Mother of Fingers · Metyr.
Though she had once fallen alongside the Elden Beast as one of the primordial meteors, and though she was the mother of all Fingers and Fingercreepers—the true, living embodiment of the Greater Will—her name, in theory, should have been known to all. Or at least, to many.
In reality, however, because of her severe social anxiety and her programmer's lifestyle, Metyr had barely ever stepped outside before the Nox tried to cut her down. All her communication with others had been done through the Two Fingers, who served as her mute messengers. Even then, the messages they relayed were only those that fit her understanding of the "Greater Will." She almost never mentioned herself.
So after isolating herself for countless years, Metyr was far from famous. In fact, aside from a few scholars who specialized in history, hardly anyone had even heard of her name—or of the title "Mother of Fingers."
Thus, when Lloyd brought the Mother of Fingers into his castle, nobody really recognized her.
Though she looked a bit unusual, aside from the Moonlight Two Fingers, no one else reacted much. They simply assumed Lloyd had dragged home another strange girl from who-knows-where.
As for the Moonlight Two Fingers...
"Mother—!"
They shouted and dropped to their knees.
Of course, that was only a joke.
After all, the Two Fingers had no mouths to shout with, and their anatomy didn't exactly allow kneeling.
In truth, when they first met Metyr, the Moonlight Two Fingers did show some reaction—mainly excitement. They wiggled eagerly and started "talking" with her, asking where she'd been all this time and why they hadn't received any updates from her lately.
"I was in the Land of Shadow. Then that village girl found out about me, cut the Land of Shadow off completely, and severed my connection."
That was Lloyd's translation of Metyr's answer.
The actual meaning was roughly the same, though obviously, concepts like "connection" or "network" didn't exist in the Lands Between.
After catching up, Metyr and the Moonlight Two Fingers discussed what to do next.
As beings personally created by Metyr to act as agents of divine purpose, the Two Fingers were now in an awkward position. Lloyd could directly communicate with Alice, and he'd already taken the fingerprint data from Metyr, effectively nullifying her mission.
The Fingers' original task—to guide their chosen Empyrean to become Elden Lord—had always been just an extension of Metyr's mission, both ultimately serving the Greater Will.
But now, with Alice at Lloyd's side and Metyr's mission dissolved, the Two Fingers' own purpose had lost its meaning.
After some discussion, Metyr made her decision.
"Then there's only one answer!"
"The Two Fingers will serve you."
Of course, that was Lloyd's interpretation of her flickering message.
And naturally, he didn't refuse her offer.
Even setting aside his connection with Alice, he got along well enough with the Two Fingers. Taking them in didn't bother him in the slightest.
However...
"If that's the case, they'll need to be modified—so they can properly sync with my Law."
Lloyd said this matter-of-factly.
Since the Fingers were creations of the Greater Will, even if Alice had shared some of her Authority with him, the fundamental principles governing their powers were still different. They could function under him for now, but without adjustments, conflicts or errors might occur later.
To this, Metyr readily agreed, and Alice voiced no objection either.
As mentioned before, even though they had spent a long time together and their consciousnesses had grown close, the differences between their two worlds' laws still caused physical interference between the vast void behind her and the living flame that was Lloyd.
If the Fingers were to accept Lloyd's modification and gain the traits of both sides, they could serve as a living bridge—allowing deeper connection between the two, and granting the Fingers a new mission.
A win-win situation.
As for how exactly the modification would be done...
"Here—this is Metyr. Right now, she's basically my... 'Finger Girl?'"
Seated within a pool of writhing, twisted limbs that faintly resembled those of young women, Lloyd—currently wrapped in the embrace of five or six arms at once—introduced the figure to the utterly stunned Renna before him. Then, he gestured toward the towering figure standing nearby, whose enormous blue twin-tails nearly brushed the floor.
"And this is Gigantic Hatsune Miku… I mean, Moonlight Two Fingers."
Or rather, Moonlight Two Fingers after Lloyd's modifications.
For the same reason as with Metyr—so that the Fingers could live proper lives instead of spending eternity as mute messengers—Lloyd had not only adjusted their laws but had also decided to craft human forms for them.
Though not exactly "human" in the conventional sense.
