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Assistant: Title: The Tarnished Herald
        Author: Chasethedreamer Chasethedreamer 
        Chapter: 1/18 
        Summary: The Tarnished Eowyn realizes her journey to become Elden Lord is an unrelenting cycle. She breaks out of the Lands Between and finds herself in the strange world of Thedas as the Herald of Andraste.
        Contents: Chapter 1: The fateful wheel turns once more
    

    


  

  
  
    
    The Erdtree’s interior was a dull brown, a sharp contrast from its luminous outer bark. Faded golden leaves peppered the hard, ancient wood petrified into solid rock serving as the ground.  A dense fog suffused the open area, giving an illusion of infinite space.An exhausted sigh escaped the Tarnished as her sword fell from her grasp. Eowyn looked down at the misshapen statue that was once the Goddess Queen Marika the Eternal. The all-powerful woman that once shaped the Lands Between with just her voice, reduced to broken stone. Her descendants left to claw at thrones and war over Runes of power. Fated to die, paving the way for this same Tarnished to ascend.Eowyn was Elden Lord in all but name. Only one action left before setting forth a new era with her at the helm. The tarnished warrior looked to the fog separating her from the Elden Throne and back at the fractured Marika. It would be so easy to mend the Elden Ring, to sit on that throne and proclaim her rightful title. But one treacherous thought plagued her mind and paralyzed her steps.Why should she repeat this cycle again? Is her purpose to live her life repeatedly, retracing the steps she once took and killing the demigods over and over?She has done all of this before. The first time Eowyn killed the Elden Beast and mended the Elden Ring it was in Marika’s image and the Golden Order. She sat on the throne and allowed herself a smile, thinking she finally made it to the end of her journey.The next morning she woke in the Stranded Graveyard.The next cycle was devoted to Ranni the Witch; one that hated the Golden Order and had the power to change it. Eowyn quickly sought her out, and practically worshipped her every move. She killed for her, delved into the farthest reaches of the Lands Between for her, and sacrificed her very soul for her. And when Eowyn defeated the Elden Beast again she summoned Ranni to celebrate. Ranni offered her a thousand year voyage into the darkness and Eowyn leapt at the chance. The tarnished Elden Lord basked in the approving presence of her azure goddess as the night lorded over day.The next morning she woke in the Stranded Graveyard.Then Eowyn burned down the world. She sought the Frenzied Flame under the Capital and allowed the Three Fingers to burn her to her core. Eowyn destroyed everything she once held dear in a fit of madness and rage. And when the Lands Between became a smoking crater and the very air was fire, the next morning she woke in the Stranded Graveyard.This time, Eowyn became a benefactor to everyone she could. She told Boc, her demihuman seamster, that he was beautiful and kissed his forehead any time he lamented his animal-like looks. Eowyn found Roderika and gave her the memento of her comrades. She told the downtrodden girl all she knew of spirit tuning and escorted her to the Roundtable Hold to meet the Blacksmith, smiling thinly as they met for the first time once again. She told D where to find his brother and how to help him. Corhyn was taken straight to Goldmask. She found Millicent and supported her in every way she could. Everyone was helped. Everyone was saved. All  except one.Melina furiously argued about her purpose, surprised and enraged that Eowyn knew her goal and wanted to save her. The pseudo Maiden shook her head at Eowyn, baffled that she cared enough not to allow her to burn her life away. Melina abandoned Eowyn eventually when she puzzled out how her tarnished planned to usurp her supposed reason for existing. Eowyn still went into the lair of the Three Fingers and stole their mad fire. She still burned down the Erdtree with that same Flame. And when the deed was done she took Miquella’s Unalloyed Needle and pierced her breast outside of Time itself, severing her connection with the Frenzied Flame. Melina was alive even if she didn’t want to be. Eowyn wanted to save everyone.And now she was here. At the end of all things. Tomorrow she would wake in that Stranded Graveyard and everything she has done would be undone. Everyone she saved would be again in peril. And the damned Elden Ring would be shattered once again.