Bearer of the Curse

Hello, before you start reading, I would like to leave some notes. First, I started writing this story a little after Elden Ring release and before any DLCs, when things about the game were being discovered, so much of what is written here may be invalidated in the future. 

Second, I knew a lot less about Elden Ring's Lore at the time than I do now, so there are some inaccuracies in this story, if you don't care about lore accuracy and just want to read a fun story, then this story is for you. That being said let's get to the character sheet.

Name: Alden. 

Class: Sorcerer/Hexer.

Title: Bearer of the Curse, Conqueror of Adversity, True Monarch.

Pact: Pilgrims of the Dark

Soul level: 332

Vigor: 40 + 1

Endurance: 40 + 1

Vitality: 45

Attunement: 50

Strength: 40 + 4

Dexterity: 30 + 4

Adaptability: 40 + 1

Intelligence: 50 + 4

Faith: 50 + 4

EQUIPMENT

Head: King's Crown + 5 (bonus + 3 faith +3 intelligence. Total 53 faith and intelligence). Prevents users from becoming hollow.

Chest: Northwarder Robes + 10 (increases spell duration).

Arms: Lion Mage Cuffs + 10 (increase spell-casting speed).

Legs: Sanctum Knight Leggings + 5 (decreases fall damage and silences the sound of steps).

Left Hand 1: Vessel Shield + 10 (increases stamina, adaptability, faith, and intelligence by 1 and strength and dexterity by 4 when wielded. Total: strength 41, endurance 41, adaptability 41, faith 54, intelligence 54, strength 44, dexterity 34. Can divert spells when parrying).

Left Hand 2: Sunset Staff + 5 darkness infusions.

Left Hand 3: Chime of Want + 5 darkness infusions.

Right Hand 1: Crypt Blacksword + 5 darkness infusions.

Right Hand 2: Dragonrider Bow + 5 without infusion.

Right Hand 3: Pyromantic Flame + 10.

RINGS

Ring 1: Chloranthy Ring + 2 (25% stamina recovery).

Ring 2: Clear Bluestone Ring +2 (reduce spell cast time by 55%).

Ring 3: Abyss Seal (increases the power of hexes by 7.5% at the cost of 30 hp).

Ring 4: Third Dragon Ring (bonus 7.5% hp, 12.5% stamina, and 12.5% max load weight).

Items: All.

Rings: All.

Hexes: All.

Pyromancy: All.

Spells: All.

Miracles: All.

Weapons and armor: Several, but not all.

This is the character sheet; in terms of equipment bonuses, I won't put the specific measure during the story. Alden will simply cast spells faster, spells will last longer, and stat bonuses make Alden stronger, but I won't specify how much. I only mentioned the bonuses to give the reader an idea, that's all, enjoy the story.

-XXXXXX-

Many monarchs have come and gone.

One drowned in poison, another succumbed to the flames.

Still, another sleeps in a realm of ice.

None of them made it this far, as you do now.

You, conqueror of adversity.

Give us your answer.

These were Aldia's words after I defeated Nashandra. This is the third fight in a row for the throne, my estus was running low, my equipment was about to break, Benhart and Vengarl's summons were gone, and I was grateful for their help. 

Aldia wants my answer. What do I desire? Light? Dark? Or something else entirely? I didn't have time to think, in a burst of fire Aldia erupted from the center of the throne room. I prepared my sword and staff. I can't fail now, not while I'm so close to the throne.

There is no way.

Beyond the reach of light, beyond the reach of Darkness...

… what could await us?

And yet we search for it, insatiably...

Such is our destiny.

Those were Aldia's words as I walked out of the throne room, while trying to escape the cycle Aldia became immortal, something that exists beyond time and reality. I realized that when I defeated him, he left nothing when disappeared, no ordinary soul, no special soul, even losing his body his being persists, talking to me. Light, Dark, or something else entirely?

