Continuing from the last chapter, the Tarnished encounter a golden dream of the First Elden Lord, Godfrey. For anyone jumping into this literally out of nowhere, the real Godfrey is also here. Luckily, no one will be confused because dreams don't, you know, talk. Corhyn: That's... Godfrey: Heh heh heh.
Meilyr: A worthy warrior! Meilyr: Let us duel! Meilyr charges forward. Corhyn: Meilyr, wait!
Meilyr thrusts his spear forward, correctly this time, as a result of his training by Godfrey.
The golden shade receives the blow, and looks downward at Meilyr.
The golden shade performs its - in my eyes - famous combo that roll-catches Tarnished: a series of flashy overhead diagonal swipes followed by a wide lateral 180 degree sweep. Meilyr, of course, rolls around. Meilyr: Woah!
And then the finisher: the golden shade's dramatic overhead swing that literally shakes the ground. Meilyr, of course, dodges it. Meilyr: Ah!
Meilyr is resting on the ground. Meilyr: I... I need to catch my breath. Godfrey brushes past him. Godfrey: You did well. Godfrey: As well as you could, anyway.
Godfrey approaches the Golden Shade.
Godfrey: Hmm. Big fellow, aren't you? Godfrey: Strong. Godfrey: Nice armor. Godfrey: And nice hair.
The Golden Shade raises its axe against Godfrey.
Godfrey, proud idiot he is, allows the axe-head sink into his shoulder - it goes in deeply. The force of the blow makes Godfrey sink into the ground. The Tarnished around him are shocked.
Godfrey raises his axe above his head. Godfrey: My turn.
Godfrey slams his axe onto the Golden Shade, dispelling it entirely.
Godfrey's axe has made a large crater in the center of the Sanctuary. The Golden Shade does not return, dissipating into the wind.
Corhyn: ...Gottfried. Corhyn: That was incredible. Corhyn: Well, I suppose it was only a dream, and not the true Elden Lord.
Godfrey does not move. Perhaps he really did allow his emotions to get to him. Corhyn: ...Gottfried? Corhyn: That wound! It's gigantic.
Godfrey smiles. Godfrey: I suppose it is. Godfrey: ...Ow.
Godfrey sits down, allowing Corhyn to dress the wound. Godfrey: Ugh... Godfrey: I may have gotten too excited...
The Prophet and Goldmask examines the boundaries of the Sanctuary.
Goldmask sees the dead Finger Readers, scattered around the balcony. The Prophet is startled.
He notes this carefully.
Melina's feet. Melina: Curious, isn't it?
Melina returns. Melina: Why the Grace-Given would allow the Finger Readers to be slain, the voices of the Greater Will?
Melina, to the Prophet: Hello again, old friend. Melina: I've finished my business here. Melina: I would like to accompany you once more, if I may. There are things I want to learn.
The Prophet nods. Goldmask stares at her.
Goldmask speaks; he does not speak vocally, but he speaks in the "language", or the calculus, of the Golden Order. Goldmask, in card: Spirit, tell me, if I'm worthy to know: Goldmask: what did you discover, at the base of the Erdtree?
Corhyn sees the Prophet and Goldmask hovering over nothing. Corhyn: ?
Melina speaks in the same "language". Melina, in card: You're not one to shy away from knowledge. Melina: But what I tell you may drive you to despair.
Melina: The Erdtree spurs all who would enter it. Melina: A mantle of barbs admits no audience.
Melina: So long as the Erdtree spurns all without, Melina: no one will be able to repair the Elden Ring.
Goldmask: ... Goldmask: So I gleamed. Long ago.
Goldmask: But that does not mean it will remain closed forever? Goldmask: It may be waiting for a chosen one.
Melina: Mayhaps.
Goldmask: ... Goldmask returns to his thoughts, attempting to recontextualize this information with what he knows so far.
Melina: ... Melina is also in doubt. Goldmask is not necessarily wrong, but she's also not being entirely truthful with him.
Godfrey approaches them. Of note, Godfrey does not see Melina, at least not now; he's a raw man, sure, but he's not attuned to ephemeral things like spirits and the Golden Order and whatnot. Godfrey: Alright. Godfrey: I'm going to climb that root up, now.
Godfrey: It's odd that Monarch is so little attended, but... Godfrey: seeing these bodies, he probably has something to cover up.
Corhyn, to Goldmask: Master, I believe the icons are below the sanctuary.