“Why dost I dwell in this realm? Is't but to endure naught but suffering? Doth this signify the essence of being tarnished, prithee?” Eowyn muttered, her voice hoarse with disuse. Suddenly overcome with fury, Eowyn picked up the head of the broken Marika and threw it as far as she could with a futile scream. The severed head flew through the air and disappeared into the Erdtree’s depths. Eowyn stood breathing deeply and scowling through her horned Veteran’s Helmet, her blue eyes glassy and her full ruby lips twisted in anger.“I shall not undertake this toil anew.” She denied. Eowyn shook her head vehemently and paced, caught up in her rage and despair. She stopped and shouted at the walls of the Erdtree’s insides.“I SHALL NOT PARTAKE IN THIS WRETCHED CYCLE ANEW!”Eowyn whipped her head toward the fog wall. She strode purposefully to it and threw her gauntleted hand at the mist. She called upon all of her considerable power and the power of the Elden Ring residing in her breast, and broke through the hazy barrier.Then suddenly she was falling. Her scream of panic was lost in the wind rushing past her face. Colors unknown whooshed by; green leaves, indigo streams of magic, golden wings of light. All flew past the tarnished faster than she could recognize them. The Rune Arcs of the Elden Ring pulsed madly in her chest along with her heart. Eowyn continued to scream as she tumbled downward into endless space.Time ceased to flow as Eowyn fell. But now she could see shapes form. Castles and towers in the distance far below, a green tinged mist permeating everything. Directly below, the tarnished saw what could be a temple or monastery surrounded by mountainous terrain. Her panicked screams that once subsided started again as she rapidly fell toward the stone roof of the temple. Before her body could hit the stone at terminal velocity, Eowyn was whisked into a green portal of swirling light.The portal deposited the tarnished into a formless void painted in a hazy, verdant green. She landed none too gently on what seemed to be stone, her helmeted head striking the ground hard enough for her to see black spots. Her left arm burned with pins and needles, but Eowyn could still move it without trouble, so it wasn’t broken.Eowyn looked around in confusion. Was this still the Lands Between? Was she still in the Erdtree?There were green tinged stone steps leading up near where Eowyn landed and she stood to brush herself off and climb them. Even though the fall was easily enough to kill her on impact, the tarnished felt little pain. She walked up the steps and looked toward her destination. Ahead there stood an arch presumably leading to a chamber of some sort. Eowyn walked into the chamber and onward past many doors and rooms empty of life or any other matter.The tarnished pressed forward until she started to hear voices. The room in front of her held a people, Eowyn heard the commanding voice of a man, and the whimpering voice of a woman. Other voices filled the din as well, followers of the commanding voice she supposed. Eowyn willed her weapon of choice into her hand and in a flash of gold the Sword of Night and Flame appeared into being. Eowyn marched forward and burst through the door.“Prepare the Sacrifice!” The commanding voice called. Eowyn could now see that it belonged to a tall shadowy figure masked by darkness. There were cloaked figures stringing up an aged woman that wore an ornate robe and a strange hat that stood boxlike on her head. The woman looked around frantically and spotted Eowyn. Her eyes widened in awe and she cried.“Please, help me!” The woman yelled, looking right at Eowyn. The tarnished readied her weapon as the shadow’s minions were made known of her presence.“We have an intruder!” The shadow boomed. “Kill her!” it commanded, pointing a long finger toward the tarnished. As the cloaked men approached, Eowyn grinned and fell into stance. One minion closest to Eowyn leapt at her with his sword drawn. Eowyn raised the Sword of Night and Flame around her head in an arc before slashing outward. Flames surged forward instantly, catching the first man with a cut off scream of pain. Several of the knaves behind him were swathed in flame, dying in burning agony. As more rushed towards her, Eowyn readied a beam of starlight from the blade, vaporizing her enemies in a line of destructive magic. Eowyn willed the Sword away and another into being. Her gauntleted hands clutched Vyke’s War Spear as she leaped high into the air. Turning the spear downward and summoning the Frenzied Flame, Eowyn aimed toward the last remaining minions. As the men perished in flames gripping their heads tightly in madness, Eowyn turned her gaze to the commanding shadow.“Release her forthwith and begone.” She ordered in a low voice. The shadow held an orb aloft in its hand and green energy spread from it, filling the chamber.