"Tarnished? Grace of the Elden Ring?" Amber questioned as she tried to stand; however, her muscles were weak from disuse. "What are you even talking about?"
"We have a lot to explain," Ozpin sighed, "Quite a lot."
"While you two talk with her, I need to head somewhere... important," I suddenly spoke up before Ozpin could start explaining what was going on. "There's somewhere calling to me back."
"What are you talking about?" Glynda asked, and Ozpin nodded as well.
"There's a place where all Tarnished go once they meet certain requirements," I told them while pointing at the Site of Grace, "A place that is hidden by the Grace you see there. One place that I've never thought I'd see again after it was destroyed. It's called the Round Table Hold."
"Why is that place calling you back?" Ozpin asked, to which I shook my head.
"I'm not sure," I told him truthfully, "Regardless, I need to head back and see what is going on."
"How long will you be gone?" Ozpin asked as he and I had an inkling of what was going on, "We'll need to help Amber understand her new situation, and you're the best person for the job."
"I'll try to be back as soon as I can," I said as I walked over to the Grace. "For now, Amber, come and touch this Site of Grace. It'll help you regain some of your strength. Once you do, I'll head off and see what is going on."
.
Amber looked hesitant at first, but the feeling from the Site of Grace was like a homing beacon for us Tarnished. So once she wobbled over to the Grace and sat down, she reached out a hand to the Grace and felt a soothing light wash over her. I nodded and stood beside it and hovered my hand over it, feeling the pull once again to the Roundtable Hold. I warned them that I would vanish before I let the pull take me away.
...
..
.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself looking at the familiar table full of blades and swords without a scorch mark in sight beyond it. Looking around the entire hold, I found it empty. Completely empty of everyone and everything. No two-fingered statue, no finger reader crone, no people, and no shiveled up twin maidens that magically sold you things for runes. The bookshelves were empty, the paintings were empty, and the halls were empty. If it weren't for the torches that lined the walls, which were still there, everything would have been pitch black.
The only things that were left were sparse furnishings, Master Hewg's anvil, hammer, and fire, and the Roundtable itself. The whole place felt deserted and ransacked. However, when I entered Gideon Ofnir's room, I found the place clean, and his table had a map of Remnant with a glowing letter on it.
It read:
'Dear Tarnished or Whomever finds this letter,
Know this: the Lands Between is gone.
The light of the Sun and the dark of the Moon vanished without a trace. All that is left is a crumbling world turning to dust. The Elden Ring, which has kept the world afloat, disappeared when the Elden Beast was slain. The Tarnished who did this, one known as Wolf Brass, disappeared with the death of the Elden Beast. With no new Elden Lord or Ring, the world died.
As I write this, the Roundtable Hold is currently going up in flames—courtesy of the Three Fingers, which raged when the Elden Ring disappeared. You must understand, this is not the end. Wherever the Tarnished who claimed the Elden Ring have gone, the Roundtable Hold shall find them.
If it is you, Elden Lord, who finds this letter, know this. We do not resent you for disappearing. The most likely outcome is that the Elden Beast pulled one last trick and took you away from here. We of the Roundtable hold, hold no disrespect for you. It was Gideon Ofnir's arrogance that he tried to fight you and take your rightful place.
It is our wish that you find us, Tarnished, who have disappeared as the world ended.
I wish you well in your travels,
~Hewg and Roderika'
...
..
.
I took some time to take in the message and understand that, after all that happened, Master Hweg remembered me. And from the way it was written, Roderika was the one who wrote it. I smiled, knowing that it was Roderika who made Master Hweg remember. All that I wished now was for them to have a happy life wherever they may be.
With that out of the way, I headed back to the Roundtable Grace and was transported back to the Vault underneath Beacon. As I returned, I found myself facing Amber and Glynda. Both of which appeared to be waiting for me. And next to them was a maiden I was far too familiar with, Melina.
.
"Hello, Melina," I spoke in a friendly manner.
"Greeting, Elden Lord," She greeted in return while giving a curtsy. "It is good to see you well."
"So, what have I missed while I was gone?" I asked Amber and Glynda, both of whom looked like they swallowed a sour fruit.
"Melina has told us of your battle with the Elden Beast and Radagon," Amber spoke first.
"Ah, those battles were the hardest I've fought. What about them?" I asked as I didn't see where this was going.
"She also told us about Marika," Glynda spoke after me. "About how she was both the queen and Radagon."
"And?" I asked, "She was just one side of the same coin."
"My liege," Melina spoke up while keeping her head down, "I had asked them if you had taken a Queen or a consort yet."
.
That made me raise an eyebrow. Why would I need a Queen or a Consort? That's when it hit me.
.
"Melina," I said with a firm voice, "What did you truly ask them?" I demanded.
"My liege, you require a Queen or a Consort to have full use of the Elden Ring," Melina spoke while looking in my eyes. "The reason Queen Marika and Radagon were one and the same was so that they wouldn't become overwhelmed by the power of the Elden Ring."