"Ow." The Tarnished pushed Ordovis off of him as he stood up. "You've gotten a lot stronger Ordovis." The Tarnished helped the Crucible Knight to his feet, and then lightly punched his chestplate with a smile. "Now, because of you, Irina will live and her father will return to a daughter that lives."
Ordovis nodded, triumphantly standing there with his sword and shield. They then heard the moans of what sounded like a wounded animal, looking to where they landed to see a boss they had killed a few thousand times before. "Leonine Misbegotten, seems we wounded it." He walked over to the crushed demihuman, picking up the sword it had stolen, the Grafted Blade. A giant sword made out of hundreds of other randomly sized blades.
He looked at the blade with a curious gaze. "I should have the skill to do what Im thinking of." He gripped the blade hard as he put his focus into doing something to it. Ordovis watched silently from the side, trying his hardest not to question his lord. The blade itself had no change, until a small creaking noise occurred. One by one the blades of the blade began to detach and float about. Once all of the blades were in the air circling, the Tarnished let out a sigh of relief.
"Marika makes it seem so simple, she truly is strong." The blades shot down and ended the Leonine Misbegotten. Ordovis looked surprised, and looked wary of the blades, still worried his lord could be overtaken at any moment. Then they all fell to the ground, and he looked to his lord who threw the hilt of the blade to the ground, before reaching behind him and grabbing at nothing, pulling an even stronger version of the blade from his inventory.
Ordovis was dumbfounded as even sharper and stronger blades detached from the "sword" until it was just a hilt again and the blades floated. The blades began to float low to the ground and lined themselves up just above the ground. They were in a perfect line, so much so that his lord was capable of standing on them.
The Tarnished looked towards Ordovis and beckoned him to step onto the platform crafted from the blades. Ordovis looked at the sword being used as a flying rug and then back to his lord, choosing to instead head towards the gate that originally led to the Leonine Misbegotten.
The Tarnished rolled his eyes, and flicked his finger upwards. The blades shot him into the air stopping their ascent when they were just a bit higher than the platform that the Lord of Castle Morne rested on. He used the blades like a staircase stepping down to where the Lord and sending the blades back to his inventory in their original form for later use.
Edgar, the lord of Castle Morne, stared cautiously at the Tarnished, and gripped his blade at the sight of the Grafted Blade he was supposed to keep. "Who are you?" The Tarnished kneeled to Edgar and stood up, smoothly pulling the letter out for the man to read. Edgar read the letter and shed a tear as his heart began to pound in worry for his daughter. The Tarnished laid a hand on his shoulder, and spoke to the man calmly. "Do not worry for her, she is well guarded. All of her pursuers have been slain by now, just come with me and you and Irina will be together again." Edgar shook his head, and stubbornly planted the tip of his blade into the stone floor.
"No, a lord must remain with his keep. I will not tarnish my honor by abandoning my pla--" The Tarnished slammed the Grafted Blade down in front of the man. He stared at the stunned lord, and stared him down. "Godrick, the Grafted, will not stand for much longer, I will come to rule the Lands Between, so abandon this castle, it will be returned to you another day." His presence was threatening, comforting, and it stole the very breath from Edgars lungs. The man nodded and stood up, as if the Tarnished had spread his memories of endless triumphs over into the lords head. The Tarnished nodded but was interrupted by Ordovis being slammed into the ground in between him and Edgar. The spirit returned to the abyss, and Edgar looked confused at the Tarnished wondering what a crucible knight in spirit form was doing here. "Nothing here was capable of killing Ordovis, something is different. Edgar, go to Irina, she rest near the bridge to leave the Peninsula."
Edgar nodded and grabbed his sword dashing down deeper into the castle, hoping daughter had not been harmed. The Tarnished remained on the platform, he could feel what had killed Ordovis and it was climbing up towards him at a slow pace, seemingly feeling his presence too. Each loud crash shook the whole castle as his opponent climbed up to him. Then it was finally time for them to meet. A clawed hand appeared over the ledge that the Tarnished was facing impatiently, sinking its claws into the ground as it pulled up the rest of its body. The Tarnished grit his teeth in irritation as Maliketh revealed himself and stood in front of him, barely fitting on the landing. "How...are you here."
Maliketh, didn't answer at first inspecting the Tarnished before raising his sword above himself and preparing to kill the Tarnished. "You could not be the one my sister seeks." The Tarnished rolled his eyes.
SLAM!
