It is daytime. This is approximately twelve hours before the end of the previous chapter, right at the beginning of the Tarnished's attack. (A minor note: this recent defense of Leyndell shall be called the Storm's Defense of Leyndell, in commemoration of the Banished Knights who fought with the most valor.) Having slipped around Leyndell's encampments on Altus, Corhyn, the Prophet, and Meilyr travel northward on the Altus Highway. They're close to where the map fragment is in the original game; they walk over a crumbled road, shrouded by trees.
The travelers ascend the hill, witnessing the Minor Erdtree looming in the horizon. Meilyr is eating anything he can get his hands on: Golden Rowa, Mushrooms, etc.
The travelers round the bend, towards the ruins of the Forest-spanning Greatbridge.
Leyndell Soldiers: Tarnished? What are you doing here?! Leyndell Soldiers: Get them!!
The Tarnished have beaten up the soldiers; notably, none of them have been set on fire, as the Prophet dislikes using his incantations in front of Corhyn. Corhyn: Perhaps we should wear some disguises, if we are to traverse the capital...
The Prophet and Meilyr put on the Soldiers' clothing. Meilyr: Hmm. I mislike it. Meilyr: I don't like this fit.
Nomadic Merchant, offscreen: Ooh, dear.
Nomadic Merchant: Oh, dear, terribly sorry. Nomadic Merchant: Are you here as a customer?
Meilyr: Look at you, man! Meilyr: All withered like a twig! Nomadic Merchant: Please, buy something...
Corhyn: I don't think he has anything to give you. Nomadic Merchant: Your hands, your hands. Meilyr cups his hands before the Merchant.
A fountain of gold erupts from Meilyr's hands. Corhyn, offscreen: My goodness! Nomadic Merchant: Ah, you're quite a hale fellow.
The Merchant begins to take items out of his sack. Nomadic Merchant: This is two hundred... this, three... Melina's spirit stands next to the Prophet. Melina: Hum. I suppose it's because he eats so much.
Melina looks at the Nomadic Merchant. Melina: Poor fellow... Is this what has become of the Golden Order? Melina: Or...has it always been like this?...
Melina: Mother... What a wicked land, you birthed me to.
Meilyr, holding up a Greathelm: This is it! This is the one!
Meilyr: How much is it? Nomadic Merchant: Eighteen.
Meilyr pours a great quantity of gold into the Merchant's hands. Meilyr: Take it! As much as you need! Nomadic Merchant: This is too much!
Meilyr slaps the Merchant on the back. Meilyr: Fellow, have as much of anything that is mine! Meilyr: In any case, I can't count! Meilyr laughs. Melina: Though, perhaps, there is hope, so long as there is goodness in man's heart.
Corhyn looks into the horizon, past the Minor Erdtree. The Forest-spanning Greatbridge has been long broken; Morgott has not bothered fixing it, possibly to limit Volcano Manor's movements. Or, he fears the Minor Erdtree destroying it.
Corhyn, to the Merchant: Good fellow... Corhyn: How do we get to the other end?
Nomadic Merchant: You mean to the other end of the bridge? Corhyn: Yes.
Merchant: Then I might as well be frank: Merchant: You can't.
Corhyn: How do you mean? Merchant: Let me explain.
Merchant: Altus is made of many cliffs. Merchant: Unless you're good at climbing, you will not be able to get through.
Merchant: Further, surrounding the Minor Erdtree - which you see there - are ... strange creatures. Merchant: They say they're mockeries of the Golden Order.
Merchant: I suppose the only way is to pass through the northern gate of Leyndell, but... Merchant: You would have to go through Leyndell. Which is more difficult than anything I mentioned.
Corhyn: We could follow the army... Merchant: Army? What army?
Corhyn: The Tarnished have crossed Liurnia to wage war against Leyndell. Merchant: Ohhh.
Corhyn: We're Tarnished. Merchant: Ohh, you're Tarnished? Merchant: Your armor confused me.
Merchant: Well... I suggest you give up. Merchant: I've never seen Leyndell fall.
Corhyn: ...I doubt it too, but...
The Tarnished stare down the ruins of the Greatbridge, observing how the masonry of the bridge collapses in portions. They can also see the "strange" creatures the Merchant talked about: the Wormfaces, giant, thin creatures with tendrils for mouths. Meilyr is wearing the Greathelm and Tree Surcoat.
Corhyn: I'm coming to understand how little I understand. But...
Corhyn: The path ahead might be perilous, but... Corhyn: Tread it, I shall. Corhyn: Whatever shall we do, though?
The Prophet raises his hand; on one of his fingers is the ring Melina gave him.
Light shines onto the ring. Passing through the ring, the light reveals the shadow of a horse with two horns.
Torrent, everyone's favorite horse, comes up, neighing. Corhyn and Meilyr, of course, are astonished.
Corhyn: Wha... Corhyn: Do my eyes deceive me?
Corhyn, to the Prophet: Is this yours?