Goldmask nods. Melina hovers in the background.
Corhyn: Will you help us escape, Gottfried? Godfrey: For sure, man. I myself don't want to stay in this tomb of a city any longer.
As the Tarnished and Godfrey momentarily part ways, Melina approaches Goldmask. Melina: One more.
Melina: In the words of Marika: Melina: "O Radagon, leal hound of the Golden Order. Melina: "Thou'rt yet to become me. Thou'rt yet to become a god. Melina: "Let us be shattered, both. Mine other self."
The implications of this horrify Goldmask utterly. His mind works overtime to make sense of this.
Corhyn: ...Master?
Goldmask moves confidently forward.
The Prophet, in the corner of his eye, sees human-sized armor of the Tree Sentinel in the corner. Yes this makes no sense as every Tree Sentinel we see is gigantic, but roll with it.
Entranced by gold, he touches the armor.
Meilyr: Hmm? The Prophet tries to put the armor on.
Meilyr: I love how it glitters, but man, that must be too heavy. Melina: ... The Prophet tries to put the chest armor on.
Melina: ...I see. Melina: A fanatic of the Erdtree, through and through.
Melina, thinking: This is madness. Sheer madness. Melina: Oh Erdtree, see how your acolytes adore you. How do you shut them out?!
Melina: Do you intend them to accept this twisted love?! Melina: What a tragedy, to be born to a cruel mother!
The Tarnished descend from the Erdtree Sanctuary, with the Prophet notably wear the Tree Sentinel armor. (He doesn't really know how to wear it yet, so it goes clank, clank, clank.)
The Tarnished take the magic elevator down the sanctuary; no need for complicated manually-operated lifts as in the Ruin-Strewn Precipice.
The courtyard, now in ruins. Now, let's be clear: in the game, there's like three statues, one of Radagon and two unknown, which may depict real or fictional people. Imagine, in this telling, the courtyard is full of broken statues, with Radagon's being the only intact one. The idea here is that, once upon a time, there were quite a number of demigods worshipped in the Lands Between, but many have died or have defied the Golden Order specifically, not necessarily the Erdtree, and what I mean is the Golden Order from a political sense and not a legal sense. So you would have destroyed statues of Malenia and Radahn and what not. What is conspicuously absent, is a statue of Marika. Corhyn: Here, master. A statue of Radagon.
Meilyr: Who is this guy? Corhyn: Radagon is the second, and current, consort of Marika. Corhyn: I understand why you wouldn't know: there are not many icons of him.
Meilyr: What's a consort? Corhyn: The hand of Marika.
Meilyr: What does Marika need doing? Corhyn: ...
Goldmask is distraught. He can't focus on studying the statue, because of what Melina told him.
Corhyn: He ensures that all is golden under the Golden Order. Meilyr: Right, but why can't the goddess herself do it? Isn't she all-powerful?
Corhyn: Yes, but there are always blasphemers. Meilyr: Then smote them.
Meilyr: These two seem to sit on their asses and twiddle their thumbs all day - Corhyn: Stop it! Stop with your heresies! Melina: ...
Meilyr: Hold on. Do you see that? Meilyr: There's some cracks around the statue's chin.
Goldmask: ! Corhyn: Of course there'd be cracks, this has been around for who knows how long.
Meilyr: Well, hold on, man; what I mean is, this isn't the original form of this statue. Meilyr: See how the paint chips here? And if the arms were built this way, why are their fractures?
Meilyr: What, you expect your Golden Order to not change their minds? Corhyn: Just as it is always with you, you're always insistent on petty detail.
Meilyr: Well, we can find out. Meilyr: I think it goes like this... Meilyr is in the form of Law of Regression. Corhyn: What are you getting at -
Meilyr completes the gesture of Law of Regression.
Gold showers the area; a haze seems to overcome the statue of Radagon and the courtyard in general.
Statues are reformed.
The tiling of the floor is restored.
The statue of Radagon changes faces.
The final, restored courtyard. The demigods are returned to their full array, with a statue of Marika, instead of Radagon, towering and embracing all of her children, now deceased or gone. As a note, there would most certainly be no statue of Godfrey here.
Corhyn: Ah. Well, there you go. Corhyn: Your archaeology lesson is complete.
Goldmask falls to his knees. Corhyn: ...Master?
Tears fall down Goldmask's face.
Corhyn comforts Goldmask. Corhyn: Master! Corhyn: What's wrong?!