Smoke settled as the black flames engulfed the man and permanently scorched the stone underneath his feet. Maliketh, assuming the job was done, began to turn around and dragged his blade behind him. Or he attempted to drag it, seemingly stuck in the stone platform that he slammed it into. He turned around to see the man, holding his blade with one hand untouched by the black flames. The man let the blade go and walked past Maliketh to see over the ledge and see if Edgar made it. Letting a sigh of relief go when he saw the man on horseback riding off in Irina's direction.
Maliketh now recovering from seeing someone catch his blade and ignore his flame turned to the Tarnished, and apologized. "I am sorry, Tarnished, I was not aware that you were the one my sister sought after. It seems I judged off of appearance too quickly." The Tarnished waved it off. "It's fine, I figured Marika would be too protective over me, I should have known she would send someone after me if I caused a commotion, after all she did not want me to journey at all without her." Maliketh chuckled, throwing the Tarnished off guard as he didn't know the shadow was capable of it.
"Y-You can laugh?" Maliketh paused and then began to howl, dropping his blade as he clutched his stomach with one hand and stopped himself from falling off the landing with the other. The Tarnished rolled his eyes and jumped off the landing, landing directly in the middle of the courtyard full of bodies covered in black and red flames. He turned to face Maliketh as the shadow landed behind him heavily, Maliketh looked around and looked at the Tarnished uncaring. "They chose to get in my way, and as a result they met Destined Death."
The Tarnished shook his head and walked with the shadow out of the castle. "I hate that phrase so much, I've heard it too many times to even think about counting how many times I heard it the last journey." Maliketh looked confused, and stopped. "The last journey?" The Tarnished looked confused at first too, but then remembered Maliketh didn't know a thing. "Well, since you are here this time around, I shouldn't withhold any information on this topic." The Tarnished proceeded to give Maliketh the full rundown right there, as if they didn't have places to be.
Then he turned about face and walked towards the bridge to leave the Peninsula, Maliketh completely dumbfounded at the tale the Tarnished told with such a straight face and no breaks. "Has Marika driven you mad already?" The Tarnished shook his head, using a crossbow to snipe any unsuspecting enemies that Maliketh hadn't picked off along the way. "Very well then, I can feel your strength even now, so I know your tale to be true. I will assist you and my sister until the end of this journey. Until the greater will eventually--"
"Don't worry about that, the matter is handled on all accounts involving the Greater Will. Ranni was able to cure Blaidd's mind after the Two Fingers did what they did. I have no doubt we will be able to do the same for you." Maliketh thought about it and nodded. "If that is the case then I will wait to see. For now, we will focus on what will happen when you see the girl by the bridge again."
"Speaking of, how did you get here without the bridge?" Maliketh smirked, which the Tarnished couldn't completely understand how. "I can leap a great distance."
"So you're a glorified pet rabbit with Death on a stick?" Maliketh let a low growl escape his maw, the Tarnished began to sweat, very aware that Maliketh was one of the few people who could kill him with ease if he was caught off guard. "My sincerest apologies..." Maliketh let it go...for now. "Foul Tarnished." The Tarnished ignored the shadow as he now had Edgar, Irina, Tiche, and Siluria all in sight, but he stopped directly in his tracks as he felt his body once again begin to slip over it's control to the mystery force. He had already told Maliketh about it, but he wasn't sure if the shadow would be completely ready for him, even if he was aware of his endless strength. "Maliketh--"
The shadow stood in front of him in an attack position. "Do not fret Tarnished, I can see you are resisting. What action is your body attempting to do?" Ticeh and Siluria noticed it happening again and began to rush Edgar and Irina, which was a mistake as Edgar began to walk to the Tarnished to greet him. "I do not know yet, I do know that if I take another step, my actions will no longer be my own." Maliketh nodded and got low to the ground, gripping his blade as the flames on it began to burn brighter. "Then be swift in your words, so I may intercept."
The Tarnished nodded and stepped forward. It all happened so fast, the feeling was as a cold rush of water flowing over his body after a long battle. The force had come different this time, an attempt to subdue his mind as well as his body. "Irina! It wants me to kill her!" The Tarnished spoke frantically as he slipped into unconsciousness, and his body shot past Maliketh with a hand outstretched towards Irina. Maliketh growled and backflipped using his blade as a way to travel the distance, appearing above the Tarnished and sending waves of Black Flames directly between Irina and the Tarnished. Tiche moved quickly, rushing through the flames of Death and striking the Tarnished with her own. The Tarnished buckled for a moment, the current inhabitor of his body not used to tanking such attacks. Siluria picked up Irina, and set her off on the horse that Edgar rode there, and Edgar seemingly understanding the Tarnished was not himself got on the horse as well and rode into Limgrave as fast as he could.