The Prophet, just as surprised as he is, tries to answer, but is unable to say anything. Prophet: ...
Corhyn: That's fine! I don't need to know. Corhyn: Sturdy horse, isn't he.
Corhyn: Are you suggesting... The Prophet nods.
Corhyn: Perfect! Corhyn gets on Torrent. Corhyn: Alright, take me down.
Meilyr: What about me? Corhyn: We'll come back for you!
Meilyr: You're not leaving me here! Corhyn: You're in no rush to get anywhere, man!
The Prophet looks toward Melina. Melina: I think he'll be fine.
The Prophet gestures for Meilyr to also sit on Torrent.
The Prophet also gets on Torrent. Obviously, three people on a horse is going to be crowded.
Torrent, surprising for his size, charges forward to the edge of the bridge.
Torrent jumps, bounding over the edge of the bridge.
Torrent lands on the crumbling bridge, without any pain or discomfort on his part.
Torrent continues racing through the collapsed bridge.
Corhyn: A-amazing! What an incredible horse!
Meilyr: I know! I wonder how he tastes! Corhyn: How can you say that?!
Torrent jumps again.
He lands on the forest floor.
Stalking the forest floor are the tall Wormfaces, who sight them.
The Wormfaces vomit grey-black liquid at them, with worms (or flowers?) at them.
The Tarnished speed by them; they chase after them.
The Tarnished encounter a cliff. Corhyn: Dead-end!
The Tarnished turn right; they enter an arch of the collapsed bridge, and are covered in shadow.
Leaving the shadow of the bridge, they see a group of Wormfaces cornering them.
Corhyn and the Prophet throws Discuses of Light at them. The discuses seem to weaken when they touch their flesh.
Corhyn: They are odd... Corhyn: They are resistant to the laws of the Golden Order. Prophet: ...
A Wormface lunges forward, ready to vomit.
The Prophet's fist crackles with flame.
Casting Catch Flame, he sets the Wormface on fire.
The Wormfaces, seeing their kin set on fire, are fearful.
The Wormfaces flee. The Tarnished turn left, heading north to the Altus Plateau.
The Tarnished see, as they ascend from the forest floor, windmills and houses.
Meilyr: WAIT! STOP!
Torrent stops. Meilyr jumps off hurriedly. Corhyn: What... Corhyn: Meilyr! What is it?
Meilyr is dancing with the Dominula Dancers who, in their madness, twirl around the skulls and flesh of Tarnished.
The Prophet, Corhyn and Melina: ...
The Tarnished leave the Windmill Village and head west.
In the landscape around them, there are many more Windmill Villages.
Corhyn: Here it is! Turn! Torrent turns southward; the other end of the bridge is close by, with the proper statues of tutelary deities.
As Torrent bounds down the bridge, Corhyn jumps off and starts running on his own. Corhyn: I see him! I see him!
Corhyn continues running down the bridge. No one can see what he sees, though they can see a tiny dot in the distance.
Looming into view is a tall, gaunt - emaciated, even - figure, diminished beneath the Minor Erdtree.
The full reveal of Goldmask, right at the edge of the bridge. The Minor Erdtree is in the background, but now this is diminished by the true, radiant Erdtree. This is a little visual metaphor for Goldmask: the Minor Erdtree is false belief concerned only with the superficial aspects of religion, while the true Erdtree, though somewhat obscured by the Minor Erdtree, is gigantic and absolute. Goldmask has his finger pointed to the Erdtree, attempting to communicate with it.
Corhyn: Master! Master!
Goldmask: ! Goldmask is distracted from his calculations.
He and Corhyn embrace; Goldmask, in this exchange, is a little passive.
The Prophet and Meilyr get off Torrent; Torrent fades like light. Melina analyzes Goldmask. Melina: So this is the ever-brilliant Goldmask...
Melina: Hmm. He looks like a withered tree himself.
Goldmask, who is privy to many, many aspects of the Erdtree and the Golden Order many mortals are ignorant of, briefly glances at her.
He then turns away. Melina: ...
Goldmask gently brushes Corhyn away.
He returns to his calculations, "reasoning" with the Erdtree with his finger.
Corhyn bows. Corhyn: I don't know what overcame me! Corhyn: I apologize for impeding your calculations.
Meilyr: This is who you're looking for? Meilyr: I expected a giant, and he ate only cake. Meilyr has in mind someone looking like Giantdad, who kinda has a golden mask. Corhyn: A giant in knowledge only, my friend.
Meilyr: And what does he know? Corhyn: He was the one who unified all thought concerning the Erdtree into two phenomenon: Corhyn: the Law of Regression, and the Law of Causality.
Corhyn: Let me tell you about them - Meilyr: I'll pass.
The Prophet looks at Goldmask, not with a little disappointment. Clearly, Goldmask is not the muse he was hoping for.
Melina: Regression and Causality. Hmm.
Corhyn: Causality - Corhyn: all actions have an ultimate end. Corhyn: Regression - Corhyn: all of nature tends to an orderly state.
