Don’t You Dare Go Hollow.

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Tarnished stood at the edge of a small hill, arms crossed as he gazed at the massive fortress looming in the distance. Stormveil Castle stood tall and foreboding, its weathered walls scarred by countless battles, the remnants of Godrick's rule littered across its broken ramparts. 

The golden banners of his fading lineage fluttered weakly against the wind, barely holding onto their tattered dignity. He exhaled sharply through his nose, his azure eyes glowing faintly with the golden tint of Marika's Grace.

Then he turned away. "Nah."

Marika materialized beside him, floating just above the ground with her arms crossed. Her golden eyes regarded him curiously, one delicate brow arching upward. "Art thou truly choosing to ignore the path ahead? The very purpose of thy quest?"

Tarnished stretched his shoulders, rolling them lazily before reaching into his inventory and pulling out a small, ornate ring—the Spectral Steed Whistle. He brought it to his lips and gave a sharp blow, the clear note ringing through the crisp Limgrave air.

A moment later, a shimmering mist of azure light spiraled before him, forming into the familiar figure of Torrent, his spectral steed. The loyal creature huffed softly before nudging its head into his palm, expecting affection.

Tarnished chuckled and ran his fingers through the ephemeral strands of its mane. "Good to see you too, buddy."

"Thou hast yet to answer my question, my Champion." Marika's voice was smooth, tinged with amusement. "Hast thou abandoned thy claim upon that fool Godrick's throne?"

"Nah," Tarnished repeated, a smirk playing on his lips as he grabbed the saddle and pulled himself onto Torrent's back. "I'll deal with him later. Got more important things to worry about right now."

Marika hummed in consideration, her expression unreadable. Tarnished gave Torrent a light nudge with his heels, and the spectral steed surged forward, carrying him down the weathered stone path.

The Godrick encampment sprawled out below, its soldiers patrolling the road, their armor glinting under the midday sun. A few turned at the sound of galloping hooves, some reaching for their weapons, but Torrent was far too fast. Tarnished shot through their ranks before any of them could react, leaving a trail of confused shouts in his wake.

As he continued down the paved road, he spotted a Site of Grace resting beside a broken stone wall. Without stopping, he leaned slightly, reaching a hand out as he passed by—

[Lost Grace Discovered]

—before he was already past it, not bothering to stop.

The landscape blurred as he pushed Torrent faster, riding southeast at full speed. The winds rushed against him, his hair whipping wildly behind him. His next destination was clear.

A bridge came into view ahead, spanning a small ravine. A mounted knight and several Godrick Soldiers patrolled its length, their weapons drawn as they stood guard.

Tarnished barely spared them a glance.

The knight spurred his horse forward, charging at full speed, lance raised—

Torrent shot past him in an instant.

The knight barely had time to process what had happened before the wind of Tarnished's passing sent his helmet spinning off his head.

Marika's voice rang in his mind, "Impressive. Yet this reckless haste of thine shall prove thy undoing."

Tarnished grinned. "You sound like a tutorial pop-up."

The bridge faded behind him as he veered right, his eyes locking onto something far more interesting.

A massive armored caravan trudged along the road ahead, flanked by a small battalion of heavily armed soldiers. Two hulking trolls, their bodies chained, dragged the massive wagon forward, their backs lined with deep scars from the whips of their handlers. Godrick Knights, Footmen, and a few mounted cavalry marched in formation beside it, their armor bearing the golden insignia of the Gilded Dynasty.

Tarnished's smirk widened.

Marika materialized beside him, arms still crossed beneath her bountiful chest. "My Champion… Surely, thou dost not mean to-"

"I absolutely do."

He nudged Torrent forward, accelerating toward the caravan at full speed.

The soldiers took notice immediately.

"INTRUDER!" one of them roared, pointing his sword. "A THIEF!"

The entire formation tensed, weapons raised. The mounted knights spurred their horses forward, rushing toward him.

Tarnished, however, had no intention of stopping.

At the very last second, he leapt.

His boots landed heavily atop the moving caravan, the impact rattling the chest at its rear. Soldiers shouted in alarm, scrambling to react as Tarnished reached forward, flinging the heavy lid open. Inside, nestled among fine velvet, was a massive ornate Greataxe, its wickedly sharp edges gleaming even in the dim light.

[Picked-Up Item: Greataxe]

With no hesitation, he snatched it up and tossed it into his inventory before turning on his heel and leaping from the caravan.

His landing, however, was less than graceful.

Torrent was already moving beside him, waiting for the pickup, but as he fell, Tarnished managed to grab hold of the saddle, barely. His body swung wildly, legs flailing as he struggled to right himself. Meanwhile, three mounted knights were now hot on his heels, their spears pointed at his back.

"Shit!"

