CH 19: Leveling Up

(A/N: No Vigor run deaths update:

Tree Sentinel: 28 (Time: 50m/Weapon: Club+0)

Margit, the Fell Omen: 4 (Time: 10m/Weapon: Club+3)

Godrick the Grafted: 1 (Time: 5m/Weapon: Heavy Infusion Club+6)

Who would have thought beating the Tree Sentinel with a big stick would feel so good lol? It would have ended with low 10 deaths, but I got too greedy and died when the red of his health could barely be seen and got that damn shield!)

Alistair :"I'm an assassin."

Miquella :"No, you're not."

Alistair :"Did you see me do that?

Miquella :"Do what?"

Alistair :"Exactly."

--------------------------

"He... actually did it..." Maliketh mumbled, mouth wide open as he and Miquella watched Alistair walk back smugly as the humongous dragon behind him disintegrated into dust. His flail waved around gently behind him as he grinned :"So who's delusional now?"

[Runes: 2,036 -> 98,651

Dragon Heart x5]

Maliketh :"...I am, because I'm definitely imagining what just happened. How is this even possible?!"

Miquella :"It seriously is... I apologize, Alistair, but ridiculous. To take down a dragon of that size with just a flail is just... unbelievable."

Maliketh :"Yeah, you've got that right! I understand that she wasn't at her prime, but still, this defies all logic!"

Alistair shrugged smugly :"Well, we're talking about me. Logic and I don't really get along."

Miquella/Maliketh deadpanned :"Haha, very funny."

Alistair shrugged again :"Hey, it's not my fault I'm awesome."

Maliketh :"Why, this little..."

"This really is unbelievable. I wouldn't believe it happening if anybody told me about it." Miquella sighed, rubbing his temples before he smiled :"But oh well, even if it's surprising, it is on our side. It's good that your plan succeeded, after all. We wouldn't want to have come this far just for it to fail, correct?"

Maliketh sighed :"Well, I suppose you have a point." While Alistair grinned :"You've got that right! Now, let's enjoy these juicy runes! Melina?!"

"You do not need to shout." She appeared gently :"I can hear you if you just speak normally. But anyway, let us sit down and I shall turn those runes into strength."

Maliketh didn't seem surprised by her sudden appearance :"So, who is she?"

Miquella :"Oh, she is Melina, Alistair's Finger Maiden. Well, sort of. She acts as one, but isn't really one herself. She's the one who turns his runes into strength. You don't seem surprised by her sudden appearance."

"I sensed her presence around you two. But I also sensed the connection, so I didn't take her for a hostile individual."

"Ooh, that is understandable."

"But... she seems... familiar... and that name..."

"Of course I do." Melina looked up to him :"We have met before, after all." She lowered his hood, revealing her one open and one sealed eyes :"Uncle Maliketh."

His eyes widened behind the cloak, as did Miquella's :"Wait, you are...!"

At the realization, Miquella rubbed his temples with a groan :"Ugh, so another child who Queen Marika casted away irresponsibly, I assume."

Alistair :"You don't seem so surprised about finding another sister."

"Of course I don't. Did you assume Queen Marika had so few children in the span of a millennia? Do you know about the Wandering Mausoleum?"

"Yes?"

"Did you know that the headless corpses resting inside of them are the unwanted demigod children of Queen Marika who she got rid of herself. Believe me, Queen Marika was a lot more horrible than you could ever imagine."

"Damn... that's another level of messed up..."

"Right? Who would need an enemy when Queen Marika is their mother. So were you another hidden child, Melina? Like Morgott and Mohg?"

Melina shook her head :"That isn't exactly correct. Queen Marika could be considered my mother, but she didn't give birth to me. She created me with a purpose for my existence. A purpose that came to be shortly before her disappearance."

"And that purpose is the reason you need to go to the Erdtree?"

"That is correct. I was born at the foot of the Erdtree. Where mother gave me my purpose. And it is there that I shall fulfill my purpose."

Maliketh grew more shocked :"What?! But... you were birthed through... that fire. If Marika has given you that purpose... that only means..."

"It seems you already know. Are you going to stop me then?"

Maliketh was silent, frowning deeply, before he sighed deeply, emotionally :"No. If that is what Marika truly wishes for, then I am not the one to confront her about it. I am but her shadow. My only reason for existence is to aid her in her goals. I shall not aid you in the challenges ahead, but if that is her goal, I shall not stop you either. I just wish she knew for once what she is planning to do."

"I see. Then if our affiliation is established, I shall waste no more time." As she sat down, followed by Alistair, Melina raised her hand :"Now, shall I turn your runes to strength? Let my hand rest upon you, for but a moment. Share them with me. Your thoughts, your ambitions. The principles you would follow."

A grin made its way to Alistair's handsome face. The crazy kind. And a shiver ran down Miquella's spine, because he recognized it. It was the same one he had when forced Torrent to jump down a fucking cliff :"Oh, no..."

"Pour everything into strength!" The golden femboy's eyes widened :"W-what?! Are you crazy?! Don't listen to him, Melina!"

"Why not?! It's higher damage!"

"And lower living chances! You'll die if a demigod sneezes in your way with that much life force!"

"They can't hurt me if they're already dead!"

Maliketh mumbled :"That makes sense..." But a vicious glare from Miquella quickly made him cough :"But just because it's correct doesn't mean it's right!"

"It's alright! I'll just come back if I die anyway! I can't die, remember?!"

