Chapter Text

Elden Ring: Return of the Dragon-god - Tale

The ancient dragons, who ruled in the prehistoric era before the Erdtree, would protect their lord as a wall of living rock. And so it is that the shape of the dragons has become symbolic of all manner of protections.

 - Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman

Prologue: Previously on Elden Ring - Tale

Ahhh, dearest reader from beyond the void of time and space, back to peruse mine writings yet again? Or perhaps thou art reading mine writing for the first time? I warn thee, for this story may be of difficult understanding to thou who hath not read the writings of the Kindling Maiden; the first tale of the Elden Ring… 

Ah, yes, another matter. If it was not surmised by now, I am not Melina. I am the witch; Ranni, who stole death long ago. And whilst this recording was inspired by the Kindling Maiden, I’ve not seen or heard from her in quite some time, and hold no current intentions of changing that. If she wishes to reveal herself and add her own writing to this tome, then so be it. But until such a time might arise, this book shall remain of my own writing, and mine alone… 

Well, with one individual in ample exception. My beloved Consort Eternal, the Tarnished who now holds the Elden Ring. Or, well… The Dragon-god who once and now rules over the Lands Between. Yes, in truth, this particular Tarnished is none other than Placidusax’s lord returned, the outer god who commands the dragons. With Placidusax reigning as Elden Lord in name, and himself holding the Elden Ring, his very will has exerted itself across the Lands. It took but mere days; his domination of the Lands. His dragons ascended from the corners of the world, reigning down fire and destruction wherever they flew. 

Having defeated most of the demi-gods, there were near none left to stand in his path, save for my brothers, the lords of blood and blasphemy that yet lived. And ofcourse, there was the Dragon-god’s sister, the outer god of rot that was previously sealed beneath the Lake of Rot. He had released her in an attempt to free himself from the rot, an attempt that was largely successful. Though the rot was pulled from his chest, she was released unto the world, long since having hid in some forsaken crevice. And ofcourse with his status as the Dragon-god finally revealed, well… he was bound to make many enemies…

Chapter I: Aftermath

“The colliding energies were so great that they exploded, collapsing in on themselves and releasing a blinding white light from which nothing escaped…” That was the Dragon-god’s final recounting of his hard-fought battle with the Elden Beast; the living incarnation of order. However, the Kindling Maiden’s recordings of what transpired afterwards leave… a bit to the imagination. 

And so, I took the task upon myself; to excise the information from my beloved Consort. “Afterwards? Well… it was… difficult…”

Some Time after Colliding with the Elden Beast

The light was indeed blinding, and lingered for what could've been… minutes, hours, days even, I’m truthfully not sure. By the time it subsided, I found myself lying across the floor of the Erdtree, the Sacred Relic greatsword just inches away. Taking it into my hand, it was clear enough that the Elden Beast had been defeated, Marika and Radagon still formed into the blade. 

Looking over, I could see the Elden Ring, clear as day. It was composed of but Radagon and Marika’s runes, clearly having been significantly weakened since the shattering. Dispelling my two swords, I held out my hands and began mending the Ring, Malenia’s, Morgott’s, Godrick’s, and Radahn’s runes helping me in doing so. And then of course, there was the matter of the rune of death, Marika’s having replaced it. I knew that I was to craft my own rune and mend the Ring how I saw fit, but then was not the time. 

The rot within my chest was practically leaking out of me, stretching across nearly all of my body. I knew my options to be limited, and so I did the best that I could. Yes… the best that I could do was to release my sister from beneath the Lake and Rot and bargain her freedom for the removal of my rot. Alternatively, I could’ve returned to Placidusax’s arena and ruled from afar outside the grasp of time, but… Well, such an action borders on cowardice. To say it simply; I didn't have it in me. And so… I began my march to the Lake of Rot. 

