Elden Ring: My Ending

TN: This is a reupload. 

Millicent couldn't believe how well the prosthetic worked—it felt as natural as a real hand. She could even feel through it. It was nothing short of a miracle.

Casual technologies, absurd as they were, worked flawlessly.

Kosta's curiosity, upon seeing the iron hand for the first time, got the better of him, and he furrowed his brows, trying to understand how this marvel of casual ingenuity even functioned.

The answer, however, was quite obvious.

"Magic…" Kosta sighed, feeling how his own energy resonated with the strange power within the prosthetic.

In the future, he wanted to take a closer look at how exactly it worked. Unfortunately, now was not the time.

The hand almost seemed to cling to him, but first, he already had a full set of hands, and second, the prosthetic truly responded only to Millicent's power, treating the Tarnished himself with a certain… indifference. Like a well-trained pet, it immediately attached itself to the stump of her missing arm and didn't even wiggle. At least, not unless Millicent willed it to.

Clearly, this prosthetic made no distinction between Malenia and her… daughter.

The heart of a true waifu fan swelled with joy, seeing just how happy the girl was as she once again grasped a sword in familiar grip. Usually reserved in her emotions, now Millicent was practically glowing with happiness.

But the joy did not last long.

Now that the main part of her quest was complete, it was time for a farewell.

"You've done more for me than anyone else in my life," Millicent smiled sadly. "If there were any meaning in it, my sword would have long belonged to you, but… there is no meaning in that."

She turned her gaze away.

She was too weak. The usually unshakable man before her was on an entirely different level, and the only ones who could truly threaten him were those who would cut her down without even noticing. Even with the prosthetic.

Konstantin remained silent, listening to her carefully.

"I see how busy you always are," Millicent spoke softly. "And how many wo—quests you need to complete before you become the true Elden Lord… Now that I can reach my full strength, I… I n-need to…"

She didn't want to leave him. But at the same time, she knew she had to. At least for a while. And it wasn't just because the man had to focus on more important things, but because, as a warrior, she wanted to fully experience battle.

Being at the Tarnished's side, the red-haired warrior subconsciously understood that she was always safe. She liked that feeling, but it also limited her, preventing her from growing.

And Kosta himself understood this, despite all his concerns.

"I understand," Konstantin nodded sternly, supporting her. "You have your own quests too."

Millicent latched onto his words with an iron grip.

"Yes! Quests! I need to finish my quests before we meet ag…"

She had been about to say something, but then… she felt it. His power coursing into her.

And once again, the unyielding warrior-woman faced a trial of pure willpower.

The Tarnished was doing everything he could to help his waifu. In particular, suppressing the rot inside her as much as possible—filling her with enough inner light that the infection, restrained by that evil little boy's needle, wouldn't be able to spread for days. Training on the dragoness had helped him piece it together.

The rot was a manifestation of an Outer God's power. And while curing an afflicted dragon was as simple as expelling the infection and healing the body…

Millicent's case was different. He had to sever the rot's link to its Outer God first. Only then would he have a real chance at curing her completely.

He knew when and where that would be possible.

"Our quests will cross paths again soon," the Tarnished said, surprisingly tenderly, staring into Millicent's darting eyes. "Maybe we'll even do some farming together. Sounds good?"

"Y-yes…"

The voice of the as-red-as-a-lobster unbroken warrior was so quiet that, if not for the man's absurdly good hearing, one might think she hadn't spoken at all.

It seemed this was the most romantic moment in the life of a casual hardcore player.

Konstantin slowly let go of the barely-standing waifu, giving her some time to recover.

"Why…" the girl suddenly whispered. "I'm just… a rotting…"

Konstantin frowned.

If some heretics had dared to insult a waifu, that would have been simple and straightforward. But when the waifu insulted herself, that was an entirely different challenge.

A challenge far harder than any trial he had ever faced—far beyond the sweatiest of runs that had pushed Kosta beyond all limits.