"Then you will stay the majority of your time being dead instead! You, are, NOT, doing that, and that's FINAL! Understood?!"

Alistair could finally see the bearing of a real demigod in him. Coupled with how right he was –and how much he loved him, completely relevant– he couldn't really refuse. His head and shoulders slumped, looking like a sad puppy :"Yes, sir..."

"Good! Finally, you understand some sense!" Miquella frowned further, glaring down at Alistair who found the ground so much interesting suddenly.

Melina tightened her lips :"...So... how am I going to distribute his runes?"

Before Alistair could get a word in, Miquella had already made up his mind :"Increase his Vigor to 30, then pour the rest into strength."

"Wha- 30?! But that's basically the soft cap..." The noiret looked up, but meeting his future husband's glare, just lowered his head again :"Fine, just do as he says..."

Miquella knew what he was talking about. In the time they had spent together, he had Alistair explain the system thoroughly to him. After all, he knew that he must know their own strength before going into any battle. That was why he wanted to bring Vigor to the soft cap of 40 as soon as possible. (A/N: Soft cap is 60 and hard cap is 80, I know. But for Vigor, 40 is generally considered the soft cap and 60 the hard cap, because using more weapons is more fun than staying alive lol.)

Alistair had told him that anywhere between 40 and 60 was more than enough to clear the game in his previous life, because the game needed skill in avoiding strikes rather than tanking them. After all, according to him, even at max Vigor, only a few hits from later bosses would still be enough to kill you. More Vigor was only meant for not dying in one or two hits. But still, he wanted to be careful. At least soft cap in Vigor first, then anything else.

"Understood." Melina nodded, an energy surging through her hand and into Alistair. Meanwhile, the two kept their eyes on the system panel and his attributes. His Dexterity was Increased previously to 14 from 9 to be able to wield the flail's ability, which Radagon's Soreseal talisman also increased further to 19, passing the 18 needed Dexterity of the flail. He had also increased Vigor by 1, from 14 to 15. But now, they increased Vigor and Strength instead.

[Level: 13 -> 36

Runes Held: 98,651 -> 2,739

Runes Needed: 8,214]

-

[Attribute Points:

Vigor: 15 -> 30

Mind: 9

Endurance: 12

Strength: 16 -> 24

Dexterity: 14

Intelligence: 7

Faith: 8

Arcane: 11]

Although he was in the mood to be sad, he couldn't keep that mood anymore. Not when he felt the sudden rush of strength that suddenly emerged from within him. The free hand drawing shapes on a rock clenched into a fist, instantly turning the rock into dust. He couldn't even feel any resistance. It was like he tried to grab air.

"It is done." Melina retrieved her hand :"I hope you are satisfied with your newfound strength."

He stared at his fist in wonder, nodding at her gently. Standing up, he walked up to the rocky stairs of the fort. And when he punched it, his eyes widened. Not because of pain. But because he didn't feel any discomfort as the stairs were pulverized. It wasn't like he punched solid rock at all.

"Whoa... goddamn..." He clenched and unclenched his fist, amazed at the power he felt :'Right, I forgot I wished for lore accurate attributes rather than just higher damage. Hahahaha, and I feel like it's going to make this ridiculous. Ridiculously awesome!'

"Thanks, Melina! This is just awesome!" He gave her thumbs up, causing her to smirk :"You are most welcome. It is my job, after all. In exchange, I only wish for more... delicious shows, to be exact."

Miquella's face twitched, turning red as he grumbled :"This damn... pervert." But to his horror, Alistair grinned back :"You got it. And now that he can actually grow up, you'll get even better ones."

"What are they talking about-" Maliketh frowned before his eyes widened :"Wait, what did you just say?! Miquella can grow up now?! So that's why I felt like you look different! How is that possible?! What happened?! Not even the Golden Order could cure you and your sister's afflictions!"

"Oh, well, actually..." Miquella tried to smile, trying to forget the weird and outright perverted agreement between the two.

"So it's like that." Maliketh frowned :"That's why I sensed something wrong with you. I didn't expect you to be in a spiritual state. And I certainly didn't expect you to have found a cure for yourself. Good job, nephew. Not even the Golden Order managed to help you, but you managed to make the impossible possible."

Miquella chuckled :"You're giving me too much credit, uncle Maliketh. We only found this way through luck and accident after all."

"*Smiling* Nonetheless, you still found it. And as confused as I am as to how it actually works, I'm happy for you as well for leaving behind your curse."

"*Smiling* Thank you, uncle. I appreciate your kindness, very much so."

"Hahahaha, you're welcome. I am your uncle, after all. I just hope Malenia can be cured as well. That poor girl has suffered much more than she deserved. Life has been very cruel to her."

"Don't worry, uncle. I assure you," Miquella's smiled dropped, a serious look appearing on his childish face, and the same bearing of the demigod Alistair saw before returned to him :"I –will– cure my sister, even if it's the last thing I do."

"I know you will, kid." Maliketh smiled again, a gentle smile of belief :"I know you will."

"I apologize for ruining the mood, however, I have something to say." Melina cleared her throat, catching everybody's attention as she turned to Alistair :"Forgive me. I've been...testing you. To see whether or not grace truly does guide you.

And... whether you are fit to face the challenge that entails. It seems my worries were unfounded. Torrent had your measure from the very start. Whereas I merely pretended. There is but one other thing I can do to offer you guidance. I can take you to the Roundtable Hold, gathering place of Tarnished champions, guided by Grace."

Alistair grinned :'The time has finally come!'