Once the Tarnished recovered, he jumped into the air after Irina, leaping over the wall of Black Flame and out of Tiches range. However, he forgot to account for the very serious threat of Siluria charging her spear up to maximum capacity. The wave of golden energy shot him further into the sky but interrupted how much control he had over his jump, sending him still in Irinas direction but completely unguided.
Maliketh prepared to leap and Tiche jumped on his back holding on to the back of his chest plate where the neck is given room to breathe. Maliketh leaped high into the air and caught Tarnished with a slash, then slashed at nothing to stay in the air and hit the Tarnished higher into the air. Tiche jumped off of Malikeths back and started copying his technique except she used the Tarnished himself as a way to stay in the air. She jumped off of him and sent herself towards the ground, but was caught by Maliketh and they repeated this cycle until the Tarnished was completely disoriented.
On the ground Siluria was underneath where the fight was happening. She charged her spear and shot it directly into the ground sending herself into the air at high speeds. She reached the fight in mere seconds throwing off both Maliketh and Tiche. Maliketh decided to take this chance to end things now. He used his own momentum from slashing to catch Siluria on his back and rushed at the Tarnished stabbing his sword directly into his chest. The Tarnished stubbornly grabbed the blade attempting to throw them all towards the ground, but Tiche stabbed her dagger into Malikeths blade, making it pulse even more with the power of Destined Death. Siluria, planted her feet on Malikeths back and shoulder, peering over his shoulder with her spear. She slammed it into Malikeths blade as well, charging it as much as she could. The Tarnished stunned by Destined Death being pumped directly into his veins could only watch.
Malikeths flames began to go from a deep dark red, to a fiery orange as the golden light from the fully charged spear began to charge the sword, as an attack devastating unlike the Lands Between had ever seen was created.
The Tarnished began to brace himself as much as he could, tightening his muscles and attempting to pull the blade out.
The sword charged up a third. The Tarnished tugged as hard as he could, nothing happened.
The sword charged up a little past half. The Tarnished began to get some leeway as he began to become slight less impaled.
The sword was a hair away from full, and The Tarnished was free, crossing his arms in an x as the energy released.
KRAAAAAAAAAAAAKOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
His descent was far faster than it felt it'd be, crashing through the earth and falling into a place the he was familiar with. The City of Nokron that was hidden far beneath the earth of Limgrave. He landed on his feet, causing a crater to form in the center of the city. He looked up, preparing to leap back up, but instead dodged backwards as a wave of red and black flame hit where he once stood. Maliketh landed on the building opposite of him.
"Whatever you are, you will release the Tarnished. Or you shall meet, Destined Death." The force in the Tarnished internally rolled its metaphorical eyes and pounced on Maliketh. It jumped up the building and grabbed the Shadow by it's jaw attempting to rip it apart, but Maliketh swatted the Tarnished away with black flames again. The Tarnished chased after Maliketh jumping across the buildings and through them.
Maliketh constantly bouncing around slashing the Tarnished with waves of Destined Death. The Tarnished began to grow tired from all of it. His body reaching it's exhaustion limit from constant attacks from the literal flame of Death. Maliketh took note of this and began to go all out. The Shadow practically became a shadow as he jumped around circling the Tarnished sending flames directly at the Tarnished who buckled from each hit, falling to his knees on the last wave. Being allowed a few moments to breathe as he reentered consciousness, Irina had now reached Marika and went out of the range it had.
"Out of all the times to switch back--" The Tarnished was only allowed that sentence as Maliketh came down on him about to drag the sword through and past him, so slashes of Destined Death could run through and destroy anything its path. He knew how to stop this though, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out what he dubbed. "Maliketh Bane." He swung the Blasphemous Claw in a parry motion, stopping Maliketh in his tracks and blinding the poor shadow.
"Argh! Tarnished, have you returned?" The Tarnished let out a sigh of relief as he began to chug his flask down. "Ah! That's refreshing, and yes I'm back. It seems the force lacks any insight to use tools." Maliketh regained his sight and nodded, as he too rested, drinking from the flask the Tarnished offered. "Yes it seems that will be a vital way to tell when it takes over, but Tarnished..." The Tarnished looked at him curious about what he had to say. "What?"