Corhyn: Without causality, all is unchanging. Corhyn: Without regression, all change tends to chaos.
Meilyr: ...Is that it? Meilyr: That describes nothing.
Corhyn: I pity you. You're unable to observe the beauty of the Golden Order. Meilyr: How do you know that's the Golden Order, though?
Corhyn: What? Meilyr: Is the Golden Order everything or only a part? Meilyr: You can't confuse the part for the whole thing.
Goldmask glances at him, meaningfully. He betrays how much he acknowledges Meilyr's feeling.
Corhyn: You don't know anything. You were born just yesterday. Corhyn: The Golden Order dictates nature.
Meilyr: So why isn't it called nature? Meilyr: Think with your own head. Is the Golden Order good, or is nature good? Meilyr: What in the world did Marika do?
Corhyn: You just don't understand. Corhyn: For example, birds don't wear clothes nor sow seeds, and yet they are warm from the cold and are fed.
Meilyr: But birds get cold. Meilyr: And I eat them.
Meilyr: Did Marika say birds must suffer my mouth-bites, and that my mouth-bites are good? Not from the perspective of the bird. Meilyr: Or is this consequence good, because the Order says so? Same as if I play with myself, yea?
Corhyn and Meilyr bicker. Melina: And so, the zealots fight. Melina: As is inevitable, on the topic of metaphysics.
Melina: But I take Corhyn's side. Melina: How can one disbelieve, if it leads one to think all life is cruel?
The Prophet is thinking.
Night comes. The Tarnished sleep; all but Goldmask. He and Melina are gazing at the Erdtree.
Goldmask suddenly stirs. Melina watches, bemused.
He crosses his arms in front of his face, tensing his right leg in the air.
He puts his arms out into a cross, and stomps with his right foot. This wakes everyone up.
Corhyn: Master? Goldmask looks at Corhyn meaningfully.
Corhyn: ...I understand. Meilyr: What? What does the skeleton want?
Corhyn: He has made up his mind. Corhyn: He wants to enter the capital.
Melina: Mmm. Impossible. Melina: End of the line it is.
Meilyr: Wonderful. I was thinking of going there myself. Meilyr: Never been to a big city before.
Corhyn, to the Prophet: What say you? The Prophet nods. Melina: ...
Melina: I forgot it's in the nature of the Tarnished to have no preserving instinct. Goldmask looks at her knowingly. Corhyn: Alright. The question now is, how.
They hear groaning down the road to Leyndell's northern gate. They see the Putrid Corpses walking down. Meilyr: Who are these fellows? Meilyr: Taking a brisk walk in the dead of night?
Corhyn: Those are Tarnished, without the will to live. Corhyn: But then, what animates them now? Goldmask is behind Corhyn.
Though this is hard to see because of his mask, Goldmask has an expression of fear.
The ground trembles around the Tarnished. Meilyr: Um.
From the Greatbridge the Tarnished can see Mt. Gelmir, enshrouded in mist, erupting; because they are so far from the mountain, it seems surreal to see the God-Devouring Serpent emerging from the mountain and the mist, surveying all around it.
The God-Devouring Serpent, looming gigantic over Volcano Manor. The decadence of the manor contrasts with the sheer physical brutality of the serpent. Falling from the serpent are an innumerable number of Tarnished the Serpent has sucked runes and grace from, over however many eons; as the Serpent is not strong enough to defy the laws of nature yet, these Tarnished cannot die, and the Serpent does not want them to.
From the Volcano Manor, the serpent sees, in the far distance, the Erdtree, massive and shining. The beauty of the Erdtree contrasts entirely with its crude ugliness.
To be clear, I have no idea how snakes move. The God-Devouring Serpent, sighting its prey, gingerly "steps" over the Volcano Manor walls and enters Mt. Gelmir proper. As the Serpent moves, corpses fall from its scarred, bloated flesh.
The Serpent passes by the Frenzied Troll at the doorstep. As can be clearly seen, there are innumerable stakes, standing tall into the sky, where Tarnished and Trolls alike hang, nailed by their feet. Some still even squirm, to this day.
The Serpent continues outward from the Manor, where Fingercreepers crawl. The Serpent enters the area below Volcano Manor (the Carians seem to really like to build castles over cliffs). This is made clear to the reader: there are just endless bodies on Mt. Gelmir, hills, fields of corpses. This is a cursed site.
The Serpent enters the holocaust around the Minor Erdtree here, which tree was destroyed and devoured by the Serpent ages ago. The trunk of the tree, in its death, decays into moss and fungi.
The Serpent "steps" over the ruins of the bridge that had once connected Volcano Manor to the rest of Altus. It enters the ruins of a village that once lived on the base of the volcano.
The Serpent passes through a number of camps set up at the base of the volcano, to both invade and fortify against Volcano Manor, and their dead, as well.
The Serpent crosses the Bridge of Iniquity, entering Altus finally.