"If I cared only about outward appearance, I could never call myself a true waifu fan," Kosta said, more serious than ever. "You are one of the few truly beautiful things in this world."

If not for waifus, he would never have tried this hard. The light of waifus had forged his spirit in a way nothing else had. What an idiot he had been, separating his inner waifu fan from the sweaty Soulslike player!

Those two aspects had always complemented each other.

Hearing such an unexpected compliment, Millicent wished she could sink into the ground.

She never considered herself beautiful in any way. A rotting, dying body, nothing more. Even she struggled to see herself as a woman—so how could anyone else?

But as she felt the warm, gentle energy filling her with strength and an still unfamiliar sense of hope, the warrior smiled more happily than ever before.

For so long, she had fought the Rot inside her without a reason. Life just for the sake of existing. But now she had a purpose!

'Too bad Melina isn't here to see this,' Ranni thought absently.

Watching from afar as the unusual Tarnished awkwardly deepened his relationship with the red-haired warrior, who looked like a stray kitten, was quite entertaining. Ranni had barely interacted with the girl, but she had already formed a good impression—Millicent had barely reacted to her first appearance, simply accepting it as a given.

Then again, after traveling with Konstantin, was it really that strange to see a living puppet?

Perhaps, if she wasn't a fragment of Miquella's Blade(1), Ranni might have even considered making Millicent her servant.

But there was one thing that bothered the demigoddess about this situation…

…Or maybe not just one…

Ranni didn't even realize she was pouting.

'Appearance doesn't matter,' the demigoddess thought, lowering her gaze to her puppet hands.

Hearing that was nice. After all, even if she was a little insane, Ranni, like any girl, had desires—not just grand dreams of altering the cosmic order and indulging in adolescent rebellion. More earthly fantasies haunted her as well.

More importantly, she had given this womanizing Tarnished a chance. The more his madness faded, the more it became clear—his bizarre pull toward women hadn't disappeared. In the grand scheme of things… that was probably a good thing.

That wasn't the problem.

"Aren't you the least bit interested in studying my gift more closely, Konstantin?"

Kosta, still watching Millicent disappear into the distance, blinked dumbly before turning his head toward the waifu who had suddenly materialized before him.

Ranni's doll-like face remained impassive. But the spectral one—the one that reflected her true emotions…

…was ever so slightly puffed up, like a child desperately trying to hide her frustration. Unfortunately for her, Kosta was way too perceptive.

"I'll definitely visit your family's library, but a little later."

Hearing his answer, the girl's mood immediately improved.

"Then you know the path forward" Ranni clasped her hands together. "That is enough for now, Konstantin. But do not keep me waiting too long."

Her voice grew much firmer, her gaze sharper.

Normally, she could afford patience. But this Tarnished had sped up time itself in the Lands Between. And for the first time in decades—perhaps centuries—Ranni felt something she hadn't in a very long time.

A sense of urgency.

A terrible, forgotten feeling. And yet—strangely refreshing.

Satisfied with his answer, the demigoddess vanished, leaving a stunned Konstantin alone.

One of the best waifus just approached him with a quest, directly and… efficiently.

The man stared at the spot where she had disappeared, suddenly feeling that it had been far too long since he last visited Merchant Kale.

And this was far from over.

"Has Lady Ranni left, my teacher-student?"

The whisper of the ever-sly sorceress made Konstantin turn his head toward his shoulder, where a miniature Sellen sat, suspiciously glancing around. Her face-concealing crown was absent.

He had noticed her from the very beginning but preferred to pretend otherwise. Obviously, the waifu would have revealed herself had she wished to.

"She probably noticed you."

"I know," Sellen huffed. "But the Lady would appreciate that I didn't go out of my way to annoy her."

The sorceress looked around once more.

Even after the bea… hierarchy had been established, Sellen found Melina far less terrifying than Ranni. The first was much simpler and more comprehensible by nature, whereas the second…

Only the Moon, or whatever entity the demigoddess's lineage worshipped, knew what was going on in her puppet mind.

