Chapter 37

The hidden treasure of the Eternal City, Nokron—the Fingerslayer Blade. It wasn't surprising that the moon demigoddess sought it so desperately: with it, she could finally stop fearing the Two Fingers.

Kosta suspected the artifact had the power to sever the connection between the Fingers and their mother, rendering the once-mighty, albeit strange, beings either helpless or at least significantly more vulnerable.

To be honest, the man found it a bit baffling how some Fingers, unable to even scratch themselves, managed to oppose a powerful sorceress. Thankfully, he wasn't interested enough to dwell on it.

Perhaps some of the Fingers were more independent and just set themselves a challenge. After all, everyone can tryhard.

Konstantin knew exactly where to go and was determined to complete this quest as quickly as possible. Blaidd and Millicent, seeing the Tarnished's darkened mood after the Mimic's unexpected actions, refrained from asking unnecessary questions and obediently followed him.

The journey wasn't short. They traversed not only the city and its many bridges connecting the sprawling underground realm but also spectral forests, dodging various creatures.

All of it led them to a massive crypt teeming with mimics. One wrong step could end disastrously. However, Konstantin was clearly not in the mood.

"I haven't properly used pyromancy in ages…" (1) he muttered.

The man knelt, placing his hands on the cold floor. The fiery energy within him surged through his hands, spreading across the crypt.

Before his companions could ask what he intended to do, flames erupted from the ground with such intensity it seemed as if a firestorm had been unleashed.

The fire, almost alive, pounced on the mimics, consuming them entirely. The normally radiant power seemed partially tinged with crimson.

"Let's go," Kosta said grimly, scanning their surroundings as though looking for something unseen. "We're close."

Blaidd and Millicent nodded quickly.

When they reached the massive corpse seated on an equally massive throne, the man stopped.

"This is it."

Both the red-haired warrior and the half-wolf could barely believe their eyes. Giants existed in this world, even giants among giants, but a dead body so large it rivaled the grand structures of a fallen civilization was still awe-inspiring.

Of course, no one had bothered to remind Kosta about this.

The small bosses were always scarier.

Once again, he glanced around, frowning.

"Come out."

Millicent and Blaidd quickly grasped the situation. The half-wolf, scowling, unslung his massive sword. The warrior woman reached for her shamshir.

Indeed, Kosta was not mistaken: out of the dark corners of the buildings, like living shadows, emerged humanoid figures blending seamlessly with the gloom of the abandoned city. The few remaining descendants of the once-majestic city.

The man had suspected from the beginning that he wouldn't casually run into Nox swordstresses or, worse, Night's Maidens around a random corner. But the fact that they had deliberately gathered and observed them from the shadows still surprised him.

Nonetheless, Kosta's expression remained impassive. After overcoming the shock of the "stolen heart" incident with the Mimic Tear, which now obediently resided in his Spirit Bell, fewer things in this world could faze him.

Of course, unless it directly involved his waifus. That was likely Kosta's greatest weakness.

And yet, it was also his strength—the driving force that pushed him to tryhard and casually annihilate gods and dragons alike.

The Noxians did not rush to attack. They had seen and heard enough to understand that even all of them together couldn't defeat the monstrous being in human form standing before them. Until the end, they hoped to avoid direct confrontation, but Konstantin had come too close to the treasure they were bound to protect.

"Konstantin of the Tarnished."

Kosta wasn't at all surprised by how quiet and cautious the voice of the Night's Maiden sounded—a high-ranking spiritual figure of the forgotten city.

Perhaps they could've had their own questline. At least here, they weren't dismissed outright(2).

The man didn't deem it necessary to reply: the Night's Maiden wasn't asking but stating. The question was what she intended to say next and whether it was time to start rolling.

Obviously, Kosta was fine with that. The question was whether he was the only one.

"The lands are rife with rumors, Konstantin of the Tarnished," the Night's Maiden continued slowly. "Why do you seek the blade? Why do you want our treasure? Is the power you already possess not enough?"