I chose the third option, I came to Drangleic looking for a cure for the curse, I haven't got the cure, I'm still Undead, but thanks to the crown on my head I also escaped the cycle, with Vendrick's blessing and power of the three kings I will never become Hollow. However, what should I do now?

Never mind, I have all the time in the world now. Maybe I'll go back to Majula to see how everyone is. Yes, a good idea. As I walked through the narrow passage that led out of the throne room, the torches around me went out and Aldia's voice grew further away, soon all that surrounded me was darkness. 

Nevertheless, I kept walking, darkness isn't evil. Evil are those who use it for nefarious purposes. Something appeared in front of me, a golden light, the light became intense to the point of blinding me, and soon I was consumed by it.

The fallen leaves tell a story.

The great Elden Ring was shattered.

In our home, through the mist, the Lands Between.

Now, Queen Marika, the Eternal, is gone.

And on the night of the Black Knives, Godwyn the Golden was the first to perish.

Quickly, Marika's offspring, made up of demigods, claimed the fragments of the Elden Ring.

The maddening stain of their newfound strength triggered the rupture.

A war from which none of them emerged victorious.

A war that led to abandonment by the Greater Will.

Rise now, tarnished.

You who are dead, you who still live.

The call of long-lost grace speaks to us all.

Hoarah Loux, the chieftain of the badlands.

The ever-shining Gold Mask.

Fia, the Deathbed Companion.

The Loathsome Dung Eater.

And Lord Gideon Ofnir, All-Knowing.

And one more.

A being born in a world where Grace is non-existent.

An Undead turned Monarch.

Cross the mist, to the Lands Between.

To stand before the Elden Ring.

And become the Elden Lord.

-XXXXXX-

My head! What happened? Where am I? I left the throne room then a light appeared. I got up from the floor and looked around, I was in a church, and there was an altar with a statue on top, chairs and dusty bookshelves. 

This place looked abandoned, it was no use standing here I need to find out where I am. When I took a step forward I noticed a lack of weight on my head, where was the crown?!? 

I looked around, but it wasn't on the ground, my Crypt Blacksword and Vessel Shield disappeared too! I've been robbed! My Sunset Staff and Chime of Want were still here. With a movement of my right hand, the Pyromantic Flame ignited, I smiled with that, no one would take it away from me. 

I searched inside my magic bag hanging from my waist. What the hell! All weapons and armor are gone! However, the items and rings are still there, the rings on my fingers weren't stolen.

What worries me most is the crown, I still have human effigies. However, how long will they last? I tickled the back of my neck and felt something warm, the only warm part of my body, the Curse Mark, which determines I am an Undead.

I must go, the thief mustn't have gone far, and I will give him a good beating and retrieve my things. With the staff in my left hand and flame lit in my right hand, I walked forward.

The first thing I saw was a dead woman with a message glowing in front of her and something in her hands. I read the message; it was common to me, after all I saw a lot scattered all over Drangleic.

Even if the path is fragmented and uncertain, claim your place as Elden Lord.

Elden Lord, what is that? It doesn't matter now, I took what was in the woman's hand, and it was a wrinkled finger. I don't know what it's for, but it might be useful later. The fingers I found in Shulva were also useful. I had a lot of fun fighting invaders.

I opened the metal doors of the church and the sight outside surprised me, a giant golden tree shimmered in the distance, I spent a few minutes admiring the view, which goes to my list of best panoramas, with Majula, Heide Tower of Flames, and the Forest of Fallen Giants. 

I would sometimes sit on the giant sword pommel on the fort's wall and watch the ocean, thinking about my journey.

Further ahead was a wooden stair that led down, going down the stair I looked around, I was on an island. Right when I didn't have the magic ship that sails without a crew, that ship was useful.

This place seemed abandoned, with not a soul in sight. In front of me, there was a rope bridge, passing through it, I came to a stone arch, and to the left of that arch there was a giant statue. Passing through the arch, I came to a place that looked like a cemetery. 