"Is she really not nearby?"

Now it was Konstantin's turn to look around, carefully tuning into his inner senses.

The waifus loved keeping an eye on him. He had understood that for a long time. The question was, did it bother him? Not really. He knew that they knew that he knew, but everyone was content with the arrangement.

Honestly, even back in the game, Kosta could tell that some waifus had… odd inclinations when it came to covert observation.

"No."

"Ah…" Sellen once again glanced around. "And the jealous girl?"

"The jealous girl?" Kosta furrowed his brows, thinking. "You mean…"

"Meli-Meli!" Sellen smirked.

The man actually straightened his posture.

"She's not nearby either."

Sellen looked even more pleased.

"You've surrounded yourself with strange people, my teacher-student… Where are you heading next?"

The miniature woman's gaze took on a suspicious glint.

Kosta raised an eyebrow.

"If you need help, just say so."

"I'm just happy to see how quickly my teacher-student is regaining his senses," Sellen smiled gently.

And it also reassured her that certain fruits, in their attempts to claim him, wouldn't end up tearing him apart. Handling the personalities of royal daughters was nearly impossible without overwhelming strength—and more importantly, keen intelligence—even with terrifying foreknowledge.

The influence of the Outer Gods had always been indirect and highly limited. Those who carried their power weren't necessarily destined for greatness. Most followers had fallen, and with them, their faith. How many Outer Gods had the Lands Between already forgotten? And how many more would be lost?

"Not exactly help," Sellen continued, pondering. "More like I need a companion to safely reach a certain place. It turned out to be far more dangerous than I had anticipated."

The man thought for a moment.

"I have quite a few places to visit, but right now, I plan to head toward Mt. Gelmir."

"Really?!" the miniature sorceress exclaimed.

The stars truly favored her! With some caveats.

Konstantin stared at Sellen in confusion. Though, he quickly pieced together the cause and effect—this side quest had, so to speak, been generated by his own actions.

The waifu-sorceress wanted to meet the Primeval Sorcerer Azur in person, her first teacher. As for finding Lusat—after Konstantin's biome-clearing efforts, that was no longer an issue. The search for her first mentor, however, had proven trickier.

Naturally, Konstantin had no objections to escorting Sellen. He needed to hurry if he wanted to complete all the quests in time, but in this case, their paths aligned.

And, to be fair, he didn't mind the company of the waifu-sorceress, even if she had some… disagreements with Meli-Meli.

"I'd be very grateful, Konstantin," Sellen smiled. "Have you ever heard of the Hero's Grave on Gelmir? I'll be waiting for you there."

She sighed.

"My illusion won't be able to stay with you, my teacher-student. Have you heard what kind of mess foolish Seluvis got himself into?"

"A mess?" Konstantin frowned.

"Did you really think Gideon Ofnir wouldn't go hunting for the fool who tried to drug and abduct his precious tool using none other than the famed Tarnished?" Sellen raised an eyebrow with ironic amusement.

Well, actually, Kosta had thought that. (2)

The man shrugged indifferently.

"What a weirdo…" the woman huffed. "Unfortunately, I keep my word, Konstantin. Seluvis asked for my help…"

And Sellen would have helped, if not for… certain developments. Now, she couldn't contact him. Normally meticulous in her dealings, she was now simultaneously handling her own affairs while trying to locate him—a task that is proving to be challenging, as Professor Seluvis was surprisingly good at running away, skillfully evading his old enemy and his hunters across the Lands Between.

"I suspect we may soon encounter him in person," Sellen said with distaste.

She really did not want to meet that scoundrel in person.

"What do you mean?" Konstantin asked in surprise.

"Somehow, he can track the location of my new body," the sorceress's illusion shrugged her miniature shoulders. "Where else would a desperate, cornered sorcerer flee? The Lady won't save him, and he knows it."

"I see," Konstantin nodded grimly.

"Be prepared for more lessons when we meet, teacher-student," Sellen raised a finger in mock instruction.

