Chapter 45: Bernahl

When the Warmaster's Shack appeared in the courtyard where the Golden Tree stood as the golden light faded, Tarnes immediately noticed that Bernahl's previously grayed-out name began to brighten.

Tarnes checked the grace the Golden Tree had accumulated over these days again—it was completely sufficient to summon Bernahl.

This grace had originally been intended to summon more Banished Knights and Exile Soldiers from Stormveil Castle.

However, since the food the farmlands could currently provide had just reached its limit, Tarnes could only pause summoning until new fields were cultivated.

Because the Misbegotten stationed far away in Lond Daer also needed food, and their location was too distant for the Golden Tree's influence to reach, material support from Moen City was still needed until the Misbegotten could become self-sufficient.

Of course, if Lond Daer was fully rebuilt by the Misbegotten and this former great port began operating again, the wealth brought from the sea would be enormous.

And if Tharbad, located north of Lond Daer, could also be restarted, the entire Greyflood waterway would regain its past prosperity.

"Come then, Bernahl."

Tarnes refocused his attention on this name that surfaced in his mind and finally confirmed the summoning.

A slight ripple broke the tranquility of the courtyard as a blurred figure gradually took shape before Tarnes.

This was a middle-aged man wearing silver Beast Champion armor that didn't look particularly ornate. He had his gray-white hair tied in a short braid, his chin and lips covered in stubble, and aged strands hanging at his temples.

The Golden Tree's branches swayed brilliantly, casting golden shadows that illuminated the man's profound features.

This was Bernahl—Bernahl, who possessed Recusant strength and had once borne the fate of becoming king.

His appearance didn't cause any grand changes, just an ordinary manifestation.

Bernahl slowly opened his eyes, revealing silver-gray pupils. His gaze met Tarnes', and suddenly appearing memories flooded Bernahl's mind, yet his expression remained calm as still water.

He stood there motionless, yet seemed like a great mountain standing before Tarnes.

Time had carved ravine-like wrinkles on Bernahl's face, and wind passed through the empty courtyard, stirring up golden leaves.

The two stood facing each other without speaking.

Nepheli Loux's figure appeared at the courtyard entrance. She strode with vigorous steps, silently entering the courtyard.

Her calloused hands lightly touched the axe handle at her waist as she stood beside Tarnes, fearlessly raising her head to cast a sharp gaze at Bernahl.

"Heh."

Seeing Nepheli Loux's action, Bernahl was reminded of his time in the Roundtable Hold when he too had like-minded friends who stood by his side no matter what they faced, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

However, times had changed—they had gone their separate ways for their respective goals, and when they met again, they were even enemies.

Then he slowly looked around, trying to find familiar places.

But aside from discovering he was within Stormveil Castle, both the sky above and the Golden Tree behind Tarnes differed from his memories.

He said with a complex tone: "This is no longer the Lands Between, is it, Tarnes?"

Tarnes nodded slightly: "Mm."

Bernahl said: "Indeed, because that Golden Tree behind you is far too small."

"But it will grow to become a towering tree," Tarnes replied.

Bernahl suddenly asked out of the blue: "Where is your maiden? That girl who always hid her face under a hood and followed behind you—where did she go?"

Tarnes instantly felt an enormous sense of suffocation wrap around him unexpectedly. His own heartbeat rang clearly in his ears, as if the next moment he could hear Melina calling his name in her gentle, calm voice.

Bernahl's silver-gray eyes became dangerous: "You didn't make her burn the tree too, did you?"

He emphasized the word "too," pain flashing in his eyes.

Tarnes didn't answer Bernahl's words. He realized the other was trying to seize control of the conversation and disturb his inner peace.

So he counter-questioned: "Bernahl, if there existed even the slightest possibility of reviving your maiden, what would you do?"

Now it was Bernahl's turn to be speechless.

He stood there motionless, as if time had frozen around him.

Bernahl's gaze was like a torch ignited by anger, burning fiercely and cutting through the surrounding silence.

