Inside Ranni's Rise, The Gloam-eyed Queen lay comfortably on Ranni's bed, fiddling with a golden fallen leaf in her hand, and couldn't help but exclaim,
"The demigods of The Lands Between were just abandoned like that…"
The Elden Beast—or perhaps the Greater Will—after all the demigods suffered crushing defeats in the Shattering War, mercilessly summoned the Tarnished from beyond the fog to return to The Lands Between.
This undoubtedly meant that all the demigods had lost their qualifications to become king and were ruthlessly abandoned by the Greater Will.
"The struggle for the throne is even more demanding than becoming a god; the Greater Will absolutely does not allow the Elden Lord to have even the slightest experience of failure!"
Ranni, in her doll body, watched The Gloam-eyed Queen, who was treating her tower like her own home, with an expressionless face and nodded slightly in response, though a murderous glint occasionally flashed in her nimble eyes.
"A demigod can become a god, can become a king, but if nothing is achieved, they can only become a discarded pawn."
The Gloam-eyed Queen rolled over, lazily fluffed the quilt she was using as a pillow, and couldn't help but mutter curses under her breath:
"Marika, that cold-blooded little bitch, she treats her own offspring so cruelly. No wonder they all act like fathers abandon their sons and sons laugh at their fathers…"
Ranni raised an eyebrow and asked with interest,
"It seems you have a lot of experience in raising children?"
Ranni was very curious about how The Gloam-eyed Queen educated her offspring. After all, she didn't know Marika's level of education, and besides, she didn't have children herself and didn't know how to raise them.
"The Dragon Clan and the current Serpent Clan are all my offspring!"
In reality, the Serpent Clan was born from the combined power of the Gloam-Eyed Queen and the Blasphemous Serpent. They were not true blood descendants in the strict sense, but it could be said they were propagated by the power of the two.
Among them, those with pure blood were the Godskins, while those with diluted blood were the Serpent-Men. It could be said that all Serpent-Men in The Lands Between were products of her and the Blasphemous Serpent's power.
"..."
The Gloam-eyed Queen's indifferent words left Ranni speechless.
After all, the Serpent-Men's loyalty to the Gloam-Eyed Queen was well known in The Lands Between, not to mention the Dragons' loyalty to The Gloam-eyed Queen; all Dragons were willing to give their lives for him.
If they were all offspring of the Gloam-Eyed Queen, then it clearly formed a stark contrast to the demigods' behavior, who constantly tried to kill their fathers and marry their mothers.
"Speaking of which, are there no more matters to handle at Volcano Manor? You actually have free time to come here and play?"
Ranni tried to change the subject and asked The Gloam-eyed Queen.
"The children are grown. They have their own ideas. They complained that I, as their father, always caused trouble for them, so they kicked me out!"
The Gloam-eyed Queen covered her face, looking heartbroken, and squirmed around on Ranni's quilt like a maggot, completely crumpling her neatly folded bedding.
Several months had passed since the end of the Shattering War, and the chaos in The Lands Between had gradually subsided. Volcano Manor had also returned to being that peaceful paradise detached from the world.
However, due to their differing plans for the renovation of Volcano Manor, The Gloam-eyed Queen wanted to level it and build a technological city-state, while her unfilial children wanted to preserve Volcano Manor's original appearance as much as possible.
Their opinions clashed, and then The Gloam-eyed Queen was mercilessly kicked out of the house by those unfilial children, who stated that she was absolutely not allowed to interfere with any renovation matters.
With nowhere to go, The Gloam-eyed Queen came to her first wife's home, ready to be a leisurely slacker for a while.
"So, you ran here to cause trouble for me."
Ranni's cold voice rang out, and her gaze became even sharper, like a knife, as if to pierce the person before her.
"Don't be so heartless, little Ranni. We are the best allies. I haven't even taken back the other half of the Rune of Death and ruined your plans!"
The Gloam-eyed Queen sighed helplessly, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes.
"If you can take it out, then try."
Ranni's tone remained calm as water, not at all worried that The Gloam-eyed Queen could ruin her plans, as if she knew he was describing something impossible.
However, The Gloam-eyed Queen was fearless. She smiled and said,
"I know, of course I know. Without the Deathbed Companion sharing a bed with him, the Prince of Death will never release my Rune of Death. But that can't stump me, can it, little Ranni?"
The Gloam-eyed Queen's tone carried a hint of flippancy and confidence, which instantly caused a crack in Ranni's usually composed expression.
"Do you believe I'll kill you right now?"