Naturally, had they neither known nor seen firsthand the kind of monster that had come for their relic, they wouldn't have bothered with diplomacy. They'd have attacked immediately, trying to rid themselves of the intruder—even if it were some overconfident demigoddess. But the Tarnished fame echoed throughout the Lands Between, leaving few fools brave enough to attack him without a second thought.

Blaidd, ready to defend his lady's honor at all costs, was already considering stepping in to speak. However, the Tarnished silenced him with a gesture.

"Not for me. For someone dear to me who desires freedom."

Millicent, despite herself, pursed her lips, feeling slightly out of place. Having received so much from the Tarnished, she would never dare to be greedy, especially in front of those who might help him more than she could. Yet…

A completely absurd fear that Konstantin might simply forget about her crept into her heart. It had first emerged the moment she saw Sellen and Melina. Moreover, Millicent knew that there were others who had also captured the future king's attention.

The girl exhaled.

An absurd thought. She, someone whom others couldn't even touch without risking illness, someone who might die the moment the needle was pulled from her body, dared to think of something like this. Didn't that make her even more pitiful and helpless?

Konstantin waited briefly before adding:

"For me, the power I have is already too much, but for her, it's still not enough."

Blaidd nodded sagely.

How skillfully his friend had chosen his words! Lady Ranni was precious to them all!

He didn't yet know…

The surviving Noxians exchanged glances.

"We cannot stop you, Konstantin of the Tarnished," the Night's Maiden said in the same soft, cold tone. "But we can ask this: please, show mercy and return the treasure once the one you hold dear gains her freedom. We will not stand in your way again."

The Night's Maiden inclined her head, and the others followed. Not deeply, not in a way that expressed submission, but with acknowledgment.

Konstantin raised an eyebrow, then shrugged nonchalantly.

"Fine."

He doubted his waifu would strongly oppose this request.

Besides, he planned to visit the Greater Will's envoy anyway. Defeating it should, in theory, sever the Two Fingers' connection entirely. Kosta was curious whether Metyr (3) could still show something interesting to someone as strong as he was, and who might soon grow even stronger.

Hearing the simple, resolute answer, the Noxians gave brief nods before quietly retreating. Their forms melted into the shadows, leaving no trace of sound. The only sign they had ever been there was a single whisper:

"Beware the Black Knives…"

Kosta smiled.

"I'd actually be glad if they tried to kill me."

It seemed someone among the shadows almost stumbled.

"You shouldn't joke about the Black Knives, Konstantin," Blaidd warned, frowning as he glanced around. "Those scoundrels…"

"I know," Kosta replied with a shrug. "I'll never forget that challenge. It ruined so many attempts(4)…"

Blaidd blinked.

Beneath the massive corpse lay a passage, leading to a crypt where they quickly found the blade they were searching for.

To everyone's surprise, there were no traps. The moment Konstantin picked up the blade, he immediately understood its significance: it was unnaturally cold, alien, menacing, and inherently wrong.

Konstantin squinted with satisfaction.

'Just what the doctor ordered for a Soulslike.'

"Quest complete," Konstantin said, turning to Blaidd and Millicent. "We can head back now."

His companions let out relieved sighs, and, as the Outer Gods and other multi-phase entities could witness, Konstantin understood them perfectly.

They stepped out of the crypt. Konstantin looked up, catching the glint of the moon. It wasn't visible in the false sky above them, but the moon demigoddess and the Outer God she was linked to clearly weren't bothered by such trivial details. Perhaps she wasn't fully observing everything, but at the very least, she had to be aware that Konstantin had succeeded.

It was time to deliver the good news to Ranni.

Describing Ranni's state with terms like "sleep" or "slumber" would've been inaccurate. In a sense, she remained conscious, even while immersed in a dream filled with countless visions.

The plight of Blaidd amused her, though she wouldn't admit it to him. Their paths might soon diverge; Ranni still hadn't found a way to save her adoptive brother, her friend, and, only afterward, her loyal servant.

It saddened her, but she had come too far to stop now.

Seluvis had completely disappointed her. She'd tried to give him a chance, but he fancied himself too clever. The puppeteer couldn't resist his vile tendencies, so…

Soon, she'd ensure the furious Tarnished reached his goal.