Further, ahead there was a statue of a woman, and to the right of the statue, a passage with a golden mist, which means a new place to explore or that there is a relevant enemy on the other side. I would say a strong enemy, but I remembered the Covetous Demon, that giant slug.

As I got closer to the statue I felt a familiar pain, an agonizing pain, I grabbed my head, it felt like it was going to explode, my eyes were hurting, and it felt like they were going to pop out of my head. 

My vision turned red with repetitive 'flashes' of light, I heard an incessant pulsation, it felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest, as fast as the pain came it disappeared. 

I prepared myself for the fight; something jumped from behind the statue and landed in front of it. 

It looked like an experiment out of the Aldia's Keep, a spider made of human limbs, with a young man's face in front of it, the creature was covered in a black cloak, and it was carrying two swords in its right arms and a large shield in its left arms.

My pyromantic flame ignited and the rings on my staff spun with darkness. Fight time!

I made the first move by launching a Dark Orb, but the spider blocked the spell with its shield. I fired two more orbs, and the spider still blocked while advancing with each block. 

I released a blast of Dark Hail, the creature jumped over it and came towards me; it tried to impale me on the ground while using its swords as legs, the spider made three jumps at the end of the third jump, an opening appeared.

I launched Whispers of Despair lowering its defense, followed by Dark Greatsword. A transparent orb floated towards the spider, and a black aura surrounded it, indicating that the spell was a success, right after, a blade of darkness formed on my staff and I swung horizontally at the creature.

The spider, seeing this, jumped back dodging the blade, but not the wave of darkness that came out of the blade, hitting the spider in its face. It was pushed back letting out a pained roar, the spider recovered and ran towards me again, and I used Affinity, five small orbs of darkness floated above me. 

As the monster approached, the orbs of darkness shot towards it, the monster blocked with its shield, but still suffered damage if its cries of pain mean anything. What I didn't expect was that behind the cloud of darkness left by the spell, a shield appeared and collided with my face, flinging me back. 

I felt the blood running down my nose but I couldn't distract myself now, the spider used its two swords to try to cut me horizontally from left to right, I jumped back, the swords collided with the ground, sadly the spider ripped the sword from the ground, throwing dirt in my eyes. 

"ARRGH!" I felt two things piercing my chest, the swords. I was pulled close to the monster, coming face-to-face with it. If it thinks I'm going to give up, it's wrong; Velstadt's hammer hurts much more than those swords.

I raised my right hand in front of the spider's face and used Great Combustion, releasing a burst of flames in its face, the spider screamed in pain, throwing me off its swords, and struggling to put out the fire on its face. I took this chance to launch a Chaos Fireball on its back. 

The creature's black cloak catch fire as it was melted by the lava left by the fireball, the spider screamed in agony, as it burned alive. It tried to roll across the ground to put out the flames, but the chaos flame cannot be extinguished, with a final scream the spider disappeared into golden particles.

Something came flying towards me, I recognized the souls, but there was something else, small golden dots came towards me, entering my body. I didn't feel anything different, so I drank the estus healing my wounds. 

In the place where the spider disappeared there were two swords and a shield, they were ornate golden swords and a large shield ornamented with the design of some beast. 

Well, that solves my melee problem, I picked up the ornate swords, and felt that they had some kind of power, with a quick movement, I dragged a sword in the other, and golden light enveloped the blades. This was holy energy, I am no stranger to miracles and holy weapons, weapon arts are always welcome, this will be useful.

With a shield in my left hand and sword in my right hand, I ran through the passage that was previously blocked by golden mist, I went down the stairs and crossed a rope bridge. I was frustrated, because there seemed to be no way forward, as I approached the edge of the cliff the ground gave away and I started to fall. 

Shit! 

I quickly put my hand on my magic bag, equipped the Silver Cat Ring, and cast Fall Control, that should be enough to help me survive the fall, or at least that's what I thought since I was impaled in the stomach by one of the sharp stones just below.