After several long seconds of mental lag, Renna finally regained her composure, only to notice that something about the "Moonlight Two Fingers Girl" looked off.
To put it simply, her movements were far too stiff and sluggish—unnaturally mechanical. She could barely stand upright, much less walk properly.
"Oh, you noticed."
Catching Renna's stare, Lloyd gave a quick explanation.
"The structure of the Two Fingers is quite different from normal lifeforms. You can't just slap a human template onto them. So I came up with a compromise—hide their true bodies inside a humanoid shell."
"This one just got her new body, so she's not very good at operating it yet. Her movements are still... a bit awkward."
Throughout the conversation, Lloyd never once mentioned where the Fingers' actual bodies were. But looking at the stiff humanoid figure—and the enormous twin-tails behind it constantly swaying, visibly supporting the body's weight—it didn't take a genius to guess what the real body was.
"It's... quite an inventive structure," Renna finally managed, after a long pause to find the right word.
And then came the real discussion.
Lloyd hadn't brought Metyr before Renna just to tease her. He wanted Metyr to talk about the matter of the Eternal City.
After all, it was no secret that Metyr and the Nox had once had a bit of... conflict—and even now, the remnants of that conflict still lingered beneath the earth.
Having previously dealt with the surviving Nox and knowing that some of their descendants still studied at the Academy—people who had left Lloyd with a good impression—he figured it would be best to let Metyr meet with them. Clear the air, settle things peacefully, and prevent any hidden resentment from festering into future trouble.
Renna wasn't a Nox herself, but as someone well-versed in their technology and an influential figure in the Academy, she was the perfect intermediary.
So, after mentioning the Mother of Fingers earlier—before Renna could even react—Lloyd had already gone to fetch Metyr and the Moonlight Two Fingers, bringing them over for a face-to-face talk.
And then...
That was it.
The conversation ended almost immediately.
From Renna's perspective, while the destruction of Nox civilization had indeed been Metyr's doing, the fault lay with the Nox. They had coveted her power, even forged a blade from her kind's remains to kill her. Yet afterward, Metyr hadn't exterminated the entire race—she hadn't even targeted the surviving descendants on the surface. That alone was more mercy than anyone could expect.
As for Metyr, while the Nox's attempt to slay her had terrified her—and contributed heavily to her later reclusiveness—she wasn't the vengeful type. And given that she had already reduced their civilization to rubble, she saw no need to dwell on it. A brief talk was enough to move on.
After learning that Metyr held no grudges, and that the Eternal City's fall had been the result of pure self-defense rather than malice or divine punishment, Renna finally exhaled in relief.
At least now she didn't have to worry about being crushed mid-research by a falling black meteorite.
Once their discussion was over, since Metyr and Moonlight Two Fingers still needed time to adapt to their new bodies—and Renna had plenty of work waiting—Lloyd didn't linger. He sent the two back, deepened his covenant bond with Renna once more, and then departed.
After leaving her, Lloyd paused to think. Instead of returning to the Land of Shadow to continue exploring, he made his way back to his castle, where he found Nepheli.
"Um... I just got back, and I'm kind of dirty. I should probably take a bath first..."
Seeing him approach, Nepheli instinctively assumed he was about to drag her to the dungeon for another "session."
But not this time.
[Special Spatial Dungeon: Storm King]
[Entry Requirement: Storm Warrior Covenant Progress 30/30]
This dungeon had been unlocked after the Golden Dungeon, though at the time Lloyd hadn't yet met the required covenant depth to enter.
After everything that had happened since then, he'd long satisfied the conditions—but constant travel had left him no chance to dive in.
Now, however...
Taking Nepheli's hand, Lloyd let the storm gather around him.
As that familiar sense of disorientation swept over him, he blinked—and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing before a very familiar sight.
Stormveil Castle. The main gate.
Unlike the Stormveil he remembered, the one before him now lay in ruins—blood-soaked corpses littered the ground, and flames devoured what remained of the walls. The entire place looked as though it had just endured a great war.
As he stepped inside, soldiers and knights wielding the power of the storm emerged from the wreckage. They were formidable, but against Lloyd—no matter his current form—they posed no threat. Each was dispatched effortlessly.