The Serpent passes by Writheblood Ruins, startling many Leyndell patrols on the way.
The Serpent thunders underneath the Greatbridge Goldmask is standing on; the Tarnished are besides themselves with fear.
The Serpent passes by the same windmills the Tarnished had passed by, in the beginning of the chapter.
In the distance is the northern gate of Leyndell. The knights of Leyndell, who are known to be as indomitable as the Ancient Dragons of the past, panic, and dive away from the Serpent.
The Serpent smashes the sides of the gate, entering the battlefield. Knights and Tarnished alike enter the Serpent's mouths, to be ingested eternally in the Serpent's bowels. Gareth, Rhys, Reane etc notably jump away.
Reane: Oh my...
Morgott: Hell.
Boggart: Marika's tits.
The knights and Tarnished, bewildered, hack at the Serpent's sides.
The Serpent devours them all equally.
Morgott: Halt! Put down your arms! Morgott: Be still! You can't wound a force of nature!
Above the Serpent's head, shining immense, beautiful and healthy, is the Erdtree, like a giant treat. The Serpent salivers.
The Serpent leaps. The gate which it had passed through is smashed by its violent motion, falling onto the Serpent's scales.
The Serpent's body becomes taut. The walls of the Volcano Manor shatter from the sudden motion, spilling lava down Mt. Gelmir's side.
The Bridge of Iniquity shakes wildly, from the winds caused by the Serpent's jerk.
The Greatbridge under Goldmask's feet shatters, from the Serpent's jolt.
The Serpent flies toward the Erdtree.
The Serpent sinks its fangs into the Erdtree, taking a deep bite of its bark and sap. Bark falls down, tumbling through the air from the impact.
Leyndell Soldier: It's...feeding off of the Erdtree! Leyndell Soldier: It's eating the Erdtree!
The Erdtree seems to dim, its lights dying from the slightest suggestion of harm.
Then, suddenly, the Erdtree brightens violently, shining like a sun.
The Serpent is scorched by the rays of the Erdtree; its flesh is seared and burned, causing scars all over its flesh where more corpses fall out.
Though the Serpent retracts, folding over its own body, the Erdtree continues to burn it, viciously beating down this usurper. The Serpent falls and crumbles on the walls of Leyndell, destroying them.
Leyndell Soldier: Oh Erdtree! The knights and Tarnished alike kneel, at the splendor of the Erdtree's defense.
The Serpent pulls itself back, still scorched and pained by the Erdtree's rays.
The Serpent retreats behind the gate, blocking passage through the gate with rubble.
The armies are in awe, watching the destruction the Serpent had wrought. Because it happened so quickly and on such a scale, everyone thinks they are dreaming.
Around the battlefield, they see corpses have fallen from the Serpent's scars. These former Tarnished are too weak to even moan, so much of their strength has been taken by the Serpent.
The armies take up their arms, intending to defeat them.
Morgott pushes a knight away, before they can put their sword into the corpse. Morgott: No!
The corpse bites into Morgott's shoulder. (Morgott is gigantic, so I'm not sure how this is going to work, but, for the time being, whatever.) Morgott: Urgh!
Knight: My lord! Morgott: I'm fine!
Morgott presses the corpse closer to him. Morgott: How long has it been?! Morgott: Eh, fellow?
Morgott: How long has the Serpent gnawed on your flesh? Morgott: How many centuries have you spent, in the darkness of the serpent's belly? Morgott: How long have you lived without hope?
Morgott: I congratulate you for persisting in so long. Morgott: Partake of my body, my brother in flesh.
Morgott, to the armies: Do you see? Morgott: These are Tarnished, like you.
Morgott: Do you see, Tarnished? Morgott: How far the lands have fallen from grace. Morgott: How many enemies the Erdtree has. Morgott: How much blasphemy haunts these lands.
Morgott: Everything given me, Morgott: has come from the Erdtree.
Morgott: I therefore forgive you Tarnished for all your transgressions.
Morgott: Join the ranks of Leyndell, as the last bastion of hope in the Lands Between, Morgott: and exhort your weaker brethren to live under the protective boughs of the Erdtree.
The knights and Tarnished all bow to Morgott. Knights: My lord.
The Tarnished, to their best of their ability, gather the corpses safely and peacefully. Godfrey is seen kneeling, halfheartedly.
A knight takes the corpse that had bitten Morgott away. Morgott covers the wound with his hand. Another Knight: Sir. Another Knight: Please let me dress your wound. He puts his hand on Morgott's hand.
Morgott violently jerks away. He does not want the knight to see even an inch of his true appearance. Morgott: No!
Morgott: ...I will trust on the Erdtree to heal me. Morgott: But, thank ye.
Morgott, to all: I grant amnesty to all. Morgott: You may join Leyndell, or return to your camps. Morgott: However, I still do not extend this olive branch to the shardbearers. Morgott: That is all. I go now.
