Onyx laid Marika down across Melina’s bed, stepping back as Melina herself moved forward, very tentatively pulling furs over the woman, gaze still stuck on her. It wasn’t quite the same kind of reverence of the typical believer encountering the goddess of their religion, combined with a mix of things that both complicated it but undeniably made for a stronger connection.

Melina didn’t need anyone to suggest or tell her to watch over Marika. She’d be handling that going forward.

He crossed his arms, feeling out the connection between him and Marika. It’d been weakened by their separation, hopefully a sign that he wouldn’t have to worry about some sudden assimilation between them, but it was still present.

None of the usual endless wrath greeted him. Nor did any kind of relief. Not much of anything came from her side of things.

She simply was.

Hard to tell when she’d wake up.

“Onyx.” Melina said without looking his way. “What was it you did to the Great Rune?”

“I used my power to purge it of Grace then Marika’s soul filled what was left behind.” He explained without draping in any unnecessary details. “Assuming all the shards are the same, the Elden Ring makes for a good container. One shard wasn’t enough to completely contain her though, so we’re still bound together.”

Melina fell silent for a moment that didn’t last. “When you were carrying out this purging, I heard portions of your conversation with Queen Marika. You spoke of a vessel and…she did not sound pleased with such an outcome.”

“Hmmm, she’s probably the only one who could fully explain what she meant by that, but I have a guess.”

“Whether it be the stars or this Greater Will you all talk about, almost all of you rely on something beyond yourselves for power. In my experience, when you do that, you open yourself up to that something’s influence.” He explained. “It didn’t look like that shard came with any kind of will of its own, but it housed a lot of power. Again, assuming all the shards are the same way, if one were to have the entire Elden Ring, they’d have plenty of power no doubt, but they’d also be the most vulnerable to the source of that power.”

“You mean to suggest that her will has not been her own?”

“I wouldn’t go that far. Imposed certain rules and influenced her maybe, but Marika isn’t so weak willed that another could outright control her.” He knew firsthand the kind of domineering strength her soul and all that came with it could have. For better or worse she couldn’t even control her own nature. “That’s just my theory based on what I’ve seen. We’ll have to ask her if any of that is true.”

He was rather curious himself.

Marika had quite the bit of pride and was more than just a little self centered. Even if that would be influence over her was never exploited, to her, the mere existence of it could be reason enough for drastic action.

How much did freewill matter if another could impose control on it at any time?

She wouldn’t stand for something like that. They were similar in that respect.

“Thank you.” Melina said.

He raised a brow. “What are you thanking me for?”

“I am certain that Queen Marika is the reason for my existence. That she is my…mother.” Melina said, her voice barely above a whisper. She finally turned to him, her gold tinged eye focused. “If you are right then you have aided her in way I could not have.”

“Somehow I don’t think I’ll be getting that kind of thanks from her.” He said, a light chuckle escaping. Marika might’ve put her trust in him during that process but he wasn’t expecting the words thank you to appear in her dictionary. “You know, a smile’s a good look on you.”

It was small and didn’t last long, Melina more surprised by it than him as it fell away, her face dropping into her usual unreadable pensive stare. He let her be with her thoughts and Marika, stepping out of the small cabin and out onto its porch.

Nepheli, still unconscious, laid beside the campfire that’d been started, bandaged up and the worst of her wounds attended to by Melina on their way back here. Edgar veered on the side of caution, waiting at his own cabin with his halberd in reach and Irina sitting on the steps beside him.

Those two had their fair share of questions but that would have to wait.

He wanted to talk with that dragon while she was still lingering about.

XOXO

“Are you acquainted with the concept of Dragon Communion?”

“That depends. Do you mean the worship of dragons or something else?”

“Strange. I suspected that may have played some role in your home being made around this place.” Hand falling from stoney horns of her kin’s corpse, the dragon that brought them back to the island turned fully to him, stepping beside the endless burning chalice at the center of the ruins.

She’d abandoned her massive sun blocking form in favor of one that was almost completely human. Long grayish silver hair that fell far past her shoulders, curling at their ends, framed a soft, much calmer face. Unbothered by the cool winds that blew between her locks, she stood stark naked, the fair smooth skin of her lithe figure on full display. The only signs of her draconic nature her the set of four white horns jutting out from her head, the rear pair smaller than those at the front, and her sharpened gray tipped nails.

And her presence. Be it this form or her actual one, she exuded a pressure, a kind of pressure that even restrained ensured everyone thought twice about approaching her. It was heavily curbed compared to what he first faced.

She looked more like some kind of regal beauty rather than a vicious fighter.

