Elden Ring (Fan-Fiction)

Elden Ring Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Tarnished Awakens

The Awakening

In the dark, forgotten recesses of the Church of Anticipation, the Tarnished awoke. They were a figure of no renown, dressed in tattered garments, a sword rusted by time clutched in one hand. The air was thick with a sense of forgotten history, the walls around them whispering of a world that had moved on, leaving them behind.

A cold wind swept through the dilapidated chapel, stirring the dust and the memories that lay buried beneath. The Tarnished, disoriented and weak, struggled to their feet, the weight of an ancient curse pressing down on their soul. They had been chosen, called back from oblivion by a power they could not yet comprehend.

The silence was broken by a voice, soft and ethereal, yet carrying the weight of fate.

"Thou art not alone, Tarnished."

The Tarnished turned to see a spectral figure, her form wavering in the dim light. She was cloaked in a hooded robe, her face partially obscured, yet her presence was undeniable. She was Melina, a maiden bound to the Tarnished by a shared purpose.

"I am Melina," she said, her voice carrying an ancient sadness. "I offer you an accord. I can guide you through this forsaken land, to the foot of the Erdtree. There, you may reclaim what was lost, and become what you are destined to be."

The Tarnished regarded her with weary eyes, the weight of their past lives heavy upon them. They had no memory of their former glory, no sense of the great deeds they might have once accomplished. All that remained was a gnawing hunger, a desire to reclaim their place in the world.

"And what do you ask in return?" the Tarnished's voice was hoarse, unused for so long.

"Only that you take me with you," Melina replied. "To the Erdtree. There, our fates will be decided."

The First Step

With Melina by their side, the Tarnished stepped out into the world. The first light of dawn was breaking over the horizon, casting a pale glow over the land of Limgrave. It was a place of rolling hills and ancient ruins, where the remnants of a once-great civilization lay scattered, half-buried in the earth.

The road ahead was long, the journey fraught with danger. But the Tarnished felt a flicker of hope, a sense that perhaps, in this broken world, they might find a way to restore what had been lost.

Their first steps took them to the edge of a cliff, where the land fell away into a vast expanse of wilderness. As they gazed out over the world, a figure approached-a man dressed in white robes, his face hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat. His demeanor was one of mocking indifference, and his voice dripped with condescension.

"Well, well," the man said, his tone light and mocking. "A Tarnished, are we? Fated to die in obscurity, no doubt."

The Tarnished met his gaze, their grip tightening on the hilt of their sword.

"And who are you to say what my fate will be?" they asked, their voice steady despite the weariness that clung to them.

The man chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "My name is Varre. You'll find there's little use in clinging to hope in this land. The world has moved on, and the Tarnished are but echoes of a forgotten past. You'll soon see that the path you walk is one of death and despair."

"Then why are you here, Varre?" Melina interjected, her voice calm yet firm. "If you believe the Tarnished are destined to fail, why bother with us?"

Varre shrugged, the gesture filled with apathy. "Perhaps I find amusement in watching the struggle. Or perhaps I see potential in this one, though I doubt it will amount to much. In any case, I won't stop you from pursuing your foolish quest. Go ahead, seek out the Great Runes, if you can. But know this-power comes at a cost, and not all are prepared to pay it."