“No! You ruined the ritual!” the shadow yelled, its voice echoing against the walls. Eowyn clenched her fist around her spear and readied another attack. However something then occurred that neither planned. The orb’s green energy surged outward and slammed into Eowyn, knocking her off her feet.“You fool!” the shadow cried as it disappeared. Eowyn looked around for the old woman and couldn’t see her anymore either. It was like the green energy transported Eowyn elsewhere. The tarnished then started to hear a ghastly sound. Chittering and the clicking of many many legs. Eowyn saw strange insects crawling swiftly toward her and got an incantation ready to burn them all away.“Hurry! Come to me!” A feminine voice boomed. It seemed to belong to a figure made of pure light high above. Eowyn looked between the woman of light and the spiders coming ever closer, and started to run. Eowyn raced quickly up a stairway that inexplicably appeared before her and reached the woman who held out a blinding hand. Eowyn grabbed the hand with her own and was overcome with white light.When Eowyn could see again, she was lying on a stone floor surrounded by crimson stone and armed men.“She’s alive!”“She appeared from the Fade!”“Who was that figure of light behind her?”The men were all yelling loudly and pointing their weapons at Eowyn. She tried to stand but was swiftly mastered by fatigue. Her face hit the cold hard stone again and she groaned.“Get her up. The Seeker will want to meet this one.” One voice said and then suddenly arms were grabbing at Eowyn and hauling her up. The men carried her forward and Eowyn let them as she succumbed to sleep.Eowyn woke to the clacking of heeled boots across the stone floor. Someone was approaching and they weren’t alone. The tarnished got up quickly and spied the area. She was in a dungeon cell lit by torches and locked by a heavy metal door. There was no window, but there were men surrounding her, she realized. Men with swords pointing at her and faces hidden by iron helmets.Her left arm tingled unpleasantly. Eowyn looked down to see a green lightning arc from her left hand unbidden. What could that be? Her hands were bound as well. Thick manacles encased her bare wrists. The rest of her armor was still on thankfully.The heeled boots finally reached her cell. They belonged to a tall woman in light armor with short dark hair and scars that littered her beautiful yet scowling face. She was accompanied by another comely woman with short red hair and dark eyes hidden by a hood.The dark haired woman unlocked the cell and strode inside, unsheathing her sword as she did. Her scowl morphed into a rictus of fury.“Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now! The Conclave destroyed, the Divine murdered and the only survivor is you!” She shouted at Eowyn. The tarnished stood tall, undaunted by the rage of this woman.“Brigands. Where hast thou secreted away mine gauntlets?” She replied instead. The manacles on her wrists were rusted with blood, a paltry exchange for her Veteran’s Gauntlets.“Defiance won’t aid you here.” The hooded woman said quietly. Eowyn noted that the woman’s hands were hidden.“Explain this.” The angry woman commanded and grabbed Eowyn’s left hand. At that moment green lightning sparked from it. Eowyn took the pain stoically.“What dost thou wish thy wot? I know not how this schism got on my palm nor can I saye aught of the strange lightnings tis casts.” Eowyn answered. Obviously these women knew nothing of that green realm or the shadow man.“You’re lying!” The angry woman cried and made to impale Eowyn on her sword. The tarnished readied the Wrath of Gold incantation and called forth her Frenzied Flame Seal into her hand. Before either woman could follow through the hooded woman stepped forward and grabbed the shoulder of her comrade.“We need her, Cassandra.” She called, moving the dark haired woman away from Eowyn. Cassandra huffed, but sheathed her sword. The tarnished did not relax, but held from further action.“Go to the forward camp Leliana. I will take the prisoner to the rift.” She said and motioned for Eowyn to follow her out the cell.“Eowyn.” Declared the tarnished. Cassandra and Leliana froze and turned to look at her. “Thou shalt address me as Eowyn, no prisoner am I.” These people had a strange way of speech, but Eowyn was not cowed by their threats. Cassandra and Leliana shared a guarded look.“Eowyn then. The Breach is something you need to see for yourself.” Cassandra said in a calmer voice than before.Cassandra led Eowyn out onto a bridge in the clear air. Eowyn breathed in deeply. Even with the stench of death and blood, the air was fresher than in the dungeon. Eowyn looked up and saw a massive swirling green fissure in the sky. Green lightning much like the kind on her hand crackled every other moment from it and it was visibly expanding.