She widened her eyes, looking at The Gloam-eyed Queen in disbelief, and cried out with some exasperation, her expression like that of a gambler who had lost everything.
In fact, Ranni and Marika were two gambling addicts.
They made a huge gamble, entangling the past and future of The Lands Between within it.
The entire story of Elden Ring could be said to have been orchestrated by the great gambler Marika and the small gambler Ranni. As for whether others were willing participants or not, it simply didn't matter.
But since it was a gamble, there was always the possibility of losing, and losing meant their sacrifices would become meaningless.
This was also the fact Ranni could least accept.
Therefore, at this moment, even though she had transformed into a doll, Ranni's expression was no longer calm. Her eyes were filled with killing intent, as if she could strike at any moment.
However, The Gloam-eyed Queen leisurely laughed.
She teased,
"Hey, Ranni, are you interested in seeing the world beyond The Lands Between? The true starry sky beyond?
You know me. I've been out exploring for tens of thousands of years! There are endless possibilities and adventures waiting for us there. You don't need to confine yourself to The Lands Between!"
Upon hearing this, Ranni's expression subtly changed, and her gaze flickered for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure with firm resolve.
"No, not at all!"
"Hehehe~~"
Although Ranni quickly firmed up her thoughts, The Gloam-eyed Queen still caught her momentary slip.
Her voice revealed a hint of insincerity, as if some desire was hidden deep within her heart.
The Blasphemous Serpent slithered out from The Gloam-eyed Queen's robes. Its crimson forked tongue flickered constantly, as if savoring the scent in the air.
It slowly crawled to Ranni's cheek, licked it gently, and then said in a mocking tone,
"That's the taste of a lie, little Ranni. It's fine to lie to your sisters, but don't lie to yourself!"
Ranni's eyes sharpened.
She stared intently at the Blasphemous Serpent, seemingly displeased by its behavior.
The Gloam-eyed Queen spoke next, his tone calm and firm, as if stating a fact.
"You constantly want to escape this cage, constantly want to gain freedom. You are the stars in the sky, not a meteorite confined to the ground."
The Gloam-eyed Queen's gaze met Ranni's, attempting to break her disguise and make her confront her true feelings.
However, The Gloam-eyed Queen's words quickly calmed Ranni down.
A hint of vigilance flashed in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth curled into a cold smile.
She glanced sideways at the Blasphemous Serpent coiled around her, her eyes gleaming with cold light. The power of the Dark Moon began to gather, and a chilling aura spread, dispelling the alluring influence released by the serpent.
"I do long for freedom and the starry sky. At some point in the future, I might accept your invitation and leave with you, but not now.
If escaping could solve problems, I could have left this damned The Lands Between long ago, couldn't I?
Tell me, what do you really want?
Stop trying to tempt me. Tell me your true purpose, otherwise, get out."
Ranni's voice was firm and resolute.
She knew her responsibilities and mission and could not give up easily.
Although she yearned for freedom, she knew it wasn't the right time. What she wanted was to completely free The Lands Between from the Two Fingers' grasp, not to leave alone in disgrace.
"Alright, I want to know where my children are."
"???"
"Marika used my corpse and power to give birth to two children. They inherited my law, but I'm certain that my power would never conform to the Golden Order and become a mere tributary.
Marika, that heartless old bitch, must have banished them from The Lands Between, just like she treated the Omen brothers in the sewers.
So, I must know, where did Marika hide them?"
Although Ranni dispelled the Blasphemous Serpent's influence, the temptation still stirred the longing in her heart and served its intended purpose.
At this moment, Ranni was at her most approachable and most amenable to negotiation.
The Gloam-eyed Queen naturally no longer concealed his objective and directly stated his demand.
"Messmer the Impaler?"
A gentle and kind figure appeared in Ranni's mind, and she couldn't help but recall her former older brother.
He was their mother's true firstborn and the most obedient of all the demigods.
He yearned for love more than anyone, yet he never received his mother's true affection.
Marika merely treated him as a useful tool, a loyal dark glove, and even banished him along with the Hornsent civilization during the Golden Dynasty's holy war against the Hornsent.
"Messmer the Impaler was banished to the Land of Shadow by Marika."
Ranni provided the answer.
"Where's that? How come I've never heard of it?"
The Gloam-eyed Queen asked curiously.
The term "Land of Shadow" was something The Gloam-eyed Queen, who had played the game, had never heard before.
"That's a place created after you died."
Ranni continued to explain:
"Under the earliest Golden Order, there once existed two great trees: the Erdtree and the Scadutree.
