Morgott's Malice

His new armoured form was as intimidating as it got, but it was also immensely useful. It had pockets that held more space than it seemed while providing him far more protection than a crudely tattered tent.

The flail, on the other hand, was nearly useless as he had no idea how to use it; neither did his soldiers. Regardless, the Amber Starlight Shard and the Sacramental Buds were a great addition to his ever-increasing collection of loot, and as they made their way toward the Dectus Lift, he managed to get his hands on yet another item that was valuable but had no idea how to use.

As they neared the Altus Junction, with one path leading to the massive entrance to Leyndell that he could still see from so far away and the other to the Dectus Lift, he spotted a miniature tree that blessed its surroundings with a soft golden light. It was ethereal, akin to a construct of pure gold.

But it was not the tree that he was interested in, but the golden tangle at its base.

[Observe]

[A golden seed, found at the base of an illusory tree. When the Elden Ring was shattered, these seeds flew from the Erdtree, scattering across the various lands, as if life itself knew that its end had come.]

"Is that...", Earnan's voice trailed off as Godrick rolled the seed between his clawed fingers.

"It wasn't Eternal", Madhadh whispered, the fact that they'd been lied to their entire lives truly settling in.

There was supposed to be solely one Erdtree - eternal, unbending, and unbroken. Yet, here it lay, undeniable proof that the Erdtree was just another one of many.

"Nothing is," Godrick muttered as he tucked it in one of his many pockets, his soldiers immediately falling silent at the sound of his voice. "Not Marika, or the Erdtree. Nor the Elden Ring."

Silence.

"Speak thy doubts, and I shall answer them as best I can," Godrick said, observing his soldiers and the mood around them.

"What's the point...?", Madhadh asked after mustering up some courage, looking up at Godrick. "If nothing is eternal, then where do I put my faith?"

Godrick could've asked them to put their faith in him, but that would be no different from the Golden Order. If he wanted true loyalty, then he needed to inspire and lead with actions, not false promises. He was Godrick the Golden, not a politician.

"Put thy faith in this truth: nothing endures forever. No man, no woman, nor beast is eternal. Immortal, perchance, but not eternal," Godrick proclaimed, his gaze sweeping over his soldiers. "Anyone or anything that professes such is a liar. Heed not all thou dost hear—question. Question everything, for none are infallible."

His soldiers shifted uncomfortably.

"Not even me," Godrick continued, addressing their unease and evident question. "Place not thy faith in my promises, but in my deeds. I offer thee not eternity but the struggle for it. 'Tis an ideal to strive for. For glory, and for eternal dominion."

"For Glory and Eternal Dominion!"

Earnan's eyes burned with determination as he heard his Lord's riveting speech. He took his Lord's words and burned them into his mind. He swore that he would record Godrick the Golden's words and feats, starting with the slaying of one of the Reapers in the dark, the Night Cavalry, a finger of the Fell Omen.

***

The scenery slowly changed from dense trees to a wide-open space of orange-gold from which most of the Altus Plateau was visible. The paved, stone roads led to the Brobdingnagian gates of Leyndell, patrolled by Knights and foot soldiers, the tall, jagged peaks of Mt. Gelmir, and the imposing size of the Dectus Lift in the distance.

Their group joined the wide, stone road lined with large intricately carved pillars on the side, only to be accosted by a small contingent of the aforementioned Leyndell soldiers.

A knight holding a spear and on horseback stared at them in indecision while surrounded by two ordinary soldiers and quite a few foot soldiers. Their eyes behind their helmets looked at Elrus and his Night Cavalry armour with disbelief. It was unsurprising, as it was the equivalent of a cryptid walking the streets of New York.

[Observe]

(Character Sheet

 Valjiek

 Age: Fifty years old

 HP: 100

 FP: 70

 Strength: 10

 Dexterity: 10

 Endurance: 10

 Vigor: 10

 Mind: 7

 Intelligence: 7

 Faith: 10

 Skills:

[Meditation (Active) Level 3: Increase your FP regeneration (0.9 FP/s]

[Spear Mastery (Passive): Level 4: Mildly proficient with the spear.]

[Shield Mastery (Passive): Level 4: Mildly proficient with the shield.]

[Sword Mastery (Passive): Level 3: Mildly proficient with swords.]

Incantations:

[Golden Vow]

[Heal])

But it was not the surprise in their eyes that was out of the ordinary, but the fact that they charged them with murder in their eyes.

"Heretics! By the gilded Erdtree, my oath doth bind!" the Knight yelled and charged along with his men in a flash of gold while Earnan did the same, Godrick's soldiers moving as a cohesive unit.

