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Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, and all rights for characters, plots and settings belong to G.R.R. Martin and FromSoftware. I have no ownership.
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The warrior jar once told the nameless man this: "You are not yet ready to join the warriors inside. No, you must apply yourself! Better yourself, and one day I will return for you."
The jars contain dregs inherited from those who came before. Thus are warriors passed from jar to jar, carrying dreams of greatness.
Though the jars are brought to life by human flesh and blood, they are all rather kindly folk. Perhaps they were made to be better than their innards.
They offer their prayers to the innards of the greatjars, such that they might be reborn one day into sainthood. This is the cycle of death and rebirth, taken into the hands of mortal men.
Have you met Uncle Alexander? He used to live here with us, but then he left, to be a champion. I asked to go with him, but he said "The path of champions must be trod alone". So heroic, right? I miss him though. If you see him, you should ask him to teach you how to fight, coz. He's big and tough and strong!
Uncle Alexander said he won't be back again. "My home is of the past. And the past, as they say, is a different country." I suppose that's part of being a warrior, isn't it. So...please don't tell anyone, coz, but... I'm actually a warrior jar as well! One day, I'll be just like Uncle Alexander. And I'll have to leave the village to become a champion.
Do you know what a poacher is, coz? They hunt us, smash us, and then take us away. This village is kept secret, so I think we're safe here. But you should be careful if you ever meet one of them, coz. I hope uncle Alexander beats them all up, first...
Wow, coz, are these... Insides? From Uncle Alexander? ... Thank you, coz. I'm a warrior jar, so I need to be strong. I can really have them, right? I understand. I'll get strong. Strong enough I deserve to have Uncle's insides. I don't think I'll see you again, when I set out. Warriors are supposed to work alone.
Jar-Bairn
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Limgrave
973 year AS (After Shattering of the Elden Ring)
Three days after visit in Roundtable Hold
Aerion
The last few days since his visit to the Roundtable Hold had been perhaps the most active he had experienced since arriving in the Lands Between.
Along with over three dozen Tarnished, mostly those without Guidance of Grace, who had sworn to his service, he was clearing Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula.
Bernahl and Rogier took a few more men to the Peninsula to completely pacify it, while Nepheli was to take over Fort Haight, the second most important stronghold in Limgrave after Stormveil Castle itself.
Godrick's former seat, now serving as the capital of Aerion's newly formed kingdom, was also being cleaned up, purged of enemies.
Hundreds of Godrick's former soldiers were put to work, under the watchful eye of Gideon, who was once again kept a watchful eye on by Melina, though she was not particularly pleased about his presence.
Aerion himself, thanks to his transference from the previously awakened Site of Grace, was working hard. Perhaps his greatest success with Corhyn's help was convincing the Stormhills trolls to serve and aid in the rebuilding of the continent.
Four dozen creatures, as large as houses and incredibly strong, would prove fruitful not only in the rebuilding itself, where there was no end of work to be done, but also, when properly armed and armored, the trolls were a formidable opponent.
Aerion imagined a whole array of these creatures clad in heavy armor and armed with swords, hammers, and axes the size of small trees. It would be Bernahl's task later to train them properly.
With these thoughts in mind, he headed east toward Summonwater Village and then on to border with Caelid, urging Torrent on. Near the Saintsbridge Site of Grace, his trusty mount did something unexpected, suddenly turning right and leaping like a mountain goat onto the hills lining the road.
It was then that he heard a deep male voice carrying through the air, calling for help.
"Hello-o? Can you hear me? Help me! I'm stuck. Hello? Hellooo! Anyone!"
Aerion spurred Torrent on and started toward where he thought the voice had come from. Meanwhile, the cry repeated several times, leading him to what looked like a massive ravine partially buried in the ground.
Except this ravine was moving and shaking, calling out, "Hello? Can you hear me? Help me! I'm stuck. Hello? Anyone."
Aerion realized that his suspicions that he was dealing with a human crying for help were wrong. However, given his previous experience, he couldn't have expected the voice to belong to Warrior Jar.
All creatures of this kind had previously not only been hostile towards him but also uttered no sound.
Aerion, riding closer, jumped off Torrent's back, making a soft thud that must have drawn the creature's attention.
"Oh my stars, I'm so happy to see you! I am Alexander, also known as the Iron Fist. And as you can see, I'm stuck here. Please, can you help me out of this?"
Aerion raised a slight eyebrow, amazed by the eloquence and culture of this Warrior Jar. This encounter could have completely changed his perception of this race.
Shrugging, he replied, "Sure. Give me a moment."
"My thanks! A thousand thanks! Just give me a good smack from the back with something nice and big. Put all doubts to rest; I'll be just fine. I'm very well trained. Give it your all, I say!"
Aerion shook his head slightly, then grabbed Alexander right off the ground and, without much effort, pulled him out and set him on his feet, which were growing out of the bottom of the jar.