The Erdtree was a symbol of day, representing blessings such as honesty, kindness, light, and justice, and it upheld the Golden Order.
The Scadutree, on the other hand, was a symbol of night, bearing the impurities of the Golden Order. The evil powers brought by the Erdtree that could not be digested were all expelled to the Scadutree.
Therefore, the Scadutree gradually became dark, twisted, and evil, no longer conforming to the image of the Golden Order. Its existence was a blemish on Marika's life and a flaw in the Golden Order.
So, Marika launched a holy war against the Hornsent, and at the cost of her divine power, the entire Hornsent race, half of Leyndell, Royal Capital, and the center of The Lands Between, she severed the Scadutree from the Golden Order.
However, as the shadow of the Erdtree, the Scadutree possessed power comparable to the Erdtree. So in the spatial storm created by its severance, it established the Land of Shadow,
becoming a caged world attached to The Lands Between, yet completely independent and self-governing, where even the blessings of the Golden Order could not reach.
And only Marika in all of The Lands Between possessed the method to open the gate to the Land of Shadow, so she threw countless pieces of trash into it,
causing it to become increasingly chaotic and dark, a forbidden taboo that could not be spoken of in The Lands Between. After Marika's death, no one dared open the Land of Shadow!"
"Understood."
The Gloam-eyed Queen nodded, finally understanding what the Land of Shadow truly was.
To put it simply, it was a small, dark, caged world without blessings or faith.
This might not mean much in other worlds, but in The Lands Between, having no faith or blessings meant losing the meaning of existence.
And those creatures thrown there could only struggle for survival in the darkness, gradually becoming twisted and insane.
The Gloam-eyed Queen then asked:
"Then what about my other child? If Messmer is a serpent, then Melina, a child who truly inherited my power of Destined Death, where is she?"
What made The Gloam-eyed Queen even more curious was his other child—Melina.
Since Messmer had already appeared, where was Melina?
Why did Melina appear in spirit form? Where was her physical body? What did Marika do to her?
"I don't know. I've never heard that name, nor do I know of her existence. Perhaps it is precisely because of the power she wields that Marika completely hid her."
Ranni shook her head in confusion, indicating that she knew nothing about Melina.
According to the Gloam-Eyed Queen, if Melina was born with Messmer, she should be their elder sister.
However, Ranni had never heard of her existence, which also surprised her. It seemed Marika had many things hidden from her.
"Never heard of her?"
The Gloam-eyed Queen frowned, a hint of helplessness rising in his heart.
She had originally thought that Ranni, as Marika's collaborator, would know something about Melina.
But now it seemed Melina was deeply hidden by Marika, and perhaps even all of The Lands Between did not know of her existence.
Coupled with Melina being a spirit, if she didn't want to appear, it would indeed be difficult for anyone to discover her.
Facing such a tricky situation, The Gloam-eyed Queen felt a headache for a moment.
However, since she had already obtained the information he wanted, The Gloam-eyed Queen decided not to linger there.
No matter how much she thought, she probably wouldn't find his two foolish children who had been completely swayed by Marika.
However, where there's a will, there's a way.
The Shattering War was like an examination among demigods, but now all the demigods were out of the game, and only outsiders could be brought in to continue the examination.
However, the Tarnished are beings not accepted by the Erdtree, so for them to enter the Erdtree and reforge the Elden Ring, they need to burn the Erdtree and break the seal upon it.
Melina, as the kindling meant to burn the Erdtree, will inevitably appear beside the blessed, guiding them until the Erdtree burns.
As long as she continued to follow the plot, Melina would eventually appear, and the wheels of fate would one day bring her back to his side.
...
...
Over the distant sea, a thick mist permeated the horizon, as if enveloping the entire world.
However, within this mist, some mysterious existences seemed to be quietly approaching.
They returned from overseas, carrying endless mysteries and unknown destinies, setting foot upon the land of The Lands Between.
"The Tarnished have returned!"
This sound echoed like thunder across the sky, breaking the original tranquility of The Lands Between.
In the distant past, the First Elden Lord, Godfrey, led his army to conquer the four corners of The Lands Between,
but as time passed, the war gradually subsided, and the eyes of the king and his warriors gradually lost their color.
They no longer possessed grace, were scorned by the world as Tarnished, and were forced to sail away from The Lands Between to an unknown shore in search of a new home.
However, at this moment, the blessing of the Erdtree descended once more, even resurrecting many deceased Tarnished warriors.
These once-forgotten souls had now returned to The Lands Between, becoming a new force in this land.
Due to the different physiques and worlds of each person, the time it took for the Tarnished to return to The Lands Between varied greatly.