My vision darkened and blood leaked from my mouth, I felt a familiar sensation that of my body breaking up into blue particles.

-XXXXXX-

"Don't worry, Torrent. Fate is on his side, at last, we found him here. One of your own will surely set out in search of the Elden Ring... Even if it violates the Golden Order..."

Whose voice was that? It sounded like a woman. I don't remember much, there was a horse, a woman. Then? Then? My vision darkened again. When I woke up I was in a cave with my face sunk in a puddle, I got up quickly spitting out the dirty water.

Where am I? 

This can wait, more importantly, my gear, I watched my reflection in one of the puddles in the cave, and for some reason, and I hadn't gone hollow. Fair skin, red hair slicked back, bright yellow eyes, result of my time in the Dragon's Way. Everything seemed to be in place.

I was still wearing my equipment; the estus flasks, chime, and magic bag were still strapped to my waist. The staff, swords, and shield were on the ground behind me; I equipped them and decided to put the shield in the bag. It still amazes me how this is possible, a bag that fits in the palm of my hand can store an unlimited number of objects, no matter how big they are. 

Taking a step forward, I felt something bump against my feet; it was some kind of vial, one with a red liquid and other with blue. I don't know what they do, but it might be useful later. I hung them around my waist and kept walking.

There was a staircase with statues on its sides leading up to a door. Opening the door, I came to a room with a small golden light on the floor. What is this? Getting closer to the light I extended my hand to touch it, a wave of golden light blinded me for a few seconds and the small light intensified. What was it for?

A corpse up ahead had something in his hand. I took these items, a small knife and a curled finger. Great, more fingers! Three more and I completed a hand.

 Now let's get out of here, leaving the room, I came to a circular area with an elevator in the center, I stepped on the pressure plate and the elevator rise.

When the elevator stopped, I opened another door and what I saw left me amazed, the golden tree was even more impressive up close, and looking around, I saw plants and birds flying in the sky, this place was so full of life, looking closer ahead I saw a person. Maybe he could tell me where am I?

"Ah yes... Tarnished isn't it?" The person spoke.

By the voice, he was a man. Moreover, what is tarnished? 

"Came to the Lands Between in search of the Elden Ring, didn't it?"

"What is this Elden Ring? Moreover, why would I want it? Does this ring do anything? Because I have several magic rings with me, and I highly doubt that this Elden Ring does something my rings cannot." 

The man wearing the white mask suddenly stopped, he was looking at me like a statue.

"The Elden Ring, the thing that dictates the rules of this world, broken by Queen Marika, and the goal of all tarnished like you, to become the Elden Lord!" 

Well, it looks like this Elden Ring is something important.

"Who is Queen Marika? What is tarnished? And what is the Elden Lord?" 

The man clasped his hands in front of his face and took a deep breath "I'm going to need some patience with this one." The man mumbled.

"Queen Marika the Eternal is the ruler of these lands, or was, since she broke the Elden Ring, tarnished are people like you who lost their Grace or were born without one, Elden Lord is what every tarnished in these lands dreams of becoming, the new ruler of the Lands Between. Do you understand now?" 

I nodded.

"Unfortunately for you, you are maidenless. No guidance, no runes, and no invitation to the Roundtable. Your destiny seems to be to die in obscurity."

"Well first of all! I don't see any maidens here with you! Second, I'm strong so don't come questioning what I can and can't do! And third I'm not tarnished I'm an undead!" 

The man took a few steps back with his hands raised, asking me to calm down.

"Sorry for my boldness, but luckily there's a ray of hope that shines even for those who don't have a maiden. Listen carefully. Are you familiar with grace? The golden light that gives your life." The man pointed to the side.

Didn't he hear what I just said? And looking to the side, I saw rays of golden light coming out of the shard of light on the ground next to us, so that was the grace.