"Ahh! Well played, good lady/sir. Well played. Ha ha ha ha! Well, I'm out now, and that's what counts. I thank you."
"You're welcome. You were in need, so it's only natural that I helped," Aerion replied.
"Once again, thank you; the pleasure is mine. I am the warrior jar known as Alexander, Iron Fist Alexander, in fact. I journey to the east, where I intend to further my education in the ways of war.
Beyond these lands lie the scarlet rot-blighted Caelid wilds.
And upon their southern edge is Redmane Castle, in which a festival of combat is being held. I'd heard whispers of such festivities before... Doesn't the notion set your breast aflutter? Ha ha ha ha!
I'm heading there. To Redmane Castle on the southern edge of the scarlet rot-blighted Caelid Wilds. I've heard there's to be a festival held there. I'm heading eastward."
He smiled at these words, seeing that he was dealing with an honorable and brave warrior.
"I am Aerion, Tarnished." He introduced himself by extending his hand, which the warrior jar took and shook.
"Hahaha. I've heard of you, noble Tarnished. You are the slayer of that foul monster Godrick and, from what they say, the new ruler of this land," Alexander replied with a laugh. "It's an honor to meet such a great warrior."
Aerion frowned at these words and asked, "Hmh. I didn't know my name had spread so quickly through Limgrave?"
"Hahaha. No, perhaps it's too soon for that. Today I heard your name for the first time, noble warrior. But word of the brave Tarnished, with eye glowing with the golden light of Grace, who travels through Limgrave, slaying dragons, the Black Cavalry, and even defeated Fell Omen and Godrick the Grafted, spread in the blink of an eye."
Aerion nodded with a small smile. "Aye, that eye is hard to miss. Plus, it's useful in the dark."
"Ha. Probably. "Although, if my eyes aren't deceiving me and the knowledge hasn't faded over the years, it must be a Great Rune, I presume?" the warrior jar replied, his tone questioning.
Aerion nodded. "You're partially right. Just a few days ago, it was a Great Rune, but now it's something more. A fragment of the partially mended Elden Ring. That's why sooner or later, I'll also go to Caelid."
"I assume your goal is Redmane Castle, or rather, General Radahn, the exalted warrior."
Aerion nodded. "Among other things. However, I must admit that the situation in this land also worries me. The last thing I need is for the ever-expanding Scarlet Rot to spread from Caelid to here."
"Heh. What happened to this land is truly terrible," Alexander admitted with a sigh. "I've heard rumors that the Redmane are still fighting the Rot fervently in many places across the continent."
"Aye. For hundreds of years... However, it's a fight ultimately doomed to failure." Caelid is not only too vast to effectively block the spread of Scarlet Rot, but the origin of this corruption is divine, or at least otherworldly," Aerion said, remounting Torrent.
"If fate serves, we'll meet again at Redmane Castle. For now, however, I'm off to scout the border to see if Scarlet Rot is spreading westward. Then I have a trip to Liurnia. So it could be many months before I set foot in Caelid again," he added, bidding farewell to Warrior Jar.
Aerion knew deep down that he wasn't ready to face Radahn, even if the mightiest of the Demigods was a mere shadow of his former self.
He believed that the most important quality not only of a warrior, but also of a leader, was the ability to choose the battles that needed to be fought. The right place and time often mattered more than anything else.
And so it was now. Aerion felt he needed time. Time to grow stronger, and time to find a way to cleanse Caelid of the corruption that had befallen it.
Liurnia was also the most suitable destination now, given the potential conquest of these lands. Yes, they were incredibly vast, but also fertile and rich, and for now, they were left to their own devices.
The Royal Lucaria Academy cut itself off from the outside world, sheltering behind its magical barriers, while the surrounding lands were governed by the law of might.
Even Gideon agreed that this was the wisest move, and as much as he was the old Tarnished, he couldn't deny him his knowledge and experience.
Limgrave would slowly rebuild itself, and he would prepare Liurnia to join his budding kingdom.
"Well, I hope we are destined to fight alongside each other in the future, especially against an opponent like General Radahn. I wish you a safe journey, Aerion," Warrior Jar replied with conviction in his voice.
"Farewell, Alexander, be careful not to get stranded again." He bade him farewell once more, then hurried Torrent east.
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Stormveil Castle
973 year AS (After Shattering of the Elden Ring)
Day after meeting with Alexander.
Aerion
The vast dining hall where he had slain the Grafted Scion a few days ago was almost deserted, save for Gideon Ofnir, Melina, Corhyn, and a few other Tarnished.
Hastily restored, it might not yet be suitable for hosting banquets, but at least it wasn't the ruins left after their battle.
After his visit to the border and confirmation that the Rot wasn't advancing towards Limgrave, effectively held back by the Redmane Army for now, he returned to Stormveil Castle to finally unleash the power he had gained from the partial mend of the Elden Ring.
