definitely not a Great Rune.
“M-my Sun...” Fia murmured, stroking the now-relaxed man as guilt washed over her. “My blessing... i-it doesn’t work on you...”
The man, who had just relaxed into her embrace, opened his eyes wide, feeling his tired hardcore heart nearly stop.
“What do you mean?”
Fia opened her mouth to explain, then closed it, hesitating.
“I... I’m so sorry...”
What else could she say?!
Konstantin stood, his expression unreadable, and fixed the waifu with an icy gaze. In a low, calm voice, he asked:
"Would you like me to come back later?"
Fia blinked in surprise. It took her a moment to regain her composure.
“You would allow me to embrace you again, noble soul?”
“Konstantin. Just Kosta,” the Tarnished replied with a stern expression. “Yes.”
“But I... cannot...”
“It’s fine.”
A hug from one of the waifus was already beyond any reward. And the fact that he hadn’t felt any debuff? Even better. If there was one, he could always recover it with more runes anyway.
“I see...” Fia whispered, her eyes burning as she studied the Tarnished. “I will gladly welcome you, my Sun. Come back whenever you wish.”
Kosta, feeling his frozen heart begin to beat again, nodded with the utmost seriousness.
The woman watched the retreating madman, the strange energy from their embrace still burning within her. It was alive, warm, but not scalding. She wanted more of it.
And, surprisingly, she suddenly felt the urge to raise her hands and praise the Sun...
____________________________________
Melina felt... strange. She couldn’t pinpoint where this feeling came from. Of course, she couldn’t accompany her Tarnished to the Roundtable Hold. All she could do was hope he wouldn’t do anything foolish.
Even when Konstantin returned that evening (still fully dressed!), the odd unease lingered.
The maiden manifested before him as he sat by the blazing bonfire.
“Were you well-received, Konstantin?”
Seeing the smile appear on the Tarnished’s face, Melina frowned slightly without realizing it.
“It could’ve been worse.”
His answer did little to reassure her. Melina moved closer to Kosta, tilting her head.
“Did something good happen?”
Kosta was about to reply, but then stopped himself. Perhaps it was experience that made him reconsider.
“You could say that.”
Of course, Melina couldn’t afford to show outright indignation. But she really wanted to.
In the future, she resolved to join him on visits to the Hold. The risk couldn’t be that great, and it would be entirely justified.
"What do you plan to do next, Konstantin?"
The man shrugged, listening to something strange... within himself. The First Great Rune had indeed given him a sort of boost, but it felt so fleeting and secondary that he quickly forgot about it.
Konstantin sighed.
As much as he wanted to delay it, he knew he couldn’t escape his fate.
"I’ll have to visit the den of casuals..."
Melina tilted her head. She had been talking with her Tarnished for quite some time, so she understood what he meant.
Of course, her Tarnished knew exactly where he should go to eventually become the ruler of the Lands Between.
"Raya Lucaria Academy, Queen Rennala Fullmoon."
Melina frowned, thinking about how dangerous this might be. Much more dangerous than taking the Stormveil Castle alone and defeating the weakest demigod. The Academy carried its name in a very conditional sense. By scale, it was an entire city, one that even the queen and Goddess Marika’s army couldn’t suppress in the past.
This time, Melina would make sure that her Tarnished didn’t rush in recklessly, upsetting the entire Academy. The approach definitely needed to change!
Konstantin almost reflexively rolled, surprised by Melina’s thoughtful expression.
Whatever she was planning, for some reason, his inner Souls-liker screamed, foreseeing something terrible.
___________________________________________
(1) Predictably, this quest ends with the heroine’s death.
(2) According to lore, Queen Marika cursed a blacksmith, forcing him to forge a weapon capable of killing a god. This became his life’s purpose, which he pursued relentlessly.
(3) In no Soulslike game by FromSoftware will a character ever hold your hand through a quest.
(4) This question was first posed by the mangaka of Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree. Highly recommended!
Fia:
