"Uncle... you have grown old." Morgott's wooden staff slammed down with localized fury, cracking the stone earth and kicking up a cloud of debris. The Tarnished, suppressed by the sheer weight of the blow, could only focus on defense.
"Heh, don't get ahead of yourself, boy," the Tarnished chuckled, redirecting the momentum of the staff and lunging into Morgott's guard.
"I have more than just a shackle up my sleeve."
"What...?" Morgott watched in shock as golden, gnarled horns began to manifest on the Tarnished's shoulder guards. "This is... the Aspects of the Crucible!"
Morgott barely managed to swing his staff into a block. The terrifying impact sent the massive Omen skidding back several meters. Before he could recover, a phantom-like, scaly tail whipped out from behind the Tarnished, lashing toward him.
Morgott's reflexes were peerless; he swung his own massive tail to intercept the strike. The resulting shockwave shattered the masonry of the archway, and both warriors were pushed back by the recoil.
"Good reactions," the Tarnished said. On the surface, he looked relaxed, but internally he was wary. At his current strength, he was no match for the real Morgott. However, he had realized something early on: the figure before him was merely a projection. Even Chierbashia had noted that "Margit" hadn't used his full strength—because a projection couldn't. Still, even this avatar possessed enough power to humble two Crucible Knights.
Morgott watched his uncle's every move. While he held the advantage in raw power and speed, he knew Bagram's true strength lay in his mastery of the battlefield and his uncanny ability to adapt.
Suddenly, the Tarnished's aura began to climb. He dropped into a low, predatory stance, his limbs shifting as his hands transformed into jagged, spectral Dragon Claws.
(Dragon Communion incantations as well? Truly formidable.) Morgott didn't dare hesitate; he conjured a flurry of golden daggers in his left hand and flung them at the Tarnished.
"Hahaha! Just what I needed!" The daggers were massive by human standards, sized for an Omen. To the Tarnished, they weren't just projectiles—they were stepping stones.
Moving with blurring speed, the Tarnished leaped between the flying blades. He crossed his dragon-clawed arms in front of his face, gathering heat in his throat. He was about to test a new technique he had only just begun to conceptualize.
"This is not enough, Uncle!" Morgott roared, conjuring a massive golden hammer in his right hand. But as he prepared to strike, a chill ran down his spine. The Tarnished's face was hidden behind his crossed claws, masking his expression.
"Bad move...!" Morgott sensed the danger and tried to leap back, but the dragon claws swept down. Simultaneously, the Tarnished's throat bulged, and a torrent of primordial flame erupted.
"Aspect of the Crucible: Breath! A clever trick... is this another of your trump cards?" Morgott struggled to swat out the flames. The fire was relatively weak—the Tarnished had only just mastered it—but it served its purpose as a distraction. The real follow-up was the spectral tail that whipped through the air immediately after.
CRACK!
Morgott stumbled, his knees hitting the stone.
"Maybe you should wear something less flammable than that tattered cloak," the Tarnished panted, his breath ragged. He was exhausted. While he had knocked Morgott down, he hadn't yet dissipated the projection.
"Hahaha... magnificent, Uncle. Even with such a gap in our strength, you find a way." Morgott stood up, leaning on his staff. As an Omen with thick hair and fur, fire was his natural weakness—a vulnerability he was born with, not one imposed by others.
"I am grateful... that you did not use the shackle." Morgott stood tall. By crushing the tool of his childhood trauma, the Tarnished had granted him his dignity. Though Morgott claimed to harbor no hatred, the memory of those lightless sewers and the cold iron still haunted his soul.
"If you had used it, this would have been a very short conversation."
"I could have, but where's the fun in that? I wanted to see how much you've grown."
"Hahaha... you haven't changed a bit. It is my loss. Godrick... he is on his own now." Morgott glanced back at Stormveil. "That is twice now... that my defense has been breached."
"By the way, is Ensha or any of the others in there?" The Tarnished leaned against the wall to catch his breath, seeing that Morgott had no intention of continuing.
"Godrick has become a pariah even among his own," Morgott sighed, his voice full of sorrow. "Why must my brother's seed be so... twisted? Is it because Godwyn was taken from us too soon?"
"Stop worrying about Godwyn's family for a second. Yours isn't doing much better."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you have any idea what your 'dear' brother Mohg has been up to?"
"Mohg...? I told him to stand guard over the seal in the depths..."
"Are you sure that was him? Or just another projection? Do you think he's any less capable of hiding his true self than you are?"
"..." Morgott's face paled. In the chaos of the Shattering, he hadn't questioned his brother's presence. "Has he done something?"