Meilyr: Well, that settles it. Meilyr: Whoever this Radagon man was, he certainly tried to make everything about himself.
Corhyn: How can you say that?! You don't know anything! Meilyr: You can see it with your eyes! He destroyed these other statues, and put himself foremost before your goddess.
Meilyr: Proving your goddess is dead, has gone away, or has never existed.
Goldmask is going mad. With his encyclopedic knowledge of the Golden Order religion and history, he understands how the Golden Order is actually set up.
Corhyn: Meilyr: Corhyn: Shut up! Just shut up!
Meilyr: I just says it like it is - Corhyn violently stands up.
He is in the pose of the Discus of Light. Corhyn: Meilyr - if you don't stop, I will strike you down. Corhyn: As an adherent of the Golden Order.
Meilyr: ... Meilyr: I see.
The Prophet tries to put Corhyn's hand down.
Corhyn swats the Prophet away. Corhyn: Don't you dare defend him!
Corhyn: Aren't you a believer of the Erdtree?! Corhyn: Do you understand what blasphemies he's saying?!
Corhyn: If Marika's power is not absolute - Corhyn: If Marika is not supreme among gods - Corhyn: If the very premise of the goddess is flawed, and nothing compels us to order - Corhyn: That's tantamount to saying the world is evil!
Corhyn: How can anyone believe this?! Corhyn: It's suicidal!
Melina and Meilyr look at Corhyn in his rage. Meilyr actually looks remorseful.
The Prophet looks at Corhyn, disconsolate.
Corhyn, calming down: ... Corhyn: Sir, you're a good man, but... Corhyn: I want to journey through the Lands Between, to correct the Golden Order.
Corhyn: We must be misinterpreting the goddess. And, by extension, the Greater Will.
Corhyn: And if the Golden Order is disconnected from the Greater Will, then we must enforce the Greater Will's rule. Corhyn: Yes... Yes, that's how it must be.
Corhyn: If you don't wish that - if you won't exert all energy into it - then we must part ways. Corhyn: Our fates must be separate.
The Prophet is disconsolate. It's not so much he believes in Corhyn, but more that he saw a kindred soul in him.
Someone steps down onto the courtyard. Meilyr: Hmm?
The Crucible Knight descends the staircase to the courtyard.
The Crucible Knight raises their spear, Siluria's Tree, high in the air.
The Crucible Knight smashes the spear-head - really the spear is more like a mace with a pointy end - on the ground, missing Meilyr who has dodged backward.
Meilyr, following more of Godfrey's instructions, performs the heavy moveset of the Treespear: manipulating the weight of the spear, he thrusts twice into the Crucible Knight's armor, pushing the knight back and even piercing the armor (this is very unusual of our protagonists so far). The first thrust is with both hands, the second is one-armed.
Meilyr then brings the spear diagonally across his chest.
Meilyr slashes the Crucible Knight diagonally.
A final, one-armed thrust, punching through the Crucible Knight's armor, pushing the knight back.
The knight regains their footing; blood spills from the hole in the armor.
The knight stares down Meilyr.
Meilyr: ...I thought that would do more.
The Crucible Knight performs their famous opening thrust, that has intimidated many new Tarnished; Meilyr is kicked back a few feet, a very large wound in his stomach.
Meilyr groans, holding his wound.
The Crucible Knight raises their spear above Meilyr, ready to smash it down on him.
The Crucible Knight brings it down. It lands on flesh, making a sound.
In reality, the Crucible Knight has struck someone's very large, meaty hand.
Godfrey has stopped the Crucible Knight's spear from crushing Meilyr.
The Crucible Knight is shocked to see Godfrey.
Godfrey charges at the Knight and embraces them.
Godfrey has tears in his eyes. His tears fall on the Crucible Knight's helm.
The Crucible Knight receives Godfrey's tears.
The Crucible Knight dissolves into dust, having seen their lord for one last time.
The dust is carried into the wind.
Godfrey, as the dust flies from his hands: ...
Godfrey: The Monarch says he has diverted his soldiers from the entrance for a while. Godfrey: We should hurry.
Corhyn: It's good to see you, Gottfried. Corhyn: We would've been in trouble without you.
Corhyn: What technique was that? Godfrey: ...Bear-hug. Hold 'em real tight and crush their bones.
Corhyn: Ah. Meilyr and Goldmask know what has happened. Goldmask, in particular, questions whether Godfrey is an unknown demigod, given what has been found out recently.
