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The Moon climbed into the sky, taking its now permanent place in it. The sun still shined and days passed, but the Moon always remained above, watching and casting its own cold light on the land.
Inside the Academy of Raya Lucaria, Rennala finally raised her head. Ranni had succeeded. The age of the Moon had begun. And, maybe more importantly for her, the Greater Will was banished from the Lands Between.
For the first time in eons, Rennala stood tall and dusted off her robe. Cradling the amber egg with one hand, she called her staff with the other. It came fast from the back of the room, slowing down to a gentler speed as it landed in her open palm.
With a last look around, she walked out the doors and looked to the sky.
It was a clear, windless night and the Moon shone brightly in the sky. On her left, the golden glow of the Erdtree was missing. Certain now that the Greater Will was gone, Rennala took to the sky with a thought.
The Moon’s presence filled her with magic. Magic that was more powerful than anything she ever wielded before. She didn’t care for that. Only used it to fly towards the charred and faded trunk of the Erdtree.
Above Miriel’s church, past the Converted Fringe Tower and over Leyndell’s walls. She slowed down as she passed over the, oh so familiar, Queen’s Bedchamber.
Next to the Erdtree’s entrance, Godfrey’s bloodied body was slowly being discovered by crows. So he did try to return to his Queen, as Marika had expected. But his efforts were to nought. Ranni’s champion had bested him and moved into the Erdtree heart.
Rennala’s crown got caught on the burned branches as she entered. It fell to the ground, releasing the long black hair that she had stuffed inside. She barely noticed it falling.
Her attention was drawn to the two bodies in the room. One was malformed, twisted and stretched to take the shape of a golden sword. The other, the one Rennala cared for, wasn’t in a much better state.
Her left half was missing, and her body and face were cracked in half. Her torso was hollow with the faded Elden Ring seal still visible inside. Half of her right hand was still there, raised to the crucified position it had remained ever since she rebelled against the Greater Will. Her golden hair fell over the little that remained of her face.
Rennala let her staff fall to the ground as she approached Marika. She stopped in front of the fractured body and raised the amber egg towards it. It trembled as it touched Marika’s forehead and fell off Rennala’s hands. It began vibrating on the floor, pulling Marika’s body inside it through a mist of golden ash.
Rennala watched restlessly as the body disappeared inside the egg. Its movement slowed and stopped as the embryo inside twisted and turned, slowly taking form. The body inside grew faster and faster, the egg gaining more and more size as it tried to cover the now adult body inside it.
Until it could hold no more. With a hiss, the membrane faded to golden dust, leaving behind Marika in her old, complete body.
Rennala kneeled next to her and gently raised Marika’s head. The old Queen’s eyes were closed, and her chest gently moved up and down. She was sleeping.
Carefully, Rennala lifted Marika off the ground. She was heavier than she remembered. She could lift her with magic, but no. Rennala needed to hold her herself.
She walked past Radagon’s malformed body. She didn’t know the man well, and he had been actively working against her and Marika’s plans, but Rennala couldn’t help but feel a hint of regret for his fate.
Maybe it was the hopelessness and lack of choice in his existence. Originally created as a warmongering form for Marika to leave the Capital, then granted individuality by the Greater Will, only to be used as its tool and be tossed aside when he was no use.
Marika leaned closer on her chest and any thought of Radagon disappeared from Rennala’s mind.
She hurried out of the trunk of the Erdtree and into Marika’s bed chambers. There, she placed Marika on her bed and, summoning a tiny Glintblade around her finger, cut a robe-length piece off the sheet. She used it to cover Marika.
Then thought about it some more, cut two more pieces and wrapped them around her. Somewhat satisfied that now Marika wouldn’t be too cold for their flight, she picked her up again and took to the sky.
For three days and two nights Marika slept. Rennala held her in her lap, herself leaning on the old pillows of the bed.
She was absentmindedly caressing her golden hair when Marika opened her eyes. Rennala held her breath. She had spent eons waiting, wishing she could see these hazel eyes again, looking at her with warmth reserved only for her.