Marika appeared beside him, flying effortlessly with arms still crossed, her golden hair billowing elegantly. She sighed. "Was this truly necessary? Wilt thou even use such an axe?"

Tarnished finally managed to pull himself upright onto Torrent's back and grinned. "Nope, probably not. But where's your sense of adventure? This is fun as hell!"

Marika exhaled through her nose, shaking her head slightly. "And yet, 'tis my Grace that spares thee from thy own foolhardiness."

He just laughed as he turned his head slightly, eyeing the approaching knights. The armored riders spurred their steeds faster, their weapons raised, but it was futile.

"GO! GO! GO!" Tarnished shouted, slapping Torrent's flank.

The spectral steed huffed in understanding and shot forward with a burst of speed, outpacing the knights with ease. The pursuers cursed, but there was nothing they could do. Tarnished's laughter echoed through the open fields as he left them in the dust, his heart pounding in exhilaration.

Marika sighed again, watching his antics with thinly veiled amusement. "Thou dost realize my daughter doth observe thee, do thou not? Mayhap 'twould serve thee better to think thy words when responding to myself, rather than speak them aloud."

Tarnished blinked. 'Oh, right. My bad.'

He mentally switched to thinking, hoping Melina hadn't heard everything.

As they passed a set of ruined stone structures, his eyes flicked toward a nearby underground chamber, half-buried beneath rubble. He knew what was down there—Sellen's chambers.

He slowed for a brief moment, considering. Then he shrugged. 'Not going for a magic build right now. Sellen can wait.'

Marika tilted her head. "Sellen?"

'She's a powerful sorceress who teaches magic.' He explained idly.

Marika scoffed. "Hmph. Magic is for wretched scholars and cowards. 'Twould be best if thou didst remain upon the path of Faith. I can teach thee far greater things along thy journey."

Tarnished chuckled, his fingers tapping against the reins. 'Right, because you're totally unbiased.'

She simply smiled beautifully. "Indeed."

Tarnished exhaled, his breath steadying as he ran his hand along the smooth fur of Torrent's mane. The spectral steed huffed softly, waiting for his next command, but he did not urge him forward just yet. His gaze lingered on the rolling hills and vast expanse of Agheel Lake, the golden glow of the Erdtree bathing the world in a dreamlike light.

It was… breathtaking.

He had seen this view countless times before on a monitor, had rushed past it during speedruns, barely paying any mind to the sheer scale of its beauty. But now? Now, he was living it.

His fingers gripped Torrent's mane a little tighter as he took it all in, his lips curling into a small smile. "God… this place is beautiful…"

"But of course." Marika's voice hummed through his mind, rich with pride. "The magnificence of mine own domain knoweth no bounds nor equal."

Tarnished let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, you might be right about that one."

With that, he lightly tapped his heels against Torrent's sides, urging the steed forward. They rode at a steady pace, the wind rushing past him as he veered southeast toward Agheel Lake South's Site of Grace.

As he rode, Marika's voice suddenly turned contemplative. "Hn… the tides of this lake… they hath receded immensely. I remember this land, yet 'twas once far deeper…"

Tarnished hummed at that, his brow raising slightly. "Yeah? Wonder what changed."

He made a note of her words but kept his focus on the path ahead, following the familiar contours of the landscape as he guided Torrent down into the now-dry lakebed. He kept to the right side of the lake, skirting along its edge as he made his way toward a dark, cavernous underpass he remembered well.

As he rode beneath the rocky overhang, his sharp eyes spotted something glinting near the wall. His instincts kicked in immediately. He leapt off Torrent mid-gallop, landing smoothly as he crouched down to inspect the object.

A small notification flashed in his vision:

[Picked-Up Item: Fire Grease]

"Nice." He muttered, swiping the small container off the ground and slipping it into his inventory. That'd come in handy later.

With that, he whistled for Torrent once more and climbed back onto his saddle, riding deeper into the underpass.

A few wandering nobles in tattered robes shuffled aimlessly through the shadows, their heads lolling as if in a daze. Tarnished ignored them entirely, they were harmless, and pressed forward. Soon enough, the underpass gave way to a small clearing with a cave entrance carved into the rock.

He slid off Torrent's back, his feet hitting the ground with a dull thud.

Marika materialized beside him, her golden eyes scanning the area with mild curiosity. "So… this 'old friend' thou seeketh, is it one who dwelleth here?"

Tarnished shook his head, unsheathing his uchigatana in one fluid motion before pointing it ahead. "Not here. Inside the cave. But first…"

A shadow shifted in the distance.

The sound of soft footsteps echoed from the gloom. A figure emerged from the darkness, draped in a black, bloodstained cloak. His robes bore the sigil of the Mohgwyn Dynasty, his presence radiating a sickening aura of bloodlust.

Tarnished's eyes narrowed.