The light leaves from Morgott's body; the Erdtree shines. Morgott's "fate" is returning to the throne room, leaving the servant whose "fate" he overrode behind.
Servant: ...What happened?
The Leyndell Knights form a long line before the staircase to Leyndell. Behind them soldiers are returning to Leyndell, as well as the corpses that fell from the God-Devouring Serpent. Godfrey watches them. Knight: Tarnished! Knight: As my lord said, you are free to join Leyndell. Knight: If you pass this line, you are hereby sworn to Leyndell, and must pledge allegiance to the Erdtree. Knight: Otherwise, you are free to return to the Altus Plateau.
Knight: Be warned, however: Knight: it is on Lord Morgott's decree whether we hunt you out of the plateau or not.
Tarnished: ...
Tarnished walk through the line. Tarnished: I pledge myself. Tarnished 2: I, too.
The Knight eyes the Banished Knights down. Knight: I know you fellows... Knight: Don't think for a second that today is your day.
Banished Knight: ... The Banished Knights leave, the lust for battle gone or persuaded by the Erdtree. Banished Knight: Feh.
A Corpse stands, woozy. Tarnished and knights alike stand around them, not sure what their frame of mind is.
Corpse: I...was a vassal of Lord Rykard. Corpse: He devoured me like all the rest, and I sat in his belly for millennia.
Corpse: And yet, I held on. Corpse: Because of my hatred for the Erdtree. Corpse: I'd rather live in a serpent's bowels than suffer this hypocritical tree.
Corpse: A curse on ye Leyndell cowards, and a pox on thy blasphemous Erdtree.
The Leyndell Knights run the corpse down, plunging their weapons into the corpse.
The knights retract their weapons; the corpse falls down.
It lies slumped on the ground.
And yet, because the Erdtree does not grant it death, its finger still moves.
Knight: So it is, for curs. Knight: Alright, who's next? Offer is coming to its close.
Godfrey: I swear myself! Knight: You?
The knight gives Godfrey a handshake. Knight: I saw you fight. Knight: I welcome you, proud warrior.
Godfrey ascends with the knight. He sees something in the corner of his eye. Voice, offscreen: 'scuse us, 'scuse us.
Meilyr, the Prophet, Corhyn and Goldmask pass through. Meilyr: Regular ol' soldiers, we are. Meilyr: Regular ol' Tarnished, we're bringing.
Knight: These beggars, are warriors?... Another Knight: Look at him. He has the mien of a sinner against the Erdtree.
Godfrey: Corhyn! It's good to see you! Godfrey gives Corhyn a hug.
Godfrey, looking at Meilyr and the Prophet, who are disguised: Who are these devils you're walking around with?
Meilyr: Devils? Meilyr: Sir - The Prophet smacks Meilyr on the side, acknowledging Godfrey's ruse.
Meilyr is wrestling the Prophet. Meilyr: What are you doing?! Corhyn looks to them in concern. Corhyn: Gottfried, it's good to see you.
Corhyn: You're joining Leyndell?...
Godfrey winks. Corhyn: I see.
Godfrey: And you? Corhyn: My master wants to enter the city walls, for his studies. Corhyn presents Goldmask to Godfrey.
Godfrey: I believe I know you. The ever-brilliant Goldmask. Godfrey: It's my honor to meet you. Godfrey shakes hands with Goldmask; or rather, Godfrey is shaking Goldmask's hand.
Goldmask lets his hand fall. Godfrey: ...
Corhyn: Forgive him. That's how he is. Godfrey: Egghead types, huh...
The knights and the Tarnished march through the immense graveyard before Leyndell. Honestly, thinking about it for a while, I don't know what this graveyard is doing here. It seems that the dead would be buried in the Erdtree's roots. Unless these are the dead who refuse to die and be passed into the Erdtree, considering the Those Who Live in Death here. For the fluidity of the story, I will not explore this latter route (which seems more plausible).
The knights enter the plains before the official entry into Leyndell. Knight: Are the golems deactivated? Another Knight: Aye. The golems, gigantic in the distance, are seen deactivated.
The knights see the gates where the Tarnished, in the game, usually fight the Draconic Tree Sentinel. There, of course, is no Sentinel to be seen.
Godfrey passes through the gate. He notices something above.
On the walls of Leyndell he can see, tiny in the distance, the Draconic Tree Sentinel retreating.
This and the rest of the page are scenes of the Tarnished walking through the walls of Leyndell. I don't really want to go into detail of every single corridor, considering there's not much distinct in each one, except for the body laid on the altar right before the view of Leyndell.
Walking.
More walking.
The view of the Erdtree and the Queen's bedchamber, before the destroyed wall.
The line proceeds through another corridor.
The proper view of Leyndell, with the homes of Leyndell below and the corpse of the gigantic Ancient Dragon Gransax above, a (real or ornamental) spear piercing through him. I guess they couldn't move his corpse out. In the distance one can see the Queen's Bedchamber, the Erdtree Sanctuary, and the parapets of Leyndell.
