A strange visual filter bathed the world in an ethereal light, turning everything into a hazy, intangible dream. The Tarnished struggled to make sense of his surroundings. Hadn't he just fallen asleep by the pond?
"Is this... a dream? Or an ambush?" He stood in a defensive crouch, eyes scanning the mist.
"Please, do not be alarmed, Tarnished. I mean you no ill will..." A girl's voice, melodious as a celestial choir, drifted through the air.
"Hm?" Unable to pinpoint the source, he looked straight ahead. "Show yourself. I prefer to see who I'm talking to."
"My apologies. I have been thoughtless."
The gray mist ahead coalesced into a shimmering golden gateway. From its radiance stepped a girl. Even with the Tarnished's vast experience, he was struck speechless. Her beauty was otherworldly—transcendent in a way that made even the memory of Queen Marika seem somewhat pale by comparison.
She wore a flowing white gown, her pale-gold hair intricately braided. Her eyes reflected a brilliant, pure golden light, filled with an innocent yet ancient vitality.
"You're of the Golden Lineage?" The Tarnished crossed his arms, studying her. Physically, she appeared to be a young girl, but the aura she radiated was far from simple. Having known countless Golden Aristocrats, he recognized the scent of Greater Runes. The royal family enjoyed the direct favor of the Erdtree, but this girl's power was deeper—purer. To be blunt, she possessed the bearing of a Demigod.
"..." The girl's lips parted slightly in surprise. She hadn't expected him to see through her so easily.
"You could say that," she replied, a quiet, serene smile playing on her lips.
"How did you drag me into this dream? Those lilies around me, I presume?" He quickly pieced the clues together. The purple flowers had sedative properties; she must use them as a medium for dream manipulation.
"As expected of a battle-hardened warrior. Entirely correct." She clapped her hands together in a playful, charming gesture.
"Wait, what is this?" As he watched her, an inexplicable sensation crept into his heart—a warmth that clouded his judgment. He recognized it instantly.
"Ah... Enchantment. A fascinating power you have there." He struck his own temple with his palm, the sharp jolt of pain clearing the fog from his mind. The feeling of unnatural attraction vanished.
"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't do it on purpose!" The girl's cheerful mood evaporated, replaced by genuine distress.
"..." The Tarnished watched her closely. He felt no malice from her, but her power was dangerous—it could rewrite a man's soul if he wasn't careful.
"You can't control it, can you?"
"No..." she looked down, her voice small. "I am sorry, Tarnished."
"Forget it. I don't sense any ill intent. Why have you brought me here? What do you want from a returning exile?"
"I... I have a request for a Tarnished who has crossed the fog."
"Oh? I thought your kind despised us. Especially the royals." He offered a thin, cynical smile.
"I believe discrimination is a poison. Whether Misbegotten, Demi-human, or Tarnished... we are all part of the great cycle of life. Hostility only breeds sorrow. And... I like the scent of your spirit. It feels... safe. Familiar."
"Let's get one thing straight, little lady: I'm not interested in children. This world might be lawless, but I have my standards."
"Eh?" The girl tilted her head in confusion. Then, a flush of crimson crept up her neck to her cheeks. "P-please do not think such strange things! And I am not a little girl!" She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.
"What? Don't tell me you're one of those 'eternal youth' types." He winced. It wouldn't be the strangest thing he'd seen in the Lands Between.
"Ugh..." Hearing the words 'eternal youth,' she deflated like a punctured balloon. "I... I want to grow up. But..."
Seeing her slump, the Tarnished snapped his fingers to regain her attention. "Stop moping. You still haven't told me what the favor is."
"Right. Forgive me." She straightened her posture, her expression turning solemn. "I have a dream..."
(Starting off with a dream speech? Sudden, but alright.)
"I wish to create a world where all life is equal. A world under a new Order." She spoke her truth without hesitation. There was something about this man; she felt she could trust him, as if guided by fate itself.
"A new Order? You?" He was genuinely shocked. An 'Order'—a Law—was the foundation of an age. It wasn't something a mortal could simply 'make.'
"I know it is hard to believe. But please... I swear it upon the Unalloyed Gold." She clasped her hands, and an unblemished Erdtree rune manifested behind her.
"You..."
The gold was breathtaking. It was purer, holier than the light of the current Erdtree. It held no dross, no corruption.
"I have neglected to introduce myself. My name is Trina. I am the Saint of... the Haligtree."
A pure light filled the dream, and a colossal tree emerged from the radiance.
"Haha... a Haligtree. Incredible." He stared at the vision. It was different from the Erdtree. Most notably, it swarmed with life of all kinds—beings the Golden Order would have purged on sight.