"Your strength, was far greater than anticipated. Almost at the level of my sister, and that is without your tools or skill. How do you expect us to combat you, if this force learns to copy you perfectly?" The Tarnished stood there speechless, had he really gotten that strong?
Nah, no way.
"I doubt that will ever happen, but I did have an idea for that scenario." Maliketh listened intently, while the spirits who he sent to accompany the girl and her father were nothing short of efficient warriors, the Tarnished far surpassed them and he could send them away with a wave of a bell, and he'd rather not fight this man alone.
"Speak, before we must go meet my sister." The Tarnished nodded, as he began to choose his next outfit and weapons for the next quest. "I think, I could save the demigods this time around." Maliketh looked surprised at this, Morgott was reasonable, Malenia was debatable, from what the Tarnished told him of Mohg...Malenia would have his head, and Radahn was off of the table. Even with Morgott and Malenia, would that be enough?
"Regardless of whether or not the force learns how to mimic me, I would like to save Radahn, Malenia, Morgott, Godfrey, Rykard, and if I am capable of it, although I hope I am not, Radagon. He will be the most challenging, but with Godfreys help perhaps we could subdue him and seperate him from the beast before he becomes Swordagon." He spoke as he pulled out the Sacred Relic Sword, flicking the pommel where Radagons head was.
Maliketh was actually shocked he intended to save them all, but he chose not to focus on it for long, switching his attention to the sword of Divine Power the Tarnished mocked. "Is that..." The Tarnished smiled smugly and tossed the blade to Maliketh. "Yes Yes, the great Radagon, strongest sword in all the land. Wielded by none other than the Elden Beast, the god that lives within the Elden Ring as a form of the Greater Will." Maliketh was awestruck at the power he could feel from the small sword. "Watch this neat trick, I was messing with the fire giant one time and gave him a weapon and when I said a specific word, something amazing happened."
Maliketh looked at the Tarnished as he got in position looking at the sword that fit in Malikeths palm easily. "Discard." In an instant the sword grew much larger, scaling back to the size that was comfortable for the god that once wielded it, almost weighing down Malikeths hand permanently as it clattered to the ground with a great thud. "See? When I say that word, it returns the weapon to its original state. Imagine the shock on my face when the Fire Giant grabbed your blade and it enlarged to his size, and he actually wielded it?" Maliketh chuckled at the man's antics as he reached for the extremely noticeable Radagon shaped hilt.
He looked to the Tarnished for permission. "I don't like it, I've only ever used it to mock Radagon, you will be a better wielder by far." Maliketh nodded and grabbed the blade, feeling it shrink down to his own blades size and the power flowed through him from the sword. He took a moment to adjust to it before swinging the blade and destroying a few of the buildings in Nokron with an enhanced version of "Waves of Gold." The Tarnished had an approving smile on his face, as he was about to challenge Maliketh to a spar to get accustomed to it. He had plenty of flasks left over after all.
That didn't last long as a golden circle appeared underneath the both of them and transported them somewhere else faster than they could react.
"Eh?" The Tarnished looked around to see a large structure he definitely did not recognize, clearly the work of Marika as it was where he vividly remembered Church Elleh to stand. "Wow, she really is quite the craftsmen," Maliketh, too looked towards the structure surprised his sister even had the talent to make the first story. "Interesting, in the old days she couldn't even b--" A large crack sounded off to the right of the two warriors. They turned to face none other than an angry Marika with irina, Melina, and Edgar behind her. Tiche and Siluria stood off to the side, but they had their fill of helping their Lord for the day. Siluria salluted and disappeared and Tiche threw him his bell and threw up two fingers before also disappearing.
He frantically rang the bell, but no one answered, he didn't even know they had a choice!
"Dear Tarnished, seems you've had a little too much fun while away?" The Tarnished froze, unable to speak a word from the pressure. Maliketh attempted to leave the crossfire, but Marika slammed her hammer into the ground in the direction of where he tried to escape. "And brother, you were supposed to bring him here...safely." Her harsh glare seemed to stop even words from leaving Malikeths lips as he hoped Swordagon would save him from her wrath.
Maliketh turned to the Tarnished and wielded his swords in a defensive position. "O Tarnished, It would be my honor to die as a warrior at your side." The Tarnished felt his sincerity and nodded pulling out his favorite knights sword. "Let us meet Destined Death together then, friend." A tear was shed from both of them as they rushed the woman. Their screams of pain could be heard from miles away, Nepheli would later report this to them all later when they found her.