With that, the illusion of the sorceress vanished completely, as if she had never been there.

More and more quests were becoming intertwined, whether Konstantin wanted them to or not.

In any case, this wouldn't affect his route too much.

He had wanted to visit Volcano Manor for a while now.

Melina had been right: the moment Konstantin set foot on the lands of the Altus Plateau, a tail followed. At a distance, it remained just outside her chosen one's abnormal perception, but the false Finger Maiden was anything but ordinary.

She had known from the start that her brother wouldn't let Konstantin go so easily. That he would make his move.

So, she wasn't surprised when he did.

Though she doubted it would help him.

Melina materialized before a seemingly ordinary commoner. Gaunt, pale, clearly someone who had died more than once yet continued wandering despite it all.

Unfortunately for him, such a disguise wouldn't fool her. (3)

"I kept waiting for the servants of the Dread Omen to reveal themselves, but they never appeared."

The commoner stared blankly into the void for a moment before…

…Before her stood an illusion of her brother: tall, covered in protrusions—not the Dread Omen, but the King of Omens.

Yes, subtlety had never been Morgott's strong suit.

The man frowned in irritation, realizing how much of a fool he looked.

"I… have abandoned my foolish ambitions. My servants will accomplish nothing against this monster—they would only throw away their lives in vain. I will do this myself."

The Omen King had heard the rumors. And they terrified him. The Tarnished's pace was monstrous. Absurd. Beyond reason. His retainers, even if they had tried, simply hadn't had the time to be an obstacle.

It was entirely possible that Konstantin had killed a few of them along the way without even realizing they were supposed to be fearsome agents of the Dread Omen.

It was shameful.

"Your illusion won't fool the Tarnished," Melina stated confidently.

"You are just as vile a traitor as the rest, Melina," Morgott growled. "Do not think I have forgotten that."

Melina shrugged impassively.

"My chosen one will recognize you easily."

"Impossible!" Morgott seethed. "The illusions of the Golden Order are flawless!"

It wasn't widely spoken of, but their lineage was famous for its illusions. The best of the best. Stable, carrying echoes of the original's true power and grandeur. (4)

Melina had now become a full-fledged heretic and traitor.

"Wanna bet?" the girl smirked under her hood.

"Fine, we'll bet!" Morgott exclaimed. "But do not think I will forget your betrayal, Melina!"

Once again, the girl merely shrugged indifferently.

"The Black Knives may be nearby. Be careful, brother."

Morgott, caught off guard, seemed about to say something, but his sister had already disappeared without a trace.

Despite the Marika bloodline's greatness, and the inherently cold relationships among the Goddess's children, some of them could, at times, be just a little less indifferent toward one another.

The projection of the King of Omens remained alone. Sighing heavily, Morgott cursed under his breath before his body, woven from the power of the Golden Order, once again took the form of a commoner.

He refused to believe that the Tarnished would recognize him! Impossible!

(1) Of course, this is just one of many assumptions. Theories regarding the birth of Millicent and her sisters vary greatly, from speculation that the Erdtree itself came into contact with Malenia's Rot, to the idea that Malenia's daughters are a manifestation of Marika's (and possibly Miquella's) ability to split into independent entities.

(2) There is no mention in the game of any action taken by Gideon when the player gives him the potion, warning him of his longtime enemy's scheme.

(3) The player can encounter Morgott disguised as a commoner on the way to the capital. If approached, he may suddenly attack. Interestingly, I personally never stumbled upon this commoner in my own playthroughs. ಠ_ಠ

(4) This is never explicitly stated, but digging into the lore, it's not hard to conclude that Marika's lineage has a penchant for illusions, projections, and other deceptive tricks. Morgott's projection is just one example. Even the seals the player encounters when trying to access certain locations without fulfilling quest conditions are in-lore illusions. And let's not even get started on the Realm of Shadow, which is concealed by none other than Marika's twisted divine illusion. The Erdtree? Probably best left unmentioned. This topic is a debated one anyway…