Godrick didn't remain confused for long—the Night Cavalry attack was already a clue that Morgott wanted him dead, and it was not far-fetched to think that the Omen King would've ordered to have his group killed. The question was why? And how did he catch wind of his ambition?

"By the gilded Erdtree, my oath doth bind!"

[Golden Vow]

It was ironic that both sides, embraced by gold, swearing oaths to the same Erdtree were at each other's throats.

A film of gold covered him and his men while Elrus charged forward with speed far outstripping any other horse. Valijeik had the pinnacle of human stats and was highly trained, his Spear Mastery exceeding even Godrick's own, but the thing was that Godrick had the bigger stick.

Literally.

His stats made him a monster made flesh and the Night Cavalry armor made it a reality. The Crystal Spear ripped through the Leyndell Knight's armour like it was butter, pulverizing the man's heart and impaling him. The golden film flashed, slowing down his spear, but what could a brick wall do to a train?

[Valjiek killed. +150 EXP]

Discarding the corpse, he let his men take care of the rest of them. Despite being outnumbered 2 to 1, his men showed greater martial prowess. Spears plunged into flesh and shields cracked skulls as his men were baptized in combat and blood. But it wasn't perfect—biceps were pierced and backs were stabbed, nothing that couldn't be solved with a quick heal.

Earnan was akin to a demon. He'd managed to increase his physique by 1 to 2 stat points in each category in the past few weeks as though his body had been waiting for a release. Combined with his martial prowess, his potential shined through. Walking through the carnage, he used his sword to cut the flesh of the Leyndell soldiers akin to a butcher, with limbs, heads, and organs rolling on the ground.

The entire fight took barely a minute, his soldiers coming out the other side with barely a casualty. It may have had to do with the fact that his soldiers were better armoured compared to the foot soldiers, while only two Leyndell soldiers were present. Either way, it was a victory and that's what they cared about.

"Godrick the Golden's army shall take the Lands Between by storm. 'Tis certain," he thought, as Earnan and the soldiers saluted him with bloodied fists.

No longer were their minds bound to the teachings of the Erdtree. They were now his, and his alone.

And this was just the beginning.

***

They did not run into any other Leyndell soldiers on their journey to the lift, as they were far enough from the City of Gold as it was. They drew closer to the Dectus Lift and were truly taken aback by its sheer size. Giant statues that were a hundred feet tall, holding large stone axes, guarded a large circular platform that could fit a small army. But what was most fear-inducing were two giant stone golems that guarded either side of the lift.

[Observe]

(Character Sheet

 Golem Archer

 Age: 1 million three hundred thousand years old

 HP: 300

 FP: ---

 Strength: ??

 Dexterity: 19

 Endurance: ??

 Vigor: 30

 Mind: ---

 Intelligence: ---

 Faith: ---

Golem Archers, mighty stone sentinels from a civilization long fallen to ruin. The Old Gods did bestow upon them a purpose now forgotten in the mists of time, yet they steadfastly guard their creator's relics, ever yearning for the day the Titans shall find peace in their eternal rest.)

[Observe]

(Character Sheet

Golem Soldier

 Age: 1 million three hundred thousand years old

 HP: ???

 FP: ---

 Strength: ??

 Dexterity: 15

 Endurance: ??

 Vigor: ??

 Mind: ---

 Intelligence: ---

 Faith: ---

Golem Soldiers, mighty stone sentinels from a civilization long fallen to ruin. The Old Gods did bestow upon them a purpose now forgotten in the mists of time, yet they steadfastly guard their creator's relics, ever yearning for the day the Titans shall find peace in their eternal rest.)

'Old Gods? Titans,' Godrick frowned as he read the description. Was it the giant corpses littered in Caelid and the Mountaintops of the Giants?

Were they a civilization that preceded everything alongside the dragons? For once, he wasn't sure. The lore in the game around these golems was scarce and almost non-existent. The only reference to the Old Gods was the Ancient Meteoric Ore Greatsword that was said to be fashioned from a shard of an arrowhead of the old god's arsenal.

The mind-bogglingly massive dragon in the Scadu Altus also had a giant stone rod sticking out of it. Was that a result of the Titans? The Old Gods? How did they die? Where were they on the timeline?

"My Lord? Are we to proceed?", Earnan shook him out of his lore meltdown as he stood before the massive golems.

"No...", Godrick replied, looking to his right, at a massive ruin in the distance. "We have a few allies to make."

***

Need more Powerstones to cast my Chapter Sorceries. Quick!