Godfrey: Alright then. Let's go.
The Prophet, despite his gauntlets, is able to project Torrent.
Because of his inability to move in armor, he struggles to put himself on Torrent.
Torrent helps him get on. The horse doesn't seem to be too burdened by the Prophet's extra weight.
The Prophet looks behind him, gazing at Corhyn and Goldmask.
Corhyn: No thanks. I'll have to get used to going on my own.
Goldmask brushes past Corhyn.
Goldmask gets on Torrent.
Meilyr: Corhyn, unless you can keep abreast with Gottfried and I, you should get on the horse, for now.
Corhyn looks to Goldmask, who seems to chasten him with his gaze.
Corhyn sighs and gets on Torrent.
Higher up, the Tarnished cross over the banister.
They land on a golden roof.
They then fall again, and land on a second-story roof, also golden.
They land, finally, on a street. Two Leyndell Soldiers see them. Leyndell Soldier: Hey!
The Tarnished descend a staircase north. Leyndell Soldier: Those must be the Tarnished who entered the Erdtree's roots! The soldiers pursue the Tarnished.
The Tarnished jump over a banister to the east, landing in a courtyard where a page is playing the flute.
The Tarnished enter the building the courtyard is connected to. They are now on the route they entered Leyndell through.
They continue to ascend staircases.
A page thrusts his foil at the Tarnished, but Meilyr kicks him in the face.
The Tarnished enter the parapets where the Oracle Envoys are.
The Tarnished wind through the capital's walls.
The Tarnished finally see the exterior of the capital.
They leave the gate, where the Draconic Tree Sentinel usually is.
They race through the plains of Leyndell.
As they race through the battlefield where the Tarnished and Leyndell previously fought, they see Leyndell's soldiers and knights camped around, haphazardly. Sometimes figuring out the realistic goings-on of "Elden Ring" is a bit of a pain. If the conflict has been going on for centuries - and I'm inclined to think that given how 1. events are spoken of and misremembered and how 2. everyone has just given up on changing anything - I'd imagine that the walls of Leyndell are defended and not defended. Morgott posts people there but, just like in real life, people get lazy and just stop caring, particularly in this case where everyone has a "What's the point?" attitude. If Morgott wants something done, he has to intervene directly, waving out promises of the Erdtree (or he himself just gives up, as in the case of Godrick). So, anyway. There are people moving around the walls, given the recent battle here.
Soldier: What is that, in the distance?
A view of the Tarnished: Godfrey and Meilyr running, Torrent galloping. Godfrey and Meilyr look particularly tired and sweaty. Another Soldier: ...People running.
The soldier scratches his head. Recall that Meilyr is wearing the Leyndell Soldier's armor and the Prophet is wearing the Tree Sentinel armor. Another Soldier: They're wearing the armor of the Erdtree. Another Soldier: At least, some of them are.
The soldiers run up to the Tarnished, but give them a respectable distance. Soldier: Halt!
The Tarnished leap over the soldiers.
The soldiers give a halfhearted chase for the Tarnished; the Tarnished descend the grand staircase, leading to the southern gate (considering the northern gate, as we recall, was completely demolished by the God-Devouring Serpent).
The Tarnished finally pass through the southern gate. They startle a few knights.
The knights, who are more disciplined and rigid than the soldiers, fire arrows at the Tarnished. They, of course, wind through them, and Meilyr and Godfrey smash through them.
The Tarnished continue to descend, finally entering Altus Plateau.
Meilyr: Please... No more...running. Godfrey: A little...more...fellow...
The Tarnished enter the camps that had been drawn when the Storm's Defense of Leyndell began. Corhyn: No one has tore down these fortifications?
The Tarnished see our Tarnished. Tarnished: That's Gottfried! Tarnished: And Meilyr!
Meilyr falls on his face. Meilyr: I'm...done... Meilyr: I...won't...move...ever...again...
Godfrey: I... Godfrey: whoo... Godfrey: I'm getting old... used to march entire countries in a day...
The Tarnished all gather around Godfrey, hugging him, in spite how sweaty he was. Tarnished: Gottfried! We thought you joined the enemy! Tarnished 2: I never thought you were a traitor! Godfrey: Ho...hold on now, I'm wet!...
Godfrey: But... Aye, it's true... Godfrey: I wanted to see Leyndell, with mine own eyes. But only I determine my own movement.