"You may also notice its golden rays pointing in a specific direction at times. This is the guidance of grace that every tarnished must follow. Hmm, indeed. The answers lie in the guidance of grace. I, Varré will guide you to the path you must follow. Even if it leads to your grave." 

Stop calling me tarnished!

"The guidance of grace will reveal the way ahead for sure. To the Stormveil Castle on the cliff. The home of the decrepit demigod, Godrick the Grafted."

Great, he's trying to put me on another mission where I have no idea what's going on. As if, I'm going to the castle. Elden Ring? Elden Lord? I have no interest in that, I just want to get my crowns and gear back and then leave.

"Fine! Thanks for the information, Varré, and it was a pleasure to meet you, but I need to go. Follow the grace and all that, you know? And for the last time, I'm not a tarnished, I'm undead!" I lit the grace that was next to us and followed the golden rays.

-XXXXXX-

What a strange tarnished, and a stupid one, not knowing what the Elden Ring is, he won't last long in these lands. I couldn't determine where he's from, his equipment doesn't match, but he appears to be some sorcerer, his appearance is noteworthy, that red hair is sure to draw unwanted attention.

Although I could make out a dark mark on the back of his neck, it was a black circle surrounded by a ring of fire, probably a clan mark. Well, it's no use complaining now; this naïve tarnished won't serve my master. 

Wait! He doesn't like to be called tarnished, but undead. What is an undead anyway? He doesn't look like a corpse to me. Probably hit his head hard somewhere.

Looks like the tarnished will meet his end, as he's heading towards the Tree Sentinel, a pity, I'll have to wait for a new tarnished. I turned around when the fighting sounds started, preferring not to see the tarnished torn to pieces, and I could hear the screams of the tarnished and the sentinel.

"FUCK YOU!"

The tarnished scream echoed through Limgrave, the ground shook. An earthquake! Here? Orange light flashed behind me, when I turned around, pillars of flame were coming out of the ground, reaching up to the skies. 

Lava started to flow from the ground, where the pillars came out, and one of these pillars came below the Sentinel and his horse, reducing both to ashes. 

If it wasn't for the mask, someone would see my open mouth, it seems I was wrong, my master would be interested in this tarnished, no, Undead.

-XXXXXX-

What the fuck! I barely got here, and I already got into two fights against strong opponents, at least I got a golden halberd. I put it inside the bag. Further, ahead, I could see a ruined church, and a place to rest. In the church, a man was sitting near a fire.

"I can see you're tarnished." 

Again!

"And I can also see... That you're not after my head" 

Moreover, why would I want to kill him?

"So why don't you buy something? I am Kalé, a supplier of quality products".

"Very well show me what you have." 

Hm… Throwing knives? No, I have many of different types. Pots? No, I have my urns. The weapons and armor don't look any better than what I'm wearing. 

"What do you recommend?" I asked Kalé.

"I recommend the crafting kit, nomad warrior's and missionary's cookbooks. And if you are interested I also sell information."

"What kind of information?"

"The kind only a merchant with connections can get." 

He convinced me.

"Okay, how many souls for the kit, recipe books, and information?" 

Kalé looked at me with wide eyes and took a step back. Did I say something wrong?

"N-no we d-don't accept s-souls, just runes, it will be 2700 runes." 

Again those runes.

"What are runes?" 

Kalé looked at me confused.

"When the Elder Ring was broken, little fragments scattered across the Lands Between. You saw it, didn't you? Little golden fragments."

"Do you mean this?" I held out my hand to Kalé and the runes formed on it.

"Yes."

"Here it is." I gave the runes to Kalé.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you." Kalé took the runes and handed me the items. 

Time to get some rest "Mind if I sit here?"

"No, make yourself comfortable."

I sat by the fire and cast Warmth; the fire orb healed my wounds from the previous fight. 

Kalé stared at me, suspiciously.

"Don't worry this pyromancy heals wounds."

"It looks useful."

"It sure is."