Deeper in, more foes appeared: soldiers, knights, storm eagles. War machines dotted the fortress—rows of explosive barrels, massive ballistae mounted atop the walls—but none of it slowed him down.
At last, after once again cutting his way through a corrupted version of Stormveil, Lloyd stood before a golden fog gate.
Beyond it lay the arena that had once belonged to Godrick.
Before the gate rested a golden summon sign and a white message.
The golden sign, of course, was to summon Nepheli for battle. The message read:
[Special Challenge: Storm Ascension]
[Storm Ascension: Upon activation, the 'Warrior' Nepheli Loux will be summoned to aid you. You will simultaneously enter a special state in which you cannot directly engage in combat, inflict damage, or cause any status effects.]
[This state can be canceled at any time. However, if you maintain it through the entire battle and achieve victory, you will receive additional rewards.]
Extra rewards? Lloyd wasn't about to pass that up. He activated the challenge at once and summoned Nepheli.
After she appeared, he quickly explained the situation, then led her through the golden fog.
...
A deep hum filled the air.
At the center of the arena stood a towering figure, storms swirling around its body. Upon its shoulder perched a mighty eagle, its feathers crackling with the same storm-born power.
[Storm King]
The moment its name appeared, the battle began.
Since Lloyd couldn't fight directly, Nepheli charged forward alone.
But unlike her previous battles—where her overwhelming strength and storm-infused techniques always gave her the upper hand—this time, she found herself being pushed back.
Power. Speed. Skill. Awareness.
For the first time, Nepheli faced an opponent who not only matched her in every aspect but surpassed her.
And most importantly, his command over the storm far exceeded her own—by several magnitudes.
The Lands Between were no strangers to the power of the storm. Even among the soldiers of Stormveil, there were those who had learned to wield it. Nepheli had fought them all.
But without exception, even the elite among the Banished Knights couldn't compare to her mastery.
The storm was unlike Glintstone sorcery. It required no intellect to wield—only instinct.
Nepheli, gifted as she was, had always commanded it naturally. And after Lloyd's enhancements, she truly deserved the title of "strongest storm of the age."
The problem was that her opponent wasn't just any stormbearer. He was the mightiest storm in history—the one who had once faced the First Elden Lord himself... and fallen.
The Storm King.
Horizontal slash. Vertical cleave. Storm Blade.
Charge. Heavy strike. Ground slam.
No flashy skills. No needless sorcery or prayers.
Just pure, disciplined combat—each swing infused with the storm's raw might. Simple. Precise. Terrifyingly effective.
Could she defeat such a foe?
Driven back yet again, Nepheli steadied her breath as the Storm King advanced, his steps unhurried, his strength barely taxed. For a fleeting moment, doubt flickered in her heart.
But it vanished just as quickly.
A warrior's duty was to challenge the strong—and this was Lloyd's command.
Win or lose, even if she were to fall here, retreat was never an option.
Because...
"I am the Warrior, Nepheli Loux!"
The moment she shouted, Nepheli hefted her axe and prepared to charge again.
But before she could move, a hand caught her arm.
"Wait. I think I've figured out how this system works."
Lloyd's voice came from behind her—and in the next instant, she felt his arms wrap around her.
At the same time, something seemed to flow into her.
A storm began to stir.
But it wasn't the Storm King's tempest. It was a storm drawn out from deep within her—pulled free as Lloyd's touch pried open what lay dormant in her soul and bloodline.
It was a power Nepheli had always possessed, buried too deep to reach, and left slumbering for lack of proper guidance.
Now…
As his embrace loosened, the strength he had awakened surged within her. Nepheli gripped her axe tightly, the storm around her swelling with ferocious might.
Meanwhile, though he couldn't directly join the battle, Lloyd raised his Sacred Seal, ready to support her with Incantations from behind.
Across the arena, seeing the fierce storm rising around Nepheli, the Storm King finally grew solemn. The winds howled around him, and the ancient Storm Eagle King at his side let out a piercing cry.
Inside the shattered Stormveil, two storms gathered—first a breeze, then a gale, then roaring tempests that twisted into the forms of two massive storm dragons.
And then—
They collided.
BOOM!