However, no matter where they came from, they would all appear at the same location—the Chapel of Anticipation in Limgrave.
This place was once a religious site established by the Golden Lineage, its original purpose being to await the return of Godfrey, the king of the Golden Lineage.
But now, this chapel was no longer a place of hope for the Golden Lineage, but the beginning of their endless nightmare.
Because the Tarnished would continuously emerge from here and, guided by grace, tear the Golden Lineage to shreds.
These Tarnished, fresh from another world, exuded a strong aura of battle.
They harbored the dream of repairing the Elden Ring and becoming Elden Lord, bravely moving forward.
Although they did not know what the Elden Ring truly meant, it was their only chance to regain the grace of the Golden Order.
The power of immortality, for the Golden Lineage, had long become a torment; but for the Tarnished, it was the supreme grace.
...
...
The Gloam-eyed Queen rode an ox-horse captured from the spirit world, carrying a huge satchel and becoming a wandering merchant, roaming the lands of The Lands Between.
His ox-horse carried various items in its satchel. These items might not be rare, and even if they weren't bought, the Tarnished could obtain them through their own efforts.
However, for those newly returned Tarnished, they were the best things for saving time.
For the Tarnished, every minute and every second was precious. Hundreds and thousands of Tarnished were continuously returning, and the earlier they gained power, the greater their advantage.
Unbeknownst to him, the spirit-world ox-horse had already carried The Gloam-eyed Queen to Limgrave, entering Godrick's territory.
And at this moment, within Stormveil Castle in Limgrave, little Godrick was drinking and acting insane.
He held a wine glass, his face flushed, his eyes glazed, and he mumbled some nonsense:
"I am the Golden King! Ah... hahahahaha..."
It turned out that the Great Rune he possessed, passed down through generations of the Golden Lineage, was called the Great Rune of the Elden Ring, located at the center of the Elden Ring and possessing the power to connect all other Great Runes.
It was precisely this power that enabled Godrick to perform the forbidden art of Grafting, attaching the limbs of strong individuals onto himself to enhance his own power.
However, after Godrick was captured, no one else attempted Grafting.
But ever since he was humiliated by the Valkyrie, Godrick had fallen into madness due to his lack of power.
After trying various methods and failing to gain more strength, he had no choice but to turn his attention to the Grafting ritual.
However, when he began attempting this forbidden practice, the Erdtree revoked his qualification as king, which infuriated him.
"What do you mean abandoned by the Greater Will? I am the king of the Golden Lineage!"
He roared furiously.
When the message carried by the falling leaves reached little Godrick's ears, a subtle change occurred in his state of mind.
It was like a sprint race where you were leisurely and carefree on the track, only to suddenly learn that you had lost your qualification to compete. Little Godrick's mentality instantly collapsed.
"From the moment you began Grafting, you lost your qualification to be king."
Led by a Banished Knight, The Gloam-eyed Queen arrived opposite Godrick, coldly observing the gradually twisted Godrick the Golden, who had already begun Grafting, and decided to keep his distance from the maddened Godrick.
In fact, the Grafting ritual violated the principle of regression in Golden Order Fundamentalism. Those whose limbs were taken would be unable to return to the Erdtree.
This itself was an act of blasphemy against the Golden Order.
From the moment Godrick began Grafting, he was expelled from this struggle for power.
"Ah, these damned Tarnished, I will surely chop off their hands...!"
After another bout of madness, Godrick slumped powerlessly in his seat, glaring resentfully into the distance.
At the same time, Morgott, who had been silently observing from the shadows, shook his head helplessly, greatly disappointed by Godrick's actions.
Nevertheless, as the descendant of his eldest brother's line, Morgott was still somewhat concerned about his safety, so he sent out a projection to guard the front of the throne room and ensure Godrick would not be easily defeated by the Tarnished.
"What are you doing here?"
Morgott questioned The Gloam-eyed Queen in a serious tone.
"I am waiting for someone—a Tarnished who has returned from Ashina!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure appeared like lightning below Stormveil Castle.
Beside a Site of Grace beneath the castle wall, a man dressed as a samurai stood quietly, his gaze firm and calm.
When he turned to look at The Gloam-eyed Queen, illuminated by the faint glow of grace, The Gloam-eyed Queen saw a pair of wise and resolute gray eyes.
"Tarnished, do you also harbor the ambition of becoming king?"
Morgott, who had followed closely behind, saw the man and couldn't help but question him.
"No... I am merely an ordinary samurai from the Land of Reeds."
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