It's already dark; Kalé and I sat there, talking with each other. Kalé offered me some food, but I refused. A disadvantage of being undead, I don't need to eat, sleep, can't age and get tired, only the mind gets tired, and then becomes hollow.

"I am from a nomadic people." Kalé spoke.

"Selling wares as I travel, the land has been tainted with madness since the shattering of the Elden Ring, are tarnished like you that keep things from drying out completely. Let's say your presence as a customer is welcome." 

Good to hear this, the undead aren't appreciated; we're seen as a pest.

Time passed and it was already dawn, time to go on travel. Maybe I should look where this grace takes me. Maybe it would take me to the crowns. 

"Until the next Kalé!"

"Be careful out there, every customer counts after all." Kalé said while waving.

I touched the grace in the church and followed the golden rays.

-XXXXXX-

After walking for some time I arrived at a ruined gate, further on, I could see some camps with soldiers, maybe they could tell me more about this place.

"Hello! Good Morning! Could you people give me some information? What is the name of this place? Do these regions have any rulers? And more importantly, have you seen any peculiar crowns around here?" I said, approaching the soldiers.

"TARNISHED!" 

Wait, what?

"RIP OFF HIS ARMS AND LEGS!" 

My arms and legs?

"FOR LORD GODRICK!" 

That name again, Godrick.

"Please wait, I'm not tarnished! Can't we talk about it?" These men are not hollows; maybe they would listen to reason and not attack. 

I was wrong, ten soldiers came towards me, I needed to decrease their numbers, and fighting a crowd of enemies would only lead to my death, I learned this in the worst way.

I lit my pyromantic flame, fire concentrated in the palm of my hand and I slammed it to the ground, pillars of flame came out of it, going in a straight line towards the soldiers, Fire Snake, a living fire. Due to everyone running in my direction, most of them couldn't get out of the way.

"AH!" Six of the soldiers were turned to ash, the souls and runes came to me.

Four left, one with a large shield and spear, two with swords and shields, and one with a sword and torch. Time to try my new weapons, I drew my ornate swords, one in each hand, and used the weapon art, the holy light involved the blades. 

The soldiers using swords and shields advanced. The one on the right used a vertical strike, I blocked with the right blade, the one on the left used the same strategy, and with a trust forward, I pushed the soldier in the deadlock back. 

In addition, I used the left blade to cut the soldier that came at me, I cut him in the stomach, and then I used my other free blade to cut him vertically from top to bottom. He fell dead on the ground. 

The soldier with the torch, seeing this, ran into my direction trying to shove the torch into my face, I bent down and as I got up I plunged both blades into his stomach, his body went limp on my blades.

The soldier I pushed back ran towards me again with a war cry. I took advantage of his ally's corpse and put it in front of the blow, the soldier's sword was stuck in his friend corpse. I took the chance and pushed the corpse on top of him, knocking him to the ground and impaling him with the tip of the blades that came out of the corpse's back. 

Now only the spear soldier remained, he tried to impale me straight in the heart, I dodged to the right, another blow, dodged to the left, and this continued for some time. On the next blow I grabbed the handle of his spear and pulled it towards me, the soldier lost his balance, and I drove the right blade into his neck.

The fight was over, I looked around, there was no one else in the camp; now let's see if I can find anything useful. I've learned to explore as much as possible in my time in Drangleic, you never know you might find something useful.

-XXXXXX-

My exploration was worth it, I got a Great Sword and a Flail, more weapons for my collection. Near the gate there was one more site of grace, I touched it. While resting near the Grace I felt something strange, there was something wrong, it was silent very silent. I stood up and looked around, my hand slowly going to the blades.

"Greetings, traveler from out of the mist" 

I quickly turned around and pointed the sword at this person, from her voice it was a woman, but I couldn't see her face due to the hood she was wearing.

"I'm Melina." She approached the grace and sat on the floor, my sword still pointing at her.

She took off her hood "I offer you an accord."

END OF CHAPTER