"He's quite ambitious. He wants to start his own Dynasty," the Tarnished said, crossing his arms.
"Mohg... did what?!" Morgott was stunned. He was struggling to keep the current order from collapsing, and his own twin was plotting a coup?
"I wouldn't care if it was just a political move, but the boy has lost his mind. He's started something called the Mohgwyn Dynasty. His followers are fanatics who crave blood and wounds. It's pure insanity."
"To think... such a thing was happening under my nose!" Morgott struck the ground with his staff in fury. He was working himself to the bone to protect the Erdtree, while his brother was out murdering innocents like a Frenzied Flame cultist.
"They're a large force now, and their base is hidden." The Tarnished reached into his pouch and tossed the Pureblood Knight's Medal to Morgott.
"This is..." Morgott examined the blood-red crest of the trident. His eyes filled with rage as he felt the stain of the countless unnecessary sacrifices used to empower the medal.
"Hah... I know we're all covered in blood from the old wars," the Tarnished mused.
"No... you fought for our kin. You secured a future for those who came after," Morgott said firmly, clutching the medal. "You stepped forward so that those behind you could live. That burden of slaughter... you carried it so the world could remain white and pure."
"Maybe. But Mohg's lot? They kill for the sake of the kill. They're mad. I wonder what finally pushed him over the edge." Mohg had always been the quieter, more stoic twin.
"Mohg... that fool!" Morgott growled.
"Find him when you can. I'm curious to see what he's actually built."
"I will find him myself. You have my word, Uncle." Morgott paused. "So... your mind is truly made up?"
"It is."
"Fine. If your heart is set on this path, then I shall not speak further. Only... do not forget the heart that sought freedom in the first place."
Morgott's form began to fade into golden mist. He looked at the Tarnished with a complex expression. What will my choice be? he wondered. Will I stand against him at the capital, or will I help him tear down the world that hated us? Perhaps... it is time I lived for myself.
"Well, he's certainly gotten strong." The Tarnished stretched his aching limbs and activated the Site of Grace behind the now-shattered archway. Melina and Aureliette appeared beside him.
"You were successful..."
"For now. Only Godrick remains."
"Before that... can you wait a moment? I wish to take you somewhere... somewhere that may be of use," Melina said softly.
"Where?"
"The Roundtable Hold... the gathering place of the Tarnished who have returned to this land."
The Roundtable? The organization built by the man using his name. "Interesting. But Melina, before we go, let's get one thing straight."
Melina tilted her head as the Tarnished's tone turned serious.
"I am going to the Capital. I am going to the Erdtree. But I am not going there to become a Lord like Godfrey. I am going to overthrow this entire era."
The air grew cold. Aureliette shivered and hid behind Melina.
"I will still fulfill my promise to take you to the foot of the Tree. But if you cannot accept my goal, we should part ways here."
"..."
Melina remained silent for a long time. Then, she shook her head gently. "...No. As long as you fulfill your promise... it is fine."
"?" That wasn't the answer he expected. This girl clearly had ties to the Golden Lineage; she used pure golden incantations. Even Morgott, who was shunned, had an unshakable faith. He had expected her to recoil in horror.
"Didn't you tell me to 'covet' the Elden Ring earlier?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because only by seeking the Ring and the Tree... would you have taken me there. Our goals had to align. But now... it is different. Even if you do not seek the Lordship, you will still go to the Tree. That is enough for me."
"I only ask... that you do not become a monster who slaughters the innocent. For the rest, do as your heart dictates. I have lost my past and my purpose, but I still hope... that you can save this broken world. Perhaps I will find a new purpose of my own along the way."
"Is that how you really feel?" It was the first time she had voiced her own opinion on the state of the world.
"I believe... it is," she nodded.
"Ha! Then it seems we have no conflict. No need for a messy breakup."
"As long as you remember our contract and spare the innocent, we shall walk the same path until the Erdtree," Melina said calmly.
"Fine. That's all I needed to hear. Now, take me to this 'Roundtable Hold' of yours."
"Very well... but a warning. The Hold is hidden; it requires a Maiden's guidance to enter. And within its walls, combat is strictly forbidden."
"Standard rules for a neutral ground," he nodded.
"And... do not touch things that aren't yours," Melina added.
"What's that supposed to mean? Do I look like some uncivilized thief to you?"
Melina stared at him in silence. Her eyes said everything.
"Fine. Noted."
"Then, take my hand... I shall lead you to the Roundtable."
The Roundtable Hold... let's see what kind of circus this imposter has built. I hope it's worth the trip.