The air grew thick, heavy with a vile, iron scent. His vision tinged with red as a mini-boss pop-up materialized in his view:

[Bloody Finger Nerijus]

The cloaked figure tilted his head slightly, his grip tightening around a gnarled, serrated dagger that oozed fresh blood despite never being swung.

Marika appeared beside Tarnished, and the moment she laid eyes upon the wretch before them—she nearly wretched.

Her golden brow furrowed in revulsion, her lips curling as she lifted a delicate hand to pinch her nose shut. "Prithee… What in the name of mine own Order is this abhorrent stench…?!"

Tarnished didn't answer immediately, instead adjusting his grip on his katana as he watched Nerijus' stance, his movements slow and deliberate, the mark of a seasoned killer.

Marika composed herself, her expression twisting into something sharper—colder—as her disgust gave way to something far more dangerous. "Tarnished… this wretch reeks of the Formless Mother. What manner of filth stands before us?"

Tarnished exhaled through his nose, rolling his shoulders as he lowered his stance. "Not sure exactly. What I do know? He's a Bloody Finger. One of the freaks that serve that bastard Mohg."

There was a deep, unnerving silence as Marika's expression froze.

The name… she recognized it. Her gaze turned distant—her golden irises flickering with something dark—before she abruptly turned away, as if trying to hide her face from him. Then, after a long measured pause, she spoke.

"Rend this heathen into carrion… This instant."

Tarnished blinked at the sheer venom in her voice, her usually smug or teasing tone nowhere to be found. His grip on his katana tightened as he made a mental note of this reaction, filing it away for later.

But for now?

He grinned as he unsheathed his Uchigatana, "With pleasure."

Tarnished barely had time to react as Nerijus exploded forward, his blood-stained dagger flashing like a viper's fang. Tarnished twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the first stab, the sharp edge of the dagger whistling past his ribs as he dodged.

Nerijus didn't stop.

The Bloody Finger's dagger came down again, and again, his movements so erratic that it was almost impossible to track. The strikes were wild, yet there was a terrifying precision to them—like a frenzied beast that still knew exactly how to kill.

Tarnished ducked low, rolled past a downward stab, then countered as his uchigatana surged forward, the cold steel of the blade cutting through the air as he aimed for Nerijus' open side.

CLANG!

A shock ran up Tarnished's arms as Nerijus twisted unnaturally, the cursed dagger shifting into an almost impossible angle to parry the attack. Tarnished scowled and backed off, barely avoiding a retaliatory slash that nearly carved across his stomach.

'This cunt is fast, faster than I remember...'

The two warriors circled each other, the tension thick as neither dared to make the first move. Tarnished's breathing was even, his eyes locked onto every twitch of Nerijus' muscles. The Bloody Finger, for his part, merely tilted his head slightly—almost like a curious animal.

Then he hissed, and the air changed. Tarnished felt it before he saw it, the aura of bloodlust thickened. A second later, Nerijus rushed forward once again, his dagger leading the way—but this time, Tarnished was ready.

He didn't dodge, he parried.

CLANG!

The moment Nerijus' dagger met his blade, Tarnished twisted sharply, forcing the weapon away before countering with a fast, brutal slash.

A sharp spray of blood followed.

Nerijus let out a gurgling hiss as the uchigatana carved into his side, slicing through his robes and flesh with ease. Tarnished grinned and followed up with another swift strike, stepping forward to slash across the Bloody Finger's chest.

Another gash opened and another burst of blood spilled onto the dirt.

Nerijus staggered back, his crimson robes now soaked in fresh wounds. Tarnished exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as he flicked the blood from his blade.

"You're quick." He admitted, smirking before the form of a certain red haired Rot Goddess came to his mind. "But I've fought faster."

Nerijus twitched, then he laughed.

The sound was wet, as if there was blood bubbling at the back of his throat. His shoulders trembled slightly, his head tilting at an unnatural angle.

Then he lifted his dagger. Tarnished tensed as the Bloody Finger suddenly dragged the dagger across his own arm, slicing deep as an eruption of crimson mist sprayed into the air. The blood didn't fall. It moved.

Tarnished's eyes widened. 'No. No, no, I know what this is-!'

Marika's voice came sharp in his mind. "Move!"

But it was too late, a crimson arc of blood surged forward. The Reduvia Blood Blade, a damn near unblockable blood-art attack.

Tarnished barely had time to react before the bladed wave of blood crashed into his chest, carving through his skin like molten steel. The impact sent him flying, his back slamming into the dirt as he skidded across the ground.

A sharp, burning pain surged through him as his health bar dropped by nearly 70% thanks to his lack of armour making him especially vulnerable to Bleed based damage.

'Shit-!' His breathing hitched as he forced himself onto one knee, his vision spinning. His chest felt like it was on fire. Even though the System dulled pain, the sheer force behind the attack still rattled his nerves and staggered him slightly.