The Banished Knights, who are also in the camp, are sitting around, looking rather gloomy. They respect Godfrey, but they don't see him as a proper lord, in comparison to the shardbearer - he just doesn't have the right to unite people under a banner. Godfrey: Where are Gareth and Rhys?
One can see Meilyr just eating everything the Tarnished give him. Tarnished: They...never returned. Tarnished: I don't know if they had died or not.
Tarnished: We got into skirmishes on the battlefield, but we returned to defend whatever's left of these camps. Godfrey: ...How many of you are left?
Tarnished: ...But a few dozen. Godfrey: Then that's the issue: there's no army to return to.
Tarnished: Yes. Tarnished: Kenneth fled, with the lift's medallion, and Leyndell is now securing the entrance to the mines. Tarnished: That's why I'm glad to see you:
Tarnished: Will you help lead us off of Altus?
Godfrey hangs his head down. Godfrey: ...I cannot.
Banished Knight, sneering: Figures.
Banished Knight: You fulfilled your wanderlust, and now you're off to cavort in places else leaving other men to die.
Banished Knight: We're alone. We're always alone. Banished Knight: Might as well accept it.
Godfrey, still ashamed: He's not wrong. Godfrey: I have people I want to speak to. Urgently.
Godfrey: I have only this to recommend: Godfrey: Leyndell will come to hunt you all. Godfrey: Run, and hide.
Godfrey: There's no purpose behind them hunting you. Godfrey: In fact, they've already demonstrated they can destroy you.
Godfrey: Which is precisely why they will do it again - Godfrey: to show the absoluteness of their power.
Tarnished, crying: But Gottfried... Tarnished: In a land of abominations?
Godfrey: Yes.
Goldmask looks on the Tarnished pitifully.
Godfrey: Now go, abandon camp, and hide in the furthest reaches of the realm. Godfrey: One day someone may come, and unite you all, in escaping, or fighting again.
Godfrey: I wish you all good fortune.
The Tarnished disperse, disconsolate. Godfrey: Meilyr. Corhyn. Goldmask Godfrey, to the Prophet: ...You sir. Godfrey: Thank you for accompanying me.
Godfrey: I'll bid you adieu. Godfrey: I see you as fellow warriors. We'll meet again. Godfrey waves them goodbye.
Corhyn: ... Corhyn: Does anyone have the sense, he is someone we should know?
Corhyn: I forgot to have asked him. Meilyr: Corhyn.
Meilyr: I say this with all my heart: I'm sorry. Meilyr: I did not realize how much ... your faith meant to you.
Meilyr: I tread all over it. 'Tis not right of me.
Meilyr: It would be akin to...say... Meilyr: if a man...stole a sweet from me...but it was mine... Corhyn: ...
Corhyn: Meilyr, I forgive you. Corhyn: You simply didn't know.
Meilyr: Then, I ask you: Meilyr: Will you teach me? To show that I'm sincere in my apology.
Corhyn smiles. Corhyn: Of course I will!
Corhyn, to Goldmask: Master, what do you intend to do now?
Goldmask writes in the air. Corhyn: Ah. You want to descend Altus?
Meilyr: Then I'll assist you.
Meilyr: Though...not sure how we're going to accomplish that. Corhyn notices something is off.
Corhyn: Where is...he?
The Prophet has ridden off alone. He has returned to the route that started this adventure with Goldmask; he is looking at Mt. Gelmir in the distance. Melina rides with him.
Meilyr, Corhyn and Goldmask rest in the remnants of the Tarnished's camp, a lot emptier after Godfrey's exhortation.
Meilyr dreams he is in the Roundtable Hold, right before the table of swords. He is naked, in comparison to his armored form. Why is that? I don't know, I prefer it this way. For now.
Meilyr is, understandably, confused.
Meilyr sees Gideon in the distance. Gideon really does not want to be seen.
Meilyr, to Gideon: Hey. You.
Meilyr: Is there any food here? Gideon: ...
Meilyr: Come on, this big house has to find food somewhere.
Gideon: Get away from me, you ... naked, stinking wretch! Meilyr: Language!
Meilyr: Aren't you a servant? You have a servant's look. Gideon: ...
Gideon is so put off by Meilyr's demeanor that he actually drops his guard. Gideon: ...I guess I am a servant, in some sense.
