Elden Ring: Putrefaction of Gold

The Reunion of Lovers

Miquella sighed in frustration as he looked at the pot on his desk. His mother's great gift had grown considerably into a small tree. He pruned it, watered it, experimented with it with the utmost delicacy, and even managed to grow a sample into the minor Erdtree out in the church where Miquella began his preaching. But aside from the regular requirements of a tree, Miquella wasn't sure what to do anymore.

His father recommended planting his branch of the Erdtree into soil rich with gold as it was a material unlike any other. Under this theory, Miquella tested and grew the branch within the Minor Erdtree Church. And while the results were impressive, making something that was at least partially resembling his mother's magnificent work and unique at the same time, it only caused a small stir. Its beauty, size, and magnificence did not come anywhere near equal to those of its mother branch.

Again, his father scolded Miquella to continue to look deeper into the foundation of gold, but there were no answers. He studied gold down to its smallest parts. Conducted hundreds of experiments on its luster, components, and properties. And while he learned much from this, including using an unalloyed variety in new treatments for his sister, but as the foundational ingredient to build his legacy? Miquella wasn't seeing it.

The reveal of his miracle and the preaching at the Minor Erdtree Church only brought about a minor stir among the Lands-Between and far too much criticism. Golden Order Fundamentalists questioned if Marika intended to, or even should, abucate her throne to Miquella. After all, he was not of the Golden Lineage, which was an essential requirement in their small minds.

It was insulting! How dare they! Was Marika the goddess, or was it Godfrey? Was it her blood that mattered or the blood of a half-rabid Lord who needed a lion to calm his fury?

"Why bother with that stupid Golden Order anyway?" muttered Miquella, laying his head on the desk. "It wasn't as though it did anything for Malenia except make things worse."

Ack! Malenia! Miquella forgot to wake her, as he did every morning. Today, especially, was not a time he ought to hesitate. He quickly went to his distiller and examined the water he purified from the dew dripping from the Erdtree's leaves. After pouring the beaker into a jug, he went out the door.

Malenia threatened numerous times to lock Miquella out when she was upset but never followed through. It was more the idol teenage threats from a growing young woman demanding her own space than a serious commitment. It confused young Miquella. He couldn't understand why his beloved sister, his own twin, lost interest in playing with him, how she grew more focused on training and spent more time with Finlay than with him.

His parents assured Miquella that this was all part of growing up, an experience that Miquella would never have. He pretended he understood, but he struggled with the idea himself. Why would anyone want to grow up if they became so surly and boring?

He pushed Malenia's door open, but again, she didn't follow through with her threat to lock, even though she had every reason to. She wasn't a morning person, and as she grew older, she also grew frustrated with having a consistent—and intrusive—morning routine.

He found Malenia still in bed with Finlay sleeping next to her. Between them was the book that Finlay read her before the two of them fell asleep.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" caroled Miquella as he threw open the curtains.

"Really, Miquella?" groaned Malenia as she rubbed and then covered her eyes from the blinding sun.

Miquella laughed and closed the curtains again. He crawled up on Malenia's lap, put his arms around her neck, and snuggled his head against her chest. How much he loved her! Every moment with her was so precious to him.