Nerijus let out another twisted laugh, stepping forward with deadly intent white the Tarnished cursed, struggling to push himself up as the Bloody Finger closed in.

This was bad.

If he didn't do something fast, he was dead.

Nerijus wasted no time. He pulled back, preparing to drive his dagger into Tarnished's skull, but then he froze.

A long, gleaming Nagakiba had pierced through his back, the blade twisting cruelly before yanking him to the ground. The Tarnished didn't question this and simply used the opportunity to move forward with all his strength and cut off the Bloody Finger's head.

The Tarnished warrior took heavy breathes in and out as he looked up, his gaze meeting a pair of sharp, kind black eyes. A voice, smooth yet firm, spoke.

"You handled yourself well against that cessblood."

The man withdrew his blade from Nerijus' twitching corpse, flicking the blood off its edge before offering a hand to Tarnished.

Tarnished let out a short laugh, accepting the help. "Did fine till I got hit like an idiot."

The hunter chuckled, "And yet you survived. Not many can say the same."

He nodded toward Tarnished's wound, "Best patch that up."

Tarnished scoffed, already grabbing his Crimson Flask and taking two swigs to restore his health. As the warmth of the golden liquid spread through his body, he finally took a proper look at his rescuer. A lone ronin, clad in dark and a giant iron Kasa, his long Nagakiba resting idly against his shoulder.

The man met his gaze, "I am Yura, Hunter of Bloody Fingers."

Tarnished took a moment to steady himself, the warmth of the Crimson Flask spreading through his body as the last of his wounds faded. He exhaled, stretching his shoulders before offering Yura a grin.

"Yura, huh? Appreciate the assist. These Bloody Finger bastards need to be wiped out anyway."

Yura gave a small nod, his eyes lingering on Nerijus' rapidly fading corpse. "That much is true. Cessbloods like him bring only misery and suffering wherever they tread. You did well to put him down." 

He cast a brief glance at Tarnished's bare chest and lack of armor. "Though, I must say, to face a Bloody Finger without any protection and still live to tell the tale… That is no small feat."

"Yeah, well… I don't really plan on getting hit, so what's the point in wearing armor and slowing myself down?" Tarnished let out a small chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Or atleast, that's the plan…"

Marika scoffed loudly in his mind, her golden voice laced with amusement. "A reckless mindset. One that shall doubtless lead to thine own undoing."

Yura raised an eyebrow, "A bold strategy… Though I cannot say I would recommend it."

Tarnished simply shrugged, sheathing his uchigatana as he turned his attention toward the cave entrance nearby.

Yura followed his gaze. "You seek something within that cave?"

"Yeah." Tarnished said, a smirk creeping onto his face. "An old friend."

Yura gave him a considering look before nodding. "Then I shall not keep you. But take heed, fellow Tarnished; should you ever find yourself crossing paths with another Bloody Finger, do not hesitate. Strike them down without mercy."

Tarnished grinned, offering a casual salute. "Yeah, yeah. Don't gotta tell me twice."

Yura studied him for a moment before turning away, "Then I shall take my leave. May fate permit our paths to cross once more."

As the crimson samurai strode off into the distance, Tarnished raised a hand in farewell. "Farewell! Don't you dare go Hollow, friend!"

Yura paused mid-step, glancing back at him with a slight frown. "'Hollow'?"

Tarnished blinked and rubbed the back of his head, "Oh, right. You wouldn't get that."

Marika appeared beside him, arms crossed, her golden eyes narrowed with mild intrigue. "'Go Hollow'… another peculiar phrase from thy world, is it?"

Tarnished smirked, nodding and answering them both at the same time. "Yeah. It's an old saying from my homeland. It means not to lose yourself, much like those Wandering Nobles do. It means to keep moving forward, no matter what happens. There will be a light at the end of the Horizon."

Yura was silent for a moment, then gave a small nod. "…A good saying. One I shall remember."

He turned fully this time, his dark ronin robes billowing slightly in the wind. "Then allow me to return the sentiment: Do not go Hollow, fellow Tarnished."

And with that, he strode off, disappearing into the mist of the valley.

Marika watched him go, humming softly before tilting her head toward Tarnished. "Hmph. There is… Wisdom in such words. Though I wonder, canst thou truly heed them, when thou art yet to grasp the weight of this world?"

Tarnished chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "Guess we'll find out, huh?"

With that, he turned toward the cave entrance, rolling his shoulders before striding inside.

A soft pop-up flashed in his vision:

[Murkwater Cave]

A slow grin spread across his face as he took his first step inside as he raised his hands together and cracked his knuckles, "Alright, time to go beat Patches' ass. For old time's sake…"

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Author's Note:

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Next Chapter Title: Patches, The Untethered.

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