"Do you believe me now, Tarnished?" Trina let the light fade, her elegant smile returning.
"You want to follow in Marika's footsteps? Start a new age?"
"Yes. This era is rotten. War and hatred are consuming the innocent. I cannot stand by and watch. So... please. Take me to the Erdtree. Become my..."
"King."
"Hold on, brat. That's a bit sudden, don't you think? Do you even know what being a King implies?"
"I... I know." Her face flushed again, but her gaze was unwavering. "For the sake of the people... for my sister... my personal sacrifice is worth it. So..."
The Tarnished gave her a look of utter disbelief.
"And I feel that if it's you... I could accept it. I don't think you're a bad man. You have an aura that draws people in... something nostalgic." She fidgeted slightly.
"You're just giving yourself away? We met five minutes ago. Marika and Godfrey at least went through the proper channels first." He felt she was dangerously naive, yet her resolve suggested she was no "delicate flower." She was a girl driven to the brink.
"Is... is that how it works?" Trina blinked, as if hearing something incredibly rare.
"Look, I respect your will. I think you might be a saint. But a new Order isn't enough."
"What do you mean?"
"If you want an age that embraces everything, the 'One' above is a mountain you cannot climb. That thing won't allow a world like yours to exist." He pointed a finger toward the sky.
"The Greater Will..." Trina murmured, falling into thought.
"And there's one more thing you've got wrong. I'm not like the other Tarnished seeking the throne."
"I'm here to settle the score with the Greater Will and give the Lands Between true freedom. On my path, there are no 'Empyreans' and 'Gods'—only a King. And that King will be me." The casual air vanished. A terrifying, invisible pressure radiated from him—an aura of pure, unadulterated dominance.
"In the old days, I didn't take the throne because I valued my freedom. I was wrong. I was wrong because an 'Elden Lord' is just a puppet. I should have implemented my own 'Way' sooner."
"If I had wanted it, Godfrey—that old barbarian—would never have smelled the seat of Elden Lord."
"The Path... of the Overlord." Trina stared at him, her mouth agape.
"I'll take you to the Erdtree, but not to make you a God. You'll be a witness to the liberation of this world, or perhaps my representative." He smiled at the small, stunned girl.
"..." She didn't know how to respond.
"If that's all you wanted, you can let it go. Existing Laws only treat the symptoms, not the disease. True harmony only comes when we burn the influence of the Greater Will and every other Outer God trying to get a piece of us. The Lands Between has its own balance. Its own soul."
"I... I see." She tightened her grip on her hands. "I believe you... Tarnished." She gave him a sweet, supportive smile, showing no disappointment at his refusal. Perhaps she had expected it.
"I don't know why you trust me so much, but my mind was made up the moment I woke up. No—it was made up the moment I was exiled."
"Then... please, do your best." She meant it. This man was unique. As she'd said, he had a natural charisma that was different from her enchantment. Perhaps he truly could achieve his 'Overlord's Path.'
Whether she became a God didn't matter to her; her heart had always been for the people. If this man could truly set the world free, she would follow him.
"May I change my request, then?"
"Let's hear it."
"Come to the Haligtree in the northern snowfields. You will find things there that you need. And I... am there as well. Take me with you. I want to see your road to the end."
"Fine. That's a deal I can get behind."
"Thank you... I should go now. This was a lovely talk. I look forward to our next meeting." She waved. "Oh... and be careful of Mohg, the Lord of Blood. He is... exceedingly dangerous."
Mohg again? The Tarnished frowned. My 'nephew' really has a terrible reputation. I'll have to give him a proper thrashing. He wondered about the other brother, Morgott. If he was anything like Mohg, he'd have to beat them both. Old Godfrey left too early; those boys clearly lacked discipline.
With those thoughts, the dream dissolved into white, and his consciousness returned to the waking world.
He opened his eyes, looking at the purple lilies beside him. "Saint Trina... the Haligtree... Unalloyed Gold."
"Is she Godwyn's descendant? The timeline fits. Godwyn was in his prime when I left; having children would be natural. And her gold is even purer than his was."
Then he paused, a look of horror crossing his face.
"Wait... she wants me to be her 'King.' How does the math work on that?"
He was Godfrey's sworn brother. Godwyn called him 'Uncle.' That made Trina... his grand-niece?
"It's a mess. A complete mess. I never should have called that old barbarian my brother. Now I'm being 'scouted' by his grandkids."
If he actually became her King, he'd be dropping a level in the family tree. He'd have to call Godfrey 'Grandfather-in-law'?
"I'm done..." he groaned, rubbing his face.