With the Elden Ring in my possession, I was able to all but freeze time by simply pushing my own power through it, the Ring acting as an extension of my will. Trudging out of the Erdtree, I passed Nepheli and Millicent, one of whom could not see me because she was unconscious, and the other because I was moving at a speed the likes of which no mortal body could withstand. And of course, if I were to halt my efforts, to tell her… everything . Well, it would've been the end of me. I knew it the second that I awoke, that I had but seconds to live before the rot claimed me. And so, I stretched those seconds out into minutes, and then into hours, walking out of Leyndell and through the Altus Plateau. 

Teleportation of near any means would’ve pushed my power too far and it would’ve snapped, prompting the rot to claim me just a few seconds early. The lift of Dectus was obviously inoperable due to the speed which I was moving at, forcing me to descend through the Ruin-Strewn Precipice and land in Liurnia. Across the lake until I reached its eastern shore, I came upon the Ainsel River Lift, again, inoperable due to my speed. 

Reeling back my fist, I blew a hole directly into the center of the lift, its support beam similarly shattering. Leaping down through the now vacant hole, I landed in the caverns with a heavy crunch, leaving behind a crater in my wake. When time eventually continued as normal, it was likely that much of the immediate cavern around my landing would’ve been destroyed. 

Through the Uhl Palace Ruins and further downstream, I came upon my destination; a cliff overlooking the Lake of Rot. Upon that cliff, I would unseal my accursed sister; the Goddess of Rot. 

Rearing back my head, I released a mighty flame unto the lake, my bellowing sure to echo once time resumed. From the center of the lake, a figure layered in the liquid rot erupted outwards, landing immediately behind me. Turning my head, it was obvious who it was, only another primordial being such as myself capable of matching the speed that I was moving at. 

“Hello… brother …” The rot that was caked over her body never ceased falling to the floor, as if the whole of the lake was stored within her. 

“ Sister … I have come to bargain …” She rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck, tilting her head as she looked to me. 

“Mmm, yes, I feel it… That rot writhing inside your chest, my rot, just… burrowing within you…” Holding a hand to my chest, I gestured to the massive cavity now exuding rot. 

“I removed you from that lake… You remove this from my chest…” Humming, she crossed her arms and began pacing, obviously stalling in hopes that the rot would claim me before she removed it. “ Now , sister…” She chuckled and turned to me, withdrawing the rot. At first it retracted into the cavity in my chest, flowing out in a stream of a maroon mist. Then, slowly enough, the cavity closed itself, the rot fully excised from my body. 

“See you around… brother …” She hissed out her last word before dissipating into a cloud of rot, flying through the tunnel behind us and likely out into the world above. Even then, I knew that her games were only just beginning… 

But nonetheless, I needed to be… prepared to participate in those games. And so, I left the Lake of Rot as time resumed back to its normal pace, my powers also quick to return. Disappearing into a brief flash of fire, I manifested atop the island holding the Church of Dragon Communion. I could see that the blood-roses I had planted were doing exceptionally well, practically shining under the midday sun. 

Waving my hand, I blew the church away, no longer seeing fit to indulge its existence. Brining my hand back to me, the chunks of the church came flying backwards, reforming into the building where me and my Consort now reside. Generating a field around the island, I teleported it far beneath the crumbling city of Farum Azula, the demi-human caves surely flooding as a result. 

With my work completed, and a safe enough place to call home for even but a moment, I thought to summon my Eternal Consort, however… My maiden discovered me first. And whilst she was the first to learn of my acquisition of the Elden Ring, Ranni was not much further off. She appeared out of a blue haze much the same way that Melina did, equally as curious as to my status as Elden Lord. 

While I held the Ring, it would be Placidusax who reigned as Lord. Unorthodox, yes. But effective considering my goals. Not to mention, he had served me well as Elden Lord once before, why not again? 

Sooner or later, Millicent finally showed up at the doorstep. In truth, I had expected her sooner than when she arrived. Although, such might be forgiven considering my apparent death at the hands of the Elden Beast. And now… 

Now my legions rule the skies and earth. There are few places that yet remain impervious to my rule, places that shall yet be conquered. Places that… Well, I suppose it is of worthy noting; The House of Rykard’s Consort Tanith, the Volcano Manor? It will fall …