He looked at his pool of runes, once again accumulated over the past few days. He added another 85,000 to his initial 37,000.
And with the two million he received for slaying Two Fingers—though he considered this more as Greater Will reclaiming what belonged to her and redistributing it—he had over 2,100,000 runes.
He could have strengthened himself considerably with this number, or he could have done something else. Ruling an entire continent required manpower and, above all, loyal people.
Of the Tarnished who were currently following him, he was certain only of Bernahl, Rogier, and Roderica. The rest could betray him at any moment or simply go their separate ways.
The only remaining path was the one offered by the Elden Ring. So he closed his right eye, leaving only his left open, and held out his right hand, palm up.
A moment later, a ball of golden light appeared just above his palm, seemingly composed of thousands of tiny runes. Looking at her for a moment, finally deciding to take this step, he clenched his fist.
A sound like shattering glass echoed through the chamber, and when he opened his fist, a stream of runes flew from it, which a moment later transformed into a golden vortex before him, slowly forming into something solid.
First appeared the animal's legs, then an armored torso, with two human legs in greaves forming at the side of the saddle, and then everything else. After perhaps half a minute, Tree Sentinel stood before him in all his glory, mounted on his mount.
The same Tree Sentinel he had slain with incredible luck on his first day in the Lands Between. Sounds of shock and surprise came from Gideon and the other Tarnished. They didn't know why he had gathered them here, after all.
For a few seconds, Tree Sentinel sat motionless on his horse, as if unaware of where he was. But that passed. The knight dismounted with more grace than his size and mass should have allowed.
Then he removed his helmet, revealing the scarred, smooth-shaven face of a bald man who still towered twice as tall as him.
Aerion, however, felt no nervousness, having long since ceased to be the same weak man who had first faced this knight. Now he was a demigod and a shardbearer.
A moment later, however, something happened that surprised not only him but everyone else. Tree Sentinel fell to one knee before him, bowing his head in respect.
"I, Aurelius, answer your call, Your Majesty. Purified in the golden light of Grace and ripped from the cycle of desperation, I live to serve you, my King." The man's deep voice echoed loudly through the chamber.
Aerion stood for a moment, looking at the massive knight, who still knelt in respect, even reverence. A smile slowly spread across his face, small at first, then growing, full of triumph.
"Arise, Aurelius. Knight of the Golden Tree," he said aloud. "From now on, you are not simply one of the Tree Sentinels, but the first of the knights of the New Order. You are the commander of the Knights of the Radiant Order."
Aurelius rose, towering over both Aerion and the others in the chamber. His eyes shone with pride and zeal.
More than satisfied with the entire event, Aerion glanced quickly at his runes. The total pool had decreased by 8 000, exactly quarter of what he had received for defeating the Tree Sentinel.
Was it a worthy price for such a powerful, loyal servant? Absolutely. Would the same apply to the others? That remained to be seen.
Time to try to revive another. He frowned thoughtfully, asking himself a very important question. Will Agheel prove just as loyal?
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Leyndell
973 year AS (After Shattering of the Elden Ring)
Few days later
Morgott
His fingers tapped a soft rhythm against the armrest of the throne, hardly conveying the unease that raged within him. This new Tarnished, Aerion, who had appeared out of nowhere, had given him quite a headache.
Not only had he defeated his own avatar, who had sown terror outside the capital for the past nine centuries, relentlessly hunting the Tarnished, but he had also slain Godrick, which wasn't so surprising. The fool was weak, after all.
However, the truly disturbing news was coming from Limgrave. Morgott had expected that, after defeating Godrick, the Tarnished, in his arrogance and ambition, would immediately go after another Great Rune.
Instead, he gathered the remaining Tarnished from that damned Roundtable Hold around himself and began to purge and take control of the continent.
What remained of Godrick's army, as well as any remaining bandits and other cursed souls in Limgrave, were put to work rebuilding.
Only a few days had passed, so progress had been minimal so far, but the very idea of consolidating his power and beginning to build a kingdom was unsettling.
And that wasn't the worst of it. Yesterday, he received the worst news yet from his spy among the Tarnished in Limgrave. Aerion did indeed have favors with Greater Will.
According to his own words at the Roundtable Hold, he partially succeeded in mending the Elden Ring by combining two Great Runes, one of which was the fundamental Rune, the Rune of Life.
Of course, Morgott knew from the moment of their fight at Stormveil Castle that the latter possessed his mother's Rune, but possessing it was one thing; using it for what he did was another.
In addition, the news that this Aerion could revive his defeated opponents was undoubtedly the most disturbing. Of course, his first instinct was to laugh at his spy's words.