Corhyn: Amazing... The historic land of the gods! Corhyn: That's the body of Gransax!
Corhyn: And the spears that slew him! Godfrey: Well... I don't think those are the very ones...
Corhyn: Huh? Godfrey and Goldmask walk by him.
Melina looks toward the Queen's Bedchamber.
Melina, to the Prophet: My utmost thanks. Melina: Here, I can govern my own movement.
Melina: I shall leave Torrent here with you. Melina: I wish you luck in realizing your ambition. Farewell.
Melina, as a spirit, walks into the air, a flickering light entering the night sky.
The Prophet watches after her.
The Tarnished continue along the parapet, passing by the Oracle Envoys hailing the future Messiah.
The Tarnished continue along various buildings and hallways through Leyndell (man, I really don't like Leyndell; largely featureless capital). What is notable here, is that many, many Tarnished are camped on the edges of the building.
The knights and the Tarnished arrive at the Avenue leading to the Roundtable Hold and the Forbidden Lands; the line stops. Homeless Tarnished line the Avenue up and down. Knight: Halt.
Knight: I now formally welcome ye into Leyndell. Knight: Now that you have a pledge with the Erdtree, you must keep that pledge until death, Knight: with only Lord Morgott, the Grace-Given, able to annul.
Knight: I shall now show you your quarters. The Knight holds up two bricks.
The Knight points to the Tarnished lying on the sides of the avenue. Knight: These two stones are the entire breadth of your quarters. Knight: Choose any five feet in the city; rest the stones from head to foot.
Tarnished: ...But the vast majority of us are more than five feet. Knight: Then, tuck your legs in, as these fellows are doing.
Godfrey: There are no houses in Leyndell? Knight: Man, the Lands Between has all the dead of the worlds, and Leyndell the only safe haven.
Knight: However, if you demonstrate good service, your quarters may be improved.
Godfrey: It seems like we are cannon fodder. Knight: Frankly? Yes.
Knight: This city is thousands of years old. Knight: The Tarnished live as long as flies in comparison.
Knight: But if the Erdtree blesses you with a happy life - well.
Meilyr: Do we get anything to eat? Knight: None.
Meilyr: What. Knight: You are at the foot of the Erdtree. Knight: Don't you feel yourself nourished, at the sight of it?
Knight: Aren't you familiar with all this?... Meilyr: I'm outraged every time I hear it!
Godfrey: Are we allowed to move around the capital? Knight: Sure. Go anywhere you like.
Knight: Anywhere that the Erdtree has not put its roots around.
Godfrey: ...And who will enforce that? Knight: Of course, we knights, who have pledged to Morgott as individuals.
Knight: Let me make this clear: Knight: We've been given every right to slay you.
Knight: Marika speaks to Morgott, therefore Morgott speaks for the Erdtree.
Knight: Besides, in this land of ghosts, what is one more death? The knight leaves.
Godfrey: ...Hum. Godfrey: That's exactly where I want to go.
Corhyn: Where are you intending? Godfrey: The throne room.
Corhyn: ! Corhyn: The very foot of the Erdtree? Godfrey: Aye.
Corhyn: Isn't that where Morgott is? Corhyn: What business do you have with him? Godfrey: What business do I have with anyone?
Godfrey: I want to give that monarch a talking to. Godfrey: What kind of a mausoleum is this?
Corhyn: Hmm. And my master Goldmask wants to go to the Colosseum, which is past the Erdtree's roots.
Godfrey: Perfect. We'll go together. Corhyn: But how?
Godfrey: I say we fly like the wind. Corhyn: I'm sorry, I'm not very fast... The Prophet brushes Corhyn.
Corhyn: Oh. Corhyn: Alright then. Corhyn: Where's Meilyr?
Meilyr is fighting another homeless Tarnished on the ground. He is throwing his bricks on the Tarnished. Meilyr: You call this five feet?! Meilyr: You could fit an entire stable between these rocks!
Dawn falls upon Leyndell.
Godfrey: It's dawn. Godfrey: Most of the knights will have fallen asleep. Godfrey gestures to the Prophet.
The Prophet brings his ring up; Torrent is summoned.
The Prophet, Corhyn and Goldmask get on Torrent; Godfrey and Meilyr begin sprinting.
Godfrey and Meilyr descend the staircase leading away from the avenue. Knight: Hey!
The pair enter the row of houses, sealed in corpse wax, overshadowed by the corpse of Gransax.
The infamous three knights below the Avenue Balcony ready themselves, wielding their greatbows. Knight: Tarnished! Halt!
Torrent, who had been leaping on the roofs, falls on the knight. The other two knights fire.
Meilyr and Godfrey duck beneath the arrows.
Godfrey clothelines the two knights.
Torrent, Godfrey and Meilyr ascend Gransax.
The Tarnished leap over the ridges of the wing as arrows are slung against them.
The Tarnished round the height of the corpse, where Gransax has destroyed a major part of the masonry; this is the part of the ascent where the sun is blocked and it gets quite dark.