Konstantin's unexpectedly simple yet elegant solution to the problem showcased his better qualities.

She also couldn't ignore Melina's behavior. Who would have thought that such a terrifying entity, one of the foundations of the detestable Golden Order, would have such a… relatively ordinary daughter? Moderately selfish, reserved, awkward.

Melina lacked and could never possess the qualities of a ruler of the Lands Between. And that was reassuring.

The images of Konstantin in her visions were the blurriest, the most incomprehensible, and outright… strange. She couldn't observe him as easily as she could others. Something persistently obscured her vision—a light so radiant that the only way to track the man was through the eyes of others.

Yet this didn't stop her from witnessing her brother's liberation.

Undoubtedly, she was a powerful sorceress. One of the most powerful the Lands Between had ever known. Sellen, often called one of the most gifted mages in the history of the Academy, was little more than a brazen child to Ranni—someone she could crush at the slightest provocation. Crush so thoroughly that her very existence would be reduced to a… disco ball(5).

But even her might wasn't enough. To defeat her ailing brother, raw strength was required. Ranni's skills lay in intrigue, concealment, mobility, and assassination from the shadows. Against her brother, none of this would have worked. Nor would it have worked against either of her brothers.

Had Ranni felt relief when, at the edge of her consciousness, she sensed her brother Radahn's death amidst the overwhelming light?

Partially. She felt relief, but for a brief moment, something seemed… off. What exactly, she couldn't discern.

What she did know, however, was who had retrieved the relic she had long sought.

Despite her power, she was far from omnipotent. Most of her strength was devoted to remaining hidden.

But now…

Ranni opened her eyes, feeling her consciousness clear. The demigoddess could have slept much longer, but for now, a short rest sufficed.

Unlike the strange, burned daughter of the Goddess, who had existed for countless years in a spiritual body as if it were nothing, Ranni was primarily a spirit. This brought both advantages and significant disadvantages.

Still, these weren't the thoughts occupying the demigoddess's mind at the moment.

Meeting the gaze of the ever-calm Tarnished, she took the offered blade into her puppet hands, feeling a reassuring cold spread from the hilt—a cold that promised victory.

"So, it was you!" Ranni exclaimed, unable to conceal the excitement in her voice for the first time in ages. "You helped Blaidd. I sensed it, even in my dreams!" (TN: her original dialogue from the game would be out of place here, so I didn't replace it)

Her emotions were muted, but after her rest—having seen so much (aside from the strange light), having touched the relic she had sought for so long—she allowed herself a moment of genuine feeling.

After all, the daughter of Rennala, the Full Moon Queen, was far from emotionless, no matter what others might think or say about her.

Konstantin shrugged.

The ethereal visage of the demigoddess smiled.

Now she could see how greatly Konstantin had changed—not just physically but mentally. The man's gaze had become far more focused, filled with emotion.

That the madman had overcome his affliction was undeniably heartening. Once, the thought of someone so dangerous gaining clarity would have terrified her. But now…

Ranni traced a puppet finger along the blade's edge.

Her mind swirled with thoughts. The time she had prepared for so long had unexpectedly arrived.

Like all who retained their sanity in the Lands Between, she had grown used to time standing still. Days blurred into weeks, weeks into months, months into years—and yet, no days seemed to pass.

Who could have imagined that the arrival of a single Tarnished and her own curiosity would change everything so drastically?

"My thanks," she said, much calmer now. "Finally, all the pieces are in place. Soon must I begin my journey. Upon the dark path only I may tread."

Ranni allowed herself a small smile.

She was now fully convinced that the power Konstantin wielded posed her no harm. If it did, it would have punished her long ago for attempting to observe him.

And an enemy wouldn't have stolen her ring—unless it was just to mock her.

Thankfully, Ranni had slept enough not to let herself sulk over such thoughts again.

"And you are bound for a radiant path, one open only to you."

Konstantin was slightly surprised by the unexpected words from one of the best waifus, but he took it in stride.