She remembered them wet, the time they said goodbye. She remembered the glistening of the tears that Marika wouldn’t allow to fall. How the water curved the lines of her golden irises. How she lost them as Marika turned and walked away.
Now they looked straight through her own, warm and loving, and long gone was the hardness of the Eternal Queen.
“Marika..?” Rennala’s voice was a trembling whisper.
Marika opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She looked confused for a moment, then tried again.
“Renna..?” Her voice was hoarse, tired.
Hearing Marika’s voice, Rennala finally burst into tears.
“Renna… Renna, I’m here,” Marika tried to comfort her and slowly hugged her with tired hands, gently patting the back of her head.
They stayed like that for some time. Rennala crying, Marika comforting her. After some time Rennala’s sobs quiet down, but she didn’t let go. Marika kissed her and asked:
“I guess Ranni and Melina made it?”
Rennala relaxed her hug and leaned back to look her in the eyes.
“Ranni did. Melina had to use the Forge of the Giants to burn the Erdtree.”
Marika’s face hardened, only for a second.
“The others?”
Rennala gripped her hand tight.
“Don’t you want to rest more?”
“No. Renna, what happened to my kids?” Marika’s face was stone cold.
Rennala resigned with a sigh.
“Morgott died defending the Erdtree. Mohg kidnapped Miquella, and Malenia chased after them but mistook Radahn for the kidnapper. They fought and she unleashed the Rot over them. He went mad and ended up dying in a festival his troops organised to end his suffering. Mohg died recently, killed by Ranni’s consort.”
Rennala looked at Marika. She was looking at the wall, clenching her fists.
“Mohg… If I didn’t let the Order take him, maybe he wouldn’t have done that.”
“That’s horseshit.”
Marika turned to her in shock.
“Did you just curse? I’ve never heard you-”
“Morgott was in the same situation,” Rennala ignored her. “And he didn’t kidnap or try to marry his own brother. Mohg chose to do that. His past and your lack of action are no excuse.”
“I could have-”
“You are not responsible for a centuries-old man. What he did is not your fault.”
“I should-”
“You are not responsible for a centuries-old man. End of argument.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Marika submitted after a long pause.
Rennala gave her a warm smile and continued.
“Malenia’s Rot keeps her alive, she should be currently being reborn from her third death. Miquella is alive too, but Ranni said he’s in a pretty bad state.”
“That’s something, at least. These two have been through too much,” Marika said with relief. “What about Rykard?”
“He… He went mad as well. He let himself be devoured by the Serpent of Mt Gelmir and took over its body.”
“What? Why?”
“Something about immortality, I don’t understand it. It happened long after the Shattering,” Rannala paused. “He’s also dead.”
“So it’s just Ranni, Malenia and Miquella left. And Ranni is gone from this world.”
“Blaidd could still be alive. Last Ranni saw him he was resisting the Greater Will fairly well. Maybe we’ll find him,” Rennala tried to add a positive note to her conclusion.
“Right, I haven’t seen the pup since I left the Academy. Ranni said he has grown into a fierce warrior,” Marika said and tried to get up. She failed and fell back into Rennala’s lap.
“Or you should rest some more.” Rennala sneaked under the sheets with her and pulled them up. “I can fly us where we need to go.”
Marika snuggled closer.
“Since when can you fly long distances?”
“Since the Outer Will was banished.”
“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.”
Rennala stayed awake, listening to Marika’s quiet breathing and feeling her warmth on her skin. She hadn’t realised how cold she had been without her.
“Let’s go to Miquella first,” Marika broke the silence. “I wonder if he has managed to break his curse yet.”
“I don’t know.”
“Then let’s see if we can find the pup.”
“Remember that he didn’t like it when you called him that. And he’s more than a few centuries old now.”
“Nonsense. He’ll always be my little pup,” Marika almost smiled. “Then let’s see Malenia and bring her back her brother.”
“I wonder who she'll be happier to see,” Rennala joked.
“Miquella, that’s not even a competition. She might notice us an hour or so after.”
Rennala snickered and they fell silent for a couple hours. When Marika spoke again, her voice was trembling.
“Renna, we have too many bodies to bury.”