“Thy trow I wrought that rift?” Eowyn asked Cassandra incredulously. Cassandra’s eyes narrowed.“An explosion that destroyed the Conclave and killed many people, including the Divine Justinia created that. We call it the Breach. It is a rift between our world and the world of demons and it’s getting bigger by the minute.” Cassandra explained. At that moment a loud boom crashed from the Breach, causing green energy to splash outward and Eowyn to inhale quickly through her nose from the pain. She suddenly wondered if sites of Grace were in this world, or if she finally lost the ability to see them. Eowyn looked at her still bound hand. The mark grew on past her wrist already.“This mark, tis linked to the rift.” Eowyn guessed out loud. Cassandra nodded, taking out a knife from her pocket and working on Eowyn’s binds.“Every time the Breach expands it causes your mark to flare. I believe it is killing you. But it may be the key to stopping all of this.” Cassandra said as she cut Eowyn’s binds free. Eowyn rubbed her wrists and shook her hands a little. The Frenzied Flame Seal was still in her palm, the yellow fire mingling with the green lightning of the mark.“The key? Thou believe tis woul’t cleave the rift asunder? Mayhap tis shall shut the rift entire, mayhap tis mark shalt make th’ rift cloak the entire realm.” Eowyn intoned, looking at Cassandra’s paling face. The tarnished’s shaggy dire wolf cape rippled in the wind as Eowyn faced the Breach. She remembered that shadowed man with the orb and the old woman crying for aid. She couldn’t let that fiend get away if he was the one to cause all of this. Eowyn made up her mind. These people were prickly, but they needed her help. After all, she wanted to save everyone in this cycle, even if she was no longer in the Lands Between.“Neverth’less I shalt aid thee. Tis not I who wrought mine mark or thine Breach.” Eowyn shot a meaningful look at Cassandra, who gasped in shock.“You know who caused the explosion! I demand you tell me!” Cassandra shouted in a loud voice. Eowyn calmly gazed at the disturbed woman.“Demand?” Eowyn repeated rhetorically with a raised eyebrow, then sighed. “Tis was a man cloaked in shadow, in a realm of mists and green towers.” She recalled in a near whisper. Cassandra leaned forward to hear over the din of the Breach.“A realm of mists? My men said you fell out of the Fade. Could that be the realm you speak of?” Cassandra asked quickly. Eowyn made a noncommittal sound.“Mayhap it wert, I know not of thine Fade.” Eowyn allowed before turning to face Cassandra. “We ought t’ go to Thine Breach and behold the might of mine own mark.” She raised her marked hand shoulder height and gazed at it. Cassandra looked at the mark as well and felt trepidation grow in her heart.“There are smaller rifts that appeared after the explosion. We can try to close one of those first.” Cassandra said before heading off toward the end of the bridge. As Eowyn followed, she spoke in a low tone. Soldiers and peasants were lined against the walls of the bridge clutching wounds and glaring at Eowyn. The tarnished woman locked eyes with each person she saw and pierced them with a vision of regal compassion. It wasn’t their fault they were hurt in the explosion or by demons just as Eowyn wasn’t to blame.“These people believe in your guilt. They need someone to blame and all they have is you.” Cassandra revealed. Eowyn clinched her marked fist and readied her Seal.“Thou hast wounded folk.” Eowyn said to the Seeker, then raised her voice to call out to everyone on the bridge. “Come hither all ye! Lo, be healed!” Eowyn then knelt down on one knee and recalled the Miracle of Erdtree Heal. A dome of golden light encased the tarnished and exploded outward across the whole bridge. The soldiers and peasants gasped and jumped back as the light passed over them. But even still their wounds closed in front of their eyes without a scar. Wonderment was etched on every face as they surveyed themselves.However, the awe was short-lived. Suspicion rose swiftly in its place. Even Cassandra jumped back and unsheathed her sword.“Mage!” She announced with suspicious eyes and her sword pointed at Eowyn. The Tarnished rose and looked around in confusion.“Tis not sorcery Cassandra. Tis an incantation. A remembrance of a miraculous deed.” Eowyn said calmly but her eyes were on the Seeker’s sword. Cassandra held her stance a moment longer before sheathing her weapon and turning to another soldier and shaking her head. The soldier took a hand off the hilt of his sword as well.