The Tarnished jump from the height of the wing and land on the crumbled floor.
The Tarnished ascend the following staircase, where at the top a knight is resting. Knight: Hmm?
The Tarnished pass through the corridor; one can see the roots of the Erdtree before them. (Man I really don't like Leyndell, the architecture does not have a logical progression.) Knights are chasing after them, but not many (I don't think there's normal access to this area.)
Corhyn: The Colosseum is up ahead, beyond that root of the Erdtree! To the left, one can see a sprouting Minor Erdtree.
Above the root, one can see the feet of a giant warrior.
The warrior jumps.
The warrior obscures the light of the rising sun.
The Valiant Gargoyle, a gigantic warrior made from the bodies of powerful Tarnished and given the wings of an Ancient Dragon (which wings I think don't work at all, now that I think about it), lands before the Tarnished.
Godfrey: Well. Godfrey: I'm surprised we came this far.
The knights crowd at the edge of the balcony, intimidated by the Valiant Gargoyle. Knights: Give it breadth! Let it handle the Tarnished.
The Gargoyle, easily twice Godfrey's height, swipes at him with his sword. Godfrey steps backwards.
Corhyn and the Prophet throw Discuses of Light at the Gargoyle, to no effect.
The Gargoyle, hands on the blade and hilt, slams its sword against Corhyn and the Prophet; Torrent flees.
Meilyr looks at his Club. Meilyr: ...Hmm. Meilyr: I'm not much help here.
Godfrey brings his Greataxe against the Gargoyle's leg; it does not sink in at all.
Godfrey: What is this monster made out of?
The Gargoyle pulls out the halberd resting on its wings.
The Gargoyle swings the halberd around in the air.
Godfrey: Run!
The Tarnished run back; the knights are blocking them.
The Tarnished leap over the shields of the few knights there. Knight: Hey!
The Gargoyle twirls and twirls.
In a furious dance it spins around violently, its halberd creating a tornado. The Gargoyle's powerful movements cuts everything around it, including the knights and their shields.
The bodies of the knights fall before the Tarnished's eyes.
Corhyn: What a powerful enemy... Corhyn: Of course the Erdtree would have its defenders.
Corhyn: But...why would the Erdtree deny audience from its faithfuls? Corhyn: Are we supposed to be in despair forever?
Goldmask looks upon Corhyn in his despair.
Goldmask gets off Torrent. Corhyn: Master?
Goldmask pushes forward. Meilyr is pulling a Treespear from a nearby statue. Meilyr: Where's the stick going? To be honest, I thought there would be warrior statues all over Leyndell, and I thought now would be a good time for Meilyr to get the Treespear. There isn't much of an armory in Leyndell on the path to the Erdtree Sanctuary too. The Treespear says it's used by palace guards so maybe Meilyr pulled it from the dead knights, but, in-game, no enemy actually uses this weapon, so I don't know. Please accept this story convenience and my apologies for not adhering all too close to the actual game layout.
Godfrey follows Goldmask. The Valiant Gargoyle charges at Goldmask with its halberd pointed to the ground.
Goldmask puts his arms at a diagonal, his right fist above his head, his left fist by his waist.
Goldmask then switches their positions, right fist low, left fist high. His movement resembles the motion of a clock.
Gold surrounds the Valiant Gargoyle, whose blade is near touching Goldmask.
Gold glimmers on the Gargoyle's feet.
Somehow, as if by magic, time reverses and the Gargoyle's feet are dragged back to their original position.
Corhyn: The Law of Regression.
The Gargoyle, unfazed, leaps into the air, bringing the blade of the halberd down upon Goldmask.
Goldmask performs the same gesture.
The blade of the halberd misses, wedged into the masonry.
The Gargoyle can't pull his halberd up.
Corhyn: The Law of Causality.
Godfrey jumps on the halberd, climbing it.
Godfrey smashes the Gargoyle's head down with his axe. Goldmask performs the Law of Causality again.
The Gargoyle's head splits in half, as a result of the accumulation of decay over the years. Luckily, the Gargoyle has two patchwork heads.
The Gargoyle kneels, recollecting its sense. Meilyr charges forward with the Treespear.
Meilyr: Hahhh!
Meilyr overshoots, the spear lighter than he realized; he thrusts himself beyond the Gargoyle's foot.
Godfrey: Idiot!
The Gargoyle tries to grab Meilyr.
Goldmask performs the Law of Regression.
The Gargoyle is suspended in time. Meilyr: ?
The Gargoyle returns to his original position, kneeling on the ground.
Godfrey plants himself before the kneeling Gargoyle.
With one blow, he knocks the Gargoyle off its knee, forcing it to fall flat on the ground.
Godfrey and Meilyr back away; the Prophet performs Burn, O Flame!
Columns of fire consume the Gargoyle.
The corpse wax holding the Gargoyle together begins to melt.
Even in the fire, the Gargoyle tries to stand, though it is visibly melting.