“For some it is a matter of worship. For others it is little more than a way to gain power.” She explained her sharp yellow eyes looking him over once more. “Had you fell that dragon you encountered in Agheel Lake and partook in the flesh and stone of its beating heart, you would’ve begun down such a path.”

“That wouldn’t have bothered you? I was under the impression dragons are few in number.”

“While it may be accurate to call us kin, you’ve seen for yourself that such lesser creatures are little more than animals. They are useful for the act of Communion and little else.” So, the distinction between Ancient Dragons and those weren’t just some classification outsiders of their kind came up with. “You, strangely enough, are far closer to one of my kind. Is this a form you have chosen to confine yourself to or are you truly human?”

She stepped in closer as slitted eyes relocked with his, her stare piercing directly across from his own, the both of them even in height.

“I’m me.” The answer earned him a quirked brow. “I have been told my soul is similar to that of dragons. Dragonborn is the term some have used.”

“Dragonborn?” She repeated, testing the title.

“The people who used that term defined it as a mortal born with the soul of a dragon.” He explained shrugging. “It doesn’t actually fit me completely, but I’ve been mistaken for it enough times that there might be some truth to it.”

“Interesting, I have not heard of such a thing in my lifetime.” She said before holding out her hand. It took him a moment before he followed, laying his on top of it. Crimson electricity sparked over their layered palms, her energy quickly rousing his to respond in kind, an impulse he didn’t fight, only adding to the strength of the electricity. “A fitting term, nonetheless. You’ve taken to the power I gifted to you far better than I expected.”

“If you would entertain my curiosity, why did you spare so many on your way through Stormveil? It would have been far simpler to kill any who stood in your way. They’d have done the same, and likely worse given your strength, had they managed to overpower you.”

“I don’t care much about going against people that don’t really want to fight. Nothing to get out of it.” He admitted, a grin slowly forming as he recalled their fight. “And fights are at their most entertaining when you’re up against something that can actually challenge you.”

She smiled, a breath leaving her nose. “Indeed.”

Letting the electricity to spark away she pulled her hand away as she took another look around the ruins. “I will remain here.” She decided. “I would like to teach you how to use that power while I observe you.”

Not like he had a problem with that but the way she said it. “It doesn’t sound like you’re giving me a choice.”

“I have bested you in battle.” She said, glancing back to him before continuing her observations. “Should you wish to be rid of me, simply do the same and make the demand. Though, I may not leave even then.”

He could tell as much from their fight but he but, yeah, he liked her.

“Should I get you some clothes or do you plan on walking around like that?” He questioned.

“Like what?” She questioned before following his eyes and looking herself over. “Ah, it’s been quite some time since I bothered to assume this form. It slipped my mind how bare humans are...Yes, proper clothing would be appreciated.” She admitted, less embarrassed and straight up surprised to see her own scaleless body.

He turned, heading back to his cabin.

That was a sometimes massive and sometimes not so massive dragon added to the list of people here.

XOXO

“And what of the Great Rune?”

“Don’t have it.”

“And the blonde woman sleeping inside? Who is she?”

“That is a question for her or Melina.”

“You can be astoundingly frustrating, apprentice.” Sellen complained, a half hearted glare sent over at him from across the fire. Unlike her, a bit of disbelief aside, Edgar and Irina were mostly wrestling with the fact that he killed a demigod and that an Ancient Dragon was one short walk away, other questions set aside for now.

He shrugged, shifting his head on Irina’s lap so he was more comfortable, too drained to bother eating alongside them, instead choosing to lay across the log they shared. Even with that Rune and Marika’s soul doing so much of the work, playing a role in all that was taxing. He wasn’t just talking physically, his desire to do just about anything beyond what truly interested him diminished.

The dragon….that he forgot to get the name of. The possible arrival of that blonde with the spirits. Marika and her new physical form. He imagined Nepheli would be getting going her way once she awoke but even then, there was still a glaring issue.

This place was getting cramped.

Expanding and upgrading this place. As soon as he was over this little drained slump he’d get to work on that. Between his mana, the mines he’d been in and possible help from the dragon, a bit of large scale stonework was not out of the question either.

XOXO

(A/N: Marika won't have something like mind control or an outside presence to use as an excuse for everything she's done as the Eternal Queen. I find the idea of things, good and heinous, ultimately being her own decisions far more interesting. She will likely rarely come off as a good person once she has her own agency. One with those she favors but definitely not a good person.

Just the way I like her lol. Almost sounds like a reverse of Onyx in certain ways now that I reread that bit. Those two are probably the most similar yet still starkly different far from one another.)