"Of course I would revive her..." Bernahl's voice was low yet filled with unquestionable resolve. "Even if it meant walking a bloody path, staining my hands with innocent blood, surrounded by their curses, I would not hesitate. My soul was already dyed the deepest black the moment I lost her."

Rage and sorrow danced in Bernahl's pupils as his emotion-suppressed words echoed in the empty courtyard, each word like forged iron—hard and cold.

Tarnes pointed to himself and nodded to Bernahl: "I am that slightest possibility for you, Bernahl. When the Elden Ring came to this world with me, it also brought everything from the Lands Between. You must have memories in your mind of fighting me and being killed by me, but you now appear alive before me—you should understand what this means."

Bernahl looked sharply at Tarnes, his voice carrying a hint of sarcasm, each word seeming squeezed from between his teeth: "But this doesn't mean I'll become a lapdog of the Golden Order! The Golden Order—hah! I'll never forget that it was precisely because of this damned Golden Order that my maiden willingly gave her life, but the result was so ridiculous and laughable!"

He raised his hand, pointing forcefully at Tarnes and loudly questioning: "Tarnes, my memories include experiences of becoming a Recusant together with you! Are you now willing to become a lapdog of the Golden Order? Tell me—you who obtained the Elden Ring, you who became Elden Lord—what is your Order now?!"

D better not hear these words, or he'd definitely fight you to the death.

However, Tarnes also understood what Bernahl truly hated—he hated the Golden Order that had brought him suffering in the Lands Between.

From Bernahl's perspective, the Golden Order had betrayed him first, so he betrayed the Golden Order in return.

Facing Bernahl's questioning, Tarnes answered without hesitation: "My Order? Naturally, it's no longer that flawed Golden Order. I met a virtuous old soldier in the Shadow Realm who spoke to me about this before his death. I swear by my soul—whether my Order or my reason for becoming king, all of it is for the people of the Lands Between, not for those gods!"

Then he looked at Bernahl and extended his hand in invitation: "The reason I summoned you here is because I'm rebuilding the Lands Between. I need your strength. Join me, Bernahl."

Bernahl slowly digested Tarnes' words: "Not for those gods, but for the people of the Lands Between?"

Tarnes nodded: "If you don't believe it, you can walk out of Stormveil Castle right now and see for yourself."

Bernahl's chest rose and fell several times, his silver-gray eyes looking at Tarnes again, but this time without previous doubt—instead filled with fighting spirit: "But this alone isn't enough. If you want me to join... you know the rules of the Lands Between."

Ah, I know, I know—might makes right.

Tarnes extended both hands, and somehow two identical knight's greatswords appeared simultaneously in his left and right hands.

While handing one knight's greatsword to Bernahl, he teased: "I've already defeated you eight times—do you still want to do this?"

Bernahl took the knight's greatsword and swung it a few times as if it were weightless, snorting coldly: "You didn't defeat me in swordsmanship. So tell me, what magic or incantation are you planning to use this time?"

Tarnes blinked: "Would you believe me if I told you?"

Bernahl grinned with a smile that didn't reach his eyes: "What do you think?"

Tarnes shrugged and glanced around the courtyard: "How about we change locations? I'm worried the aftershocks of our fight might destroy such a beautiful courtyard."

Bernahl nodded indifferently: "Choose wherever you want—even if you wanted to choose a harsh environment like Volcano Manor, I wouldn't mind."

Tarnes pursed his lips: "I wouldn't choose that kind of terrain. Only someone like you enjoys lava baths."

Then Tarnes looked at Nepheli Loux and said: "Nepheli, help me call Fili and Kili. Tell them I'm going to spar with their future combat instructor and have them come to the open ground outside Stormveil Castle's main gate."

Nepheli Loux was somewhat surprised: "But given their personalities, I'm afraid all the Dwarves will come to watch you two fight."