Other waifus, in much more precarious situations, still awaited him. The moonlit waifu was exposing herself to danger too, but she, like Melina, was markedly different from the others.

"I ask you to return the blade when it is no longer needed," Konstantin said stoically.

Ranni hesitated for a moment before…

The Tarnished froze.

Did she… blush? If only for a split second?

"So, you seek another meeting," the demigoddess's voice grew noticeably more… businesslike. It seemed she had swiftly reached some internal conclusion. "That can be arranged."

Ranni extended her puppet hand, and an inverted statue obediently flew into it. She handed the statue to him.

"This is my token of gratitude for your impeccable service," Ranni declared with importance. "A strange gift, perhaps. But someone like you will find a use for it."

The demigoddess let out a barely audible sigh—not with her puppet body, but spiritually.

Konstantin couldn't explain how he even heard it.

"Now I know that fate itself ensured our meeting. And I am grateful to Torrent for this. And… to Melina," Ranni added after a moment's thought. "Now go. Your service was brief but useful."

How could she possibly still consider him her servant?

As previously mentioned, Ranni still remembered how this audacious Tarnished had stolen the chest containing her ring. And with his strength, he had proven that he had the right to do so.

Now, she wanted to see just how far his foresight could take him and whether he was prepared to walk this path to the very end.

Konstantin, glancing at the statue, sent it into some space only he seemed to understand, then nodded, grinned brightly, and headed for the exit.

The quests wouldn't wait. He still had a few things to take care of, and he needed to find a suitable prosthetic for Millicent.

Once outside the tower, seeing Millicent and Blaidd waiting for him, Konstantin paused in thought.

There were indeed quite a few quests left.

Turning his head, Konstantin noticed Melina appearing, with a sorrowful illusion of Sellen perched on her shoulder.

"We had to step away for a time, Konstantin," Melina said calmly.

The illusion of the sorceress grimaced as if forced to eat something exceedingly sour. However, she didn't dare speak. The hierarchy had been firmly established by the most effective means.

Konstantin cast a sidelong glance at the massive club Melina held effortlessly in her delicate hand.

The false Finger Maiden straightened slightly, noticing how her chosen one's eyes lit up. He was clearly pleased with her decision.

She was especially satisfied when her chosen one accepted the gift, looking all the more like an elated boy who had just found the biggest stick in the forest.

As Konstantin examined the gift with bright, eager eyes, he unexpectedly lowered his gaze to Melina's burn-scarred hands. He suspected that the burns extended far beyond just her hands.

"We'll continue your healing, Melina," the Tarnished said after a brief pause, deep in thought. Then, unexpectedly, he added, "You won't be running off so easily now."

Melina froze, her spectral heart feeling as though it had leapt out of her body, her mouth slightly agape in dumbfounded silence.

The miniature illusion of Sellen clenched her illusory mouth shut, tears of laughter welling in her eyes as she struggled to maintain composure. The illusion was impressively lifelike.

If she lost it and burst out laughing now…

Greater Will, the Moon, the Sun, or whoever else bore witness to this moment—this would be the end.

Fate had presented her with far too serious a trial.

(1) Pyromancy has always held a special place in the hearts of both casual and dedicated Dark Souls fans.

(2) Very little is known about the Nox or the Black Knife Assassins. Despite their pivotal role in the lore, there are no speaking characters among them, only a few opponents and an Ash summon scattered throughout the Lands Between.

(3) Mother of Fingers Metyr, a boss from the DLC. According to lore, she was the first fallen star in the Lands Between, birthing the Two Fingers. It was by sheer luck that Marika managed to make contact with her once.

(4) The full hospitality of the Black Knife Assassins can be experienced when trying to enter the secret location in Ordina, the Liturgical Town. Players must light four flames in Evergaols, all the while avoiding the possibility of being backstabbed by some invisible creature.

(5) No definitive explanation is given for why Sellen turns into a disco ball at the end of her questline. There's a clear hint about the dangers of the magic she studied and promoted, but her sudden transformation immediately after Rennala's overthrow personally seems… a bit suspicious.