Elden Ring: Atai vows to have a perfect ending

Chapter 548: Scarlet and Flower Battle: Awakening

Michaela's sacred tree, the snow-white sea of ​​flowers at the bottom of the roots.

The center of the sacred tree was hollowed out, and the Holy Son Michaela, who was supposed to be inside, was stolen away. And his sister, Marennia, who had just returned from the expedition, was like a statue that had lost its heart, stroking its roots and staring blankly.

I brought Millicent with me and finally made it through the church occupied by the corrupt followers and came here.

The flowers swayed, and the butterflies sensed a strange power and flew around.

Next to it was the corrupt tree spirit that had fallen from above before, but its body had turned into a pile of branches and firewood.

"Is she the Valkyrie, Marennia? Our 'mother'..." Millicent whispered weakly in my ear.

The phonetic symbol seemed to turn into a breeze, blowing past Marennia, causing her fingers to move slightly.

"Oh... I seem to have had a very long dream." Marennia murmured softly and stood up from the chair. "My body has lost its color like gold, and my blood has become corrupt."

"Zero." Millicent also said at this time, "Put me down."

"Hmm?" Although I was a little confused, I still followed Millicent's instructions and put her down.

However, she was so weak that she couldn't even stand without me, so I could only put Millicent next to the corpse of the tree spirit nearby.

At this time, Marennia reinstalled her golden prosthetic limb and put on the Valkyrie's winged helmet: "... The world is piled with countless corpses, waiting for that person's return."

"Be careful, Zero." As she put Millicent down, she handed the golden needle she had pulled out of her body to me.

——Does he want me to return the golden needle to Marennia? Or, should I stab it directly back into her chest?

I don't understand, but the only thing I understand is that the battle with Marennia is probably inevitable.

As for the Valkyrie, she was also ready to go. She clenched her prosthetic sword and swung it gently, causing a branch of flowers on her right to fall over. "... Feel it, Marennia. I am Michaela's blade - the reason why I am invincible."

“Wait! I know…”

Just as I uttered a few words, I saw Marennia lightly jump up and raise her hand, and then a gust of cold wind blew towards me.

He subconsciously rolled over to dodge.

The Valkyrie's thrust, even under normal circumstances, is as fast as lightning.

——Thinking back to when I first met Marineria, I was still standing at the door calling for my big brother, but I was stabbed into the sky by the other party's thrust, and began my journey to fully experience what "Michaela's Blade" is.

However, Marennia did not react to Millicent. After this thrust, she was obviously not far from Millicent, but she did not even look at her. She turned around with her sword in hand and came towards me.

I jumped back and forth.

——The Valkyrie’s desire to attack is not strong in the first stage. As long as you keep a distance, most of the time she will take a walk with A-Tai.

"Valkyrie Marennia, please listen to me." Taking this opportunity, I quickly said, "I know where your brother Michaela is now. So..."

But once again, as soon as I opened my mouth, Marennia rushed over.

The long blade pushed past the flowers and slashed at me with all its strength.

I hurriedly dodged backwards again, but I didn't expect that even though the opponent's blade didn't hit me, the gust of wind that followed forced me to block it with Nightfire. Even so, my clothes and armor were still torn apart, causing a stabbing pain.

——Wow, such a seemingly casual slash can also bring up sword energy?

But the more crucial question is, why, even though I told you I knew Michaela's location, Malenia was still so aggressive?

——Did she think I would deceive her? Was she just trying to distract her with words?

I stopped talking nonsense and kept my distance, then continued to shout, "Michaela, he is now imprisoned in the Blood Dynasty! He was captured by Monger and intends to worship Michaela as a god... I have asked Loretta here to investigate the portal leading to the Dynasty. I believe there will be an answer soon!"

This time, Marennia didn't attack me immediately, but waited until I finished speaking.

But I still can't let my guard down, because the Valkyrie's sword has not been put down.

After a long while, Marennia said softly: "... So that's how it is, Mung, the twin son of evil omen."

"Yes, it's him." As soon as I finished speaking, the knife flashed in front of me again.

--why?

I hid away in a panic. When I was still confused, Marennia said something surprising: "Then it's time for you to fulfill your promise, Latan. Your brother is still waiting for the Promised King."

——Huh? Why does Latan's name appear here? !

——And, the Promised King? Could it be that he was referring to Latan?

I barely dodged another attack from Marennia and hurriedly stepped back to create some distance, but this time, the opponent didn't give me a chance. The blade followed like a storm.

I didn't have time to think about anything else. I tried my best to catch the opponent's blade, and then blocked, blocked, and blocked again.

Marlenia's sword was too fast. The wounds on my shoulders, waist, thighs... kept accumulating, but I gradually caught up with her speed. I only needed to focus on the trajectory of the long blade and cut it off in advance to block Marlenia's sword energy!

boom!

Marennia suddenly turned around and slashed with a heavy force. Even though I raised my sword to block the attack, I was still knocked away and fell headfirst into the sea of ​​flowers.

Fortunately, Marennia did not chase me immediately, but waited for me to stand up again.

During this time, I also understood to some extent why the other party was attacking me so relentlessly.

Marlennia's eyes had long been corrupted and she could not see. I was probably mistaken for her because I had the Great Rune of Latan in me.

Moreover, it now seems that the reason why the Knights of Honor went on the expedition before was not to find the missing Michaela, but the other way around, Michaela personally asked his sister Marennia to go to Gallid to find his promised king.

The general seemed to know Michaela's ultimate goal, but he did not agree to the twins' request, which led to a fight with Malenia, and both sides ended up suffering losses.

As to why it had to be this way, I had no idea.

——At least, there is no more time for me to think about it now.

I quickly shouted and explained, "Marlennia, I am not Latarn! I am a Faded One! The general was defeated by me, so I got his Great Rune."

“…Is that so?” Marennia said this, but she still had no intention of putting down her prosthetic sword. “Then, my brother’s journey to becoming a god can truly begin. It’s time to welcome him back.”

As she spoke, she sighed and once again got ready: "And I, Marennia, should clear all obstacles for him!"

As soon as the words fell, the bird spread its wings and pierced through with another long rainbow.

I quickly dodged her attack to the side, but unexpectedly, this was exactly what Marennia had expected.

After she landed on the ground, she turned around extremely quickly, grabbed my neck with her big hands, lifted me up, and threw me into the air: "...Thank you for your hard work, Faded One. I hope we can meet again in the golden dream."