Gideon sighs. Gideon: Well. Gideon: Welcome, to the Roundtable Hold. Gideon: Where champions have gathered in the past, to mend the Elden Ring and restore the Lands Between.
Meilyr: Where - Gideon: This is a dream of warriors, to band together in their passions and ambitions.
Gideon: So, no food. Meilyr: Who doesn't dream of food?? Gideon: ...
Someone steps into frame. Voice, offscreen: It doesn't hurt to take that proposition seriously.
Goldmask enters frame. Goldmask: After all, why couldn't one dream of a favorite meal?
Gideon: You're... Meilyr: It's the stick!
Meilyr runs to Goldmask. Meilyr: Can you do it? Calculate food? Goldmask: Hmm.
Goldmask raises his finger into the air. Goldmask: I'm not one for solids, but I do miss tea...
Goldmask: I see it... This thread, and then this thread...
A cup of tea appears in Goldmask's hand. Goldmask: Ah. Perfect. Meilyr: Oh my goodness.
Meilyr raises his finger into the air. Meilyr: Okay, so this, and that... Goldmask: No, more like so, and so... Gideon watches in disbelief.
Meilyr conjures a whole roasted pig. Meilyr: I'm done. Meilyr: This is heaven. Gideon is so shocked by how crude Meilyr is, that he hasn't had time to realize how Meilyr accomplished something he had never thought of.
Goldmask: It should be noted, since this is a dream - Goldmask: - or, alternately, a fragment of reality, you will not get full from eating.
Meilyr devours the pig. Goldmask: But I surmise that bothers you little. Gideon: Sir. Gideon: Goldmask.
Gideon bows. Gideon: I welcome you, as the oldest Tarnished here, Gideon Ofnir, to the Roundtable Hold. Gideon: I know of your work. I am honored to meet someone like you.
Goldmask and Gideon shake hands. Goldmask: Pleased to meet you, sir. Gideon: Really, I am indebted to you. Without you, I would be blind to the workings of the Golden Order.
Meilyr: Why do you talk here, but not... Meilyr gestures wildly, not sure how to distinguish the Roundtable Hold from "reality". Goldmask: Well, this is a dream, isn't it? So, nothing matters.
Goldmask: But in truth, I made an ascetic's vow - Goldmask: to partake little in the flesh, until I've sorted out the Golden Order's mysteries.
Goldmask: Even the pleasure of words. Goldmask: In fact... I had been calculating when I...stumbled on my way here.
Goldmask: I wonder how that happened? Gideon: Fate. It was the work of fate, sir.
Goldmask: Hmm. So, someone's meaning collided with mine, and caused my entering here? Gideon: The Law of Causality? That makes sense.
Goldmask looks at Meilyr. Goldmask: Yes... That interpretation has a ring of truth in it.
Goldmask: But, hard to prove.
Goldmask, to Gideon: Sir, I would like to have a conversation with you someday, but is there a private room? Goldmask: I would like to speak to him.
Gideon: Him? Meilyr has eaten the whole pig and is gnawing on the bones.
Goldmask: We recently had a ... bracing adventure together, so it would be nice to exchange some words before I return to my vow.
Gideon sighs. Gideon: Well... Gideon: The cripple is on the balcony... Gideon: The smith hammers away in that wing... Gideon: Why not use my study?
Goldmask can see Gideon's scheming. Goldmask: Your study? I wouldn't want to deprive your use of what is yours.
Goldmask, to Meilyr: Come. I see a room past the smith. It may be empty. Goldmask: I should get acquainted to this place.
Goldmask and Meilyr walk out. Gideon watches over them.
Goldmask and Meilyr enter the room past Hewg and the staircase. He closes the door.
Goldmask: I want to make you my apprentice. Goldmask: I will teach you the language of the Greater Will.
Meilyr: Okay.
Goldmask: You said before that Marika has either never existed, died, or traveled away. Goldmask: There's nothing wrong in saying this. What's left is to show if it is true or not.
Goldmask: Is Marika a fiction, invented by some cult? Goldmask: Then why is the distribution of grace not systemic, and so peculiar and personal?
Goldmask: Furthermore, the narrative around Marika is extremely consistent. It does not have the tall tales attached to it as for, say, folkloric heroes and legends. Goldmask: It is likelier Marika exists.
Goldmask: Has Marika died? Goldmask: Possibly, but her iconography is still intact. In fact, it's dominant in the Lands Between.