"That's even better—let our Dwarf friends witness Bernahl's strength. It'll save me from having to explain Bernahl's prowess to them later in Thorin's expedition force. It would be best if our Elf friends came to observe as well," Tarnes said.

Rather, he had originally intended this, since only some people from the Lands Between knew of Bernahl's reputation and strength—the people of Middle-earth had no idea.

But Bernahl was completely confused. He furrowed his gray-white brows: "You two, explain to me what 'future combat instructor' means? And who are Fili and Kili?"

Tarnes gestured for Nepheli Loux to go call people first, then said to Bernahl: "It can't be explained in a few words. Come with me first, and I'll explain everything as we walk."

Nepheli Loux quickly wrote several letters, having the Storm Hawks of Stormveil Castle that obeyed her fly to Moen City and Haight Fortress respectively, then went to find Fili and Kili, who were temporarily staying in Stormveil Castle.

Soon, everyone in the Golden Tree territory knew that their lord was going to spar with someone.

On the way, Tarnes explained to Bernahl the story of what had happened since he came to this world, as well as matters concerning the Dwarves and Elves.

"So you summoned me just to serve as a combat instructor for two Dwarves?" Bernahl asked with a strange expression.

Tarnes both nodded and shook his head: "Not entirely. Later, you, I, and two others will join a Dwarf king's expedition to reclaim his homeland. That Dwarf king is also a new friend I made in this world. When I first arrived here and needed help most, he very generously provided many supplies, which is why you see Stormveil Castle now."

Bernahl sighed, not knowing whether to laugh or be speechless, shaking his head: "Reciprocity and valuing relationships—there's nothing wrong with that. I don't mind helping your friend either. It's just that when you first summoned me, your expression was so serious it seemed like you'd swing a blade at me the next second. I thought you were going to do something to me. I never expected you just wanted me to teach combat techniques—you could have just asked directly."

I think it's because you were still emotional when you were first summoned and asked me a very painful question, which is why you had that bitter and resentful appearance.

However, Tarnes didn't voice this thought, and his mood became relatively relaxed.

Because he had confirmed that Bernahl didn't truly harbor hostility toward him, which made Tarnes, who hadn't wanted to break with Bernahl anyway, genuinely happy from the bottom of his heart.

Seeing Tarnes' lightened steps, Bernahl said: "Don't get careless and let me defeat you just because I'm not hostile toward you. Though we call it sparring, I won't hold back."

Hearing this, Tarnes looked at Bernahl with burning eyes: "How could I underestimate you? I'm just excited about our upcoming battle."

"You battle maniac, you really haven't changed at all," Bernahl said.

Then he was silent for a while before finally asking with a trembling voice: "But what you said to me in the Golden Tree's courtyard—that you have a slight possibility of reviving my maiden—were you serious? Or was it just to stabilize my emotions and deceive me?"

Bernahl was truly afraid Tarnes would say it was a lie, but based on his understanding of Tarnes, though Tarnes was very cunning in battle, he had never lied about important matters to anyone, not even enemies.

Under Bernahl's hopeful gaze, Tarnes answered: "The Elden Ring contains everything from the Lands Between, which very likely includes your maiden's soul. Even if it doesn't, you needn't abandon hope. Though you and I have both been to the ancient dragon city—Farum Azula—there's something you don't know that I never told you."

The image of that ancient sky city surrounded by storms appeared before Bernahl's eyes as he instinctively asked: "What is it?"

"The Ancient Dragon Lord Placidusax still lives. It's in the storm's center of Farum Azula, which is also a space-time rift. We might be able to find a point in time when your maiden's soul hasn't yet dispersed through this space-time rift."

[Chapter Complete]

***

Want more? Check out my Patreon for:

✓ Advanced chapters of all my stories

✓ Exclusive novels & fanfics

✓ Early access content www.patreon.com/meowthtl

💪 Community Goal: 500 Power Stones unlocks a bonus chapter!

Thanks for reading and supporting the story!