In the distance it sees Goldmask, performing Law of Regression.
Goldmask finishes the gesture.
The Gargoyle is forced to relive time, prostrate on the eternally crackling flames.
The Gargoyle remains in that position, finally burning into ashes.
The wind sweeps the ashes away; what is left of the Gargoyle is a puddle of melted wax. The Tarnished watch.
Goldmask turns to Corhyn.
Goldmask raises his finger into the air.
He spells out a message. Narrator, in card: "Never despair." Narrator: "The Erdtree provides all things."
Corhyn: ...Master.
Godfrey, to Meilyr: You idiot. That spear does not have a typical distribution of weight. Godfrey: It's meant for skilled warriors, which you are not.
Godfrey: You can't just swing any weapon around. You'll get yourself killed! Meilyr: Oh come on now, I was fine. You were watching me!
Godfrey pinches Meilyr's wrists. Meilyr: Hey.
Godfrey, ever the consummate warrior, tries to guide Meilyr into the proper way to use the weapon. Godfrey: When you do this, the spear moves this way, you see - Meilyr: C'mon, man!
Godfrey and Meilyr bicker in the background. The Prophet stares at Goldmask, bemused.
The Prophet has a skeptical look on his face.
Meilyr puts his arm around Goldmask. Meilyr: How the heck did you do all that?
Corhyn: It's not something you'll easily understand, sir. Meilyr: That's not true! I have lots of brain!
Meilyr tries the gestures for Law of Causality and Law of Regression. Meilyr: It goes like this, and then like this... Corhyn, to Godfrey: Do you mind if you escort us to the Colosseum?
Godfrey: That depends: can your master escort me to the Sanctuary? Godfrey: I forgot, in olden days, the army of Leyndell was said to be unbeatable with the sorcerors of the Golden Order.
Corhyn: I see nothing disagreeable in that. Godfrey: Thank ye, Corhyn.
The Tarnished pass underneath the root of the Erdtree, piercing through the masonry of Leyndell.
The Tarnished ascend the hill leading to the Colosseum.
The Leyndell Colosseum, now abandoned. Corhyn: The Colosseum. Corhyn: Where warriors gathered to duel, in hopes that, surviving the pains of combat, they would emerge confident with the knowledge that the Erdtree favors them, and has in store for them a glorious fate.
Corhyn: ...Now, no longer inhabited, without the Erdtree's surety.
Goldmask steps on a rock.
He extends his finger out, calculating along with the Erdtree.
Goldmask's view. The Erdtree is gigantic in this view, where much more detail can be seen on the particular texture and grain of the tree. However, what is notable is that Goldmask also chose a view of the Erdtree Sanctuary and the Queen's Bedchamber. Corhyn thinks he is only analyzing the Erdtree itself, as if it were a symbol of the purity of the law; in fact, Goldmask is contemplating the relationship of the Erdtree to Leyndell and the gods, thereby questioning the Golden Order itself. This is pretty spoiler-y I guess but I don't know if there's anywhere else I can talk about Goldmask's intention here.
Godfrey and Meilyr stand watch over Goldmask and the resting company.
Day continues on. It appears no one, oddly, is pursuing them. Godfrey and Meilyr train.
Dusk comes. The Tarnished make camp, eating.
Night. The moon rises up. Goldmask's calculations end. Corhyn notices this.
Goldmask turns to Corhyn.
Corhyn: ...I see.
Meilyr: What is it? What does the stick mean? Corhyn: He wants to inspect a statue of Radagon.
Corhyn: There should be one near the sanctuary.
Godfrey, rising: Oh good. It's my turn.
Godfrey: I'm getting restless. Let's disembark now.
The Tarnished descend the Colosseum.
On the balcony where they had fought the Valiant Gargoyle, they climb up the root of the Erdtree.
They see the huddled Guardians of the Erdtree. Their posture makes them look like miniature trees.
Meilyr, observing them: Queer fellows. Meilyr: Why don't they move?
Corhyn: Maybe they're compelled only by sunlight?
Meilyr: Right, but isn't the Erdtree's light sufficient? Corhyn: I don't know.
Goldmask looks upon them; he has a glimmer of what is going on. (I'm going to guess that the Erdtree has allowed both Godfrey and Goldmask "audience", in a sense: Godfrey to stand at the base of the Erdtree again, and Goldmask to enter upon the sanctuary of the gods. Of course, Goldmask doesn't know in an absolute sense, but the wishy-washy nature of grace leads him to that conclusion.)
The Tarnished continue ascending, the Erdtree bright in the distance.
The entrance to the Sanctuary.
The Tarnished enter the Sanctuary. Meilyr: And now, why is this completely unguarded?
Godfrey: People have to sleep some time, I guess. Godfrey: How am I going to get up, to the throne room?...
Gold flows in the corner of Godfrey's eye. Godfrey: Oh.
The Erdtree weaves a golden dream of Godfrey, the First Elden Lord in full battle armor.