Goldmask: If a new god replaced Marika, then why has he or she not made their presence known? Or established their own cult? Goldmask: This argument is also effective if Marika is disempowered.
Goldmask: Has Marika gone somewhere else? Is Radagon, or some other, her official representative? Goldmask: Then why has she not announced this?
Goldmask: Clearly, grace is still granted, so some god is distributing it. Goldmask: Therefore, someone is making use of Marika's authority.
Goldmask: Though we have sufficient doubts, that does not mean we can exclude any of these possibilities, without evidence. Goldmask: However, one theory has not been considered:
Goldmask: Radagon is Marika.
Goldmask: All gods have varying aspects. Goldmask: It is not unusual for particularly destructive gods to also have an aspect of care-giving.
Goldmask: In the same vein we mortals are nuanced, gods also wear different faces. Goldmask: But I am not suggesting Radagon is an aspect of Marika.
Goldmask: Radagon, in the mythos, has a clear distinct chronology from Marika's. Goldmask: No, Radagon is, in some sense, a part of Marika.
Goldmask: Does this mean Radagon is a servant to Marika, that he is a part of her whole? Goldmask: Or are both Radagon and Marika parts of that which is called, on its face, Marika?
Goldmask: This theory has so many complex parts, but it is appealing for its conclusion, Goldmask: and this conclusion is horrifying.
Goldmask: This means Marika is beset by warring personalities; the Shattering is exactly that, Goldmask: the goddess unable to come to a resolution.
Goldmask: This theory is appealing too because of evidence adjacent but not fully relevant to the idea; Goldmask: for example, it is curious that Radagon is the architect of the Golden Order, and yet the authority is solely Marika's.
Goldmask: However, if a goddess is divided, then that goddess, by nature, is neither omnipotent nor omniscient. Goldmask: How can anything divided be absolute?
Goldmask: It makes me shudder to think... Goldmask: that, perhaps, Marika is mortal. Goldmask: But I'm not that far into my disbelief, yet.
Goldmask: The air is hazy here. My thinking feels frustrated... Goldmask: We're far from the Greater Will.
Goldmask: I wish to return to my calculations, and spend the least time in this space.
Goldmask: You're paying attention? Meilyr slightly nods. Not that Goldmask cares; he's on a roll. Goldmask: Good.
Goldmask: Then let's quickly discuss this: Goldmask: The Law of Regression. The same you used to discover the statue's hidden meaning.
Goldmask: The Law of Regression states that all things eventually revert to their original nature.
Goldmask: A thief will always steal, a warrior will always fight. Goldmask: Rocks will return to the earth, cities will fall.
Goldmask: These seem like aphorisms, but, under the Golden Order, these are true. Goldmask: They occur consistently throughout history, given certain variables.
Goldmask: The deepest abstraction of this is "meaning". Goldmask: Complex definitions or descriptions regress into simple ones.
Goldmask: This is how fundamental the Golden Order is. Goldmask: It is difficult to think outside of the Order. That is why you are made of the right material.
Goldmask: That is why, I exhort you: Goldmask: Do not mention any of this to Corhyn.
Goldmask: If he hears of this, he may lose his mind. Goldmask: Worse, he may betray us.
Meilyr: ... Meilyr: That milksop?
Goldmask: The Law of Causality. Goldmask: Meaning compounds and builds. The weight of meanings can make a thief not steal, and a warrior not fight.
Goldmask: Regression and Causality allow fate to "spiral" - to reiterate and yet conclude differently.
Goldmask: I see the chain of events. I see the weight of his past lives. Goldmask: Though he does not seem capable of it now, the weight of meaning may compel him.
Goldmask: This is the most important lesson I can impart you on the Golden Order: Goldmask: even if the stars determine our fate, we can still guide it.
Goldmask: Meilyr: we are stars ourselves. Goldmask: We burn just as bright as they do, and as hotly. Goldmask: There is no tragedy we have to endure.
Meilyr, for once, is actually taking this lesson kinda hard.
Goldmask: Though I am starved of runes, I can still thread light. Goldmask: We are, after all, beings of light. So the Order dictates.
Goldmask: I will mimic the Greater Will's beams, and then translate them to you. Goldmask: We will communicate this way.
Goldmask: Watch carefully. Goldmask: I believe in you, as my pupil. Meilyr watches and says nothing, mostly because he's rather indifferent to the whole affair.
The chapter ends with Goldmask emitting light through his finger, and Meilyr supputating the meaning of the light through his.