However, when fresh reports reached him from Limgrave, speaking of a Tree Sentinel patrolling it again, of a dragon flying above the land, and even hundreds of Godrick's former knights and soldiers in the service of the new ruler of Stormveil Castle, he could no longer ignore it.
Had he truly underestimated this man? Had he fallen so far into pride and arrogance over the centuries? Possibly. Yet he couldn't deny the excitement rising deep within him.
Excitement at the thought of a worthy opponent who would pose a challenge.
Suddenly, the thick hair covering his shoulders stood on end, and his keen instincts sent a warning signal. Something had triggered the defenses he had set up around the capital. Something dangerous had entered his domain.
Grabbing his staff, he quickly rose and left his chamber. He looked to the northeast, where he sensed a breach in the defenses.
The road to the Mountaintop of the Giants. Who could have come from there, getting past the guards he left there? ' he thought in surprise, then broke into a run and launched himself high into the air.
Then, leaping across the rooftops, he reached the gate leading to the bridge in a matter of minutes, landing right in front of the enemy who was slaughtering his soldiers.
The moment he landed, he knew who he was dealing with, and with a palpable pang, he closed his eyes, hoping it was just a bad dream. What on Erdtree was this cursed woman doing here?
The last thing he needed was for his beloved Leyndell to suffer the same fate as Caelid. How was his sister still alive?
Seeing him too, Malenia stopped the slaughter of his soldiers, standing calmly in front of him, while another female knight, probably Loretta, accompanied her and stood a few meters behind her.
The brief silence that followed gave him time to take a closer look at her, and he had to admit he felt even a little drunk at the pitiful sight.
As he remembered, she still had only one relatively complete limb, while her legs and right arm ended in prosthetics. She was probably still blind, and Scarlet Rot was consuming her insides. It was truly astonishing how this woman was still one of the greatest warriors the Lands Between had ever known.
"Morgott." The woman greeted him briefly, her voice melodic and calm, just as he remembered. Surprisingly, Rot hadn't eaten her throat and vocal cords.
"Malenia," he replied, nodding slightly in response, a gesture of respect between two demigods. "Could thou kindly tell me why thou're here and why thou're killing mine people?"
"I'm looking for Miquella," she replied curtly, sending a wave of irritation through him.
Grinding his teeth, he asked, "And that's why thou're trespassing on mine domain and killing mine people? What does that have to do with thy brother?"
Malenia cocked her head to the side. "Firstly, our brother. And secondly, he was kidnapped by your cursed twin, Mogh. Where is he?" she replied, taking a step forward, impatience clearly creeping into her tone, a hint of something that could have been both a threat and a desperate plea.
Morgott frowned at her words. Mogh had kidnapped Miquella. Surprising, yet possible. His twin had placed himself in the service of the Formless Mother; that alone suggested he was troubled.
He shrugged and replied, "Well, I'd say I'm sorry, but that wouldn't be true. But the question remains: What do I have to do with this??"
Malenia stepped closer to him so that only a few inches separated them, though he was still the one looking down at her.
"Don't play games with me," Malenia replied, her tone cutting through the air like a sword blade, and Morgott felt the hairs on his body rise again. This woman was not only dangerous but probably insane. And she was definitely fixated on her brother.
"If anyone knows where your wretched twin kidnapped Miquella, it must be you. Tell me, and I'll be on my way."
Morgott wanted to tell her right then and there that he had no idea and that it was best to go on his way; otherwise, fate would decide which of them would escape alive. But then a brilliant solution to all the problems currently troubling him occurred to him.
"Well, first, I assure thou, I don't know where mine brother is hiding, or where he could have taken Miquella," he began. Seeing Malenia tense up as if ready to attack, he raised his hand. "Let me finish."
"I don't know where he is, but I know where thou can find the answer," he said in his most convincing tone, his insides squirming at the thought of having to resort to such snaky methods.
Malenia froze at his words, and after a moment of brief reflection, she said, "Speak. But quickly; my patience has its limits."
Morgott smiled at these words. "Of course, Sister. It's Limgrave. Thou will find thy answers there."
Malenia tilted her head again as if in contemplation. "Limgrave? Are you telling me to seek answers from that fool Godrick?"
Morgott shook his head. "Absolutely not. Godrick is dead. Tarnished, who slew him, reigns there now. Tarnished, who, according to my spies, serves the same master as Mogh, the Outer God known as Formless Mother. If anyone knows the location of my twin brother, it's him."
He could see from her demeanor that Malenia didn't entirely believe him, but she was clearly desperate enough to find Miquella that she was grasping for any scrap of information she could.
"Remember," she said to him after a moment's thought, "if you lied to me, I will return to you and not only kill you, but in my final act, I will release the Scarlet Rot within me."
With those words, she walked past him, heading towards the city, and Loretta followed her. Morgott watched them, hoping they might kill each other with this Tarnished, freeing him from both of them.
Malenia, Blade of Miquella Images