One peasant, a tired looking woman with dark hair and a small child on her hip cautiously approached Eowyn with grateful eyes.“Thank you! You healed the cuts on my child’s belly! Oh thank the Maker!” She enthused and quickly grabbed Eowyn’s cloak before backing away, as if she wished to merely touch her savior. Eowyn was then accosted by a soldier coming from behind her and saying in a low but fervent voice.“You healed me as well. Thank you.”As more people became emboldened to show her gratitude, Eowyn nodded kindly at them and then looked at Cassandra. “Thine rift Seeker?” she reminded. Cassandra looked away but motioned Eowyn to follow her.They travelled past the bridge up a mountain path. Eowyn was called to mind the Consecrated Snowfield but judged that this path was nothing in sooth to that land. The blizzards clouding her vision, the hostile Albinaurics shooting arrows from afar, and the bitter cold that permeated every inch of the realm. This jaunt up a snowy hill was a light stroll in comparison. In fact, Eowyn felt energized not only by the gratitude given to her by those she healed, but by the new adventure unfolding before her. After so many cycles and journeys in the same lands, the tarnished warrior was excited for a new experience.Eowyn ran forward past Cassandra up the path. As she crested the hill she saw a green scar cleaving the very air below. Waves of energy poured from the rift and strange creatures appeared from the mists. A bald man with a staff was battling one such creature along with a short redheaded man that wielded a large crossbow. Without waiting for the Seeker Eowyn jumped and slid down the short cliff toward what she assumed were the aforementioned demons.These creatures looked like living cloaks with clawed arms and bright eyes. Eowyn was instantly disgusted by them. They reeked of evil and despair. The tarnished warrior called upon her katana, the Rivers of Blood, and rushed to face her new enemies. She slashed at the closest shade and was joyed to see her sword damage it. With two slashes she dispatched the first demon and spun to face the next. In her periphery Eowyn saw Cassandra locked in combat with another demon. Letting loose a volley of slashes that caught the hapless shade on fire, Eowyn burned through the shades that opposed her.When the demons were all vanquished Eowyn banished her sword and set her sight on the rift. It looked like a floating crystal now, ever contorting emeralds. It looked… weaker than before. Eowyn felt a pulse from her left hand and reached out. A green tendril of arcing lightning linked her hand to the rift and she pulled with all of her might. The rift exploded in a blink, green energy roiling over them all and disappearing. Eowyn felt a bit of vigor grow in her from sealing this rift. Maybe sealing more of them will give the tarnished even more strength?The bald man and the dwarf came closer.“You did it.” The bald man congratulated with a nod. His voice was deep and calming.“Tis the mark linked with these rifts.” Eowyn answered. She realized the man’s ears were very long and pointed. His eyes spoke of a deep intelligence worthy of his comely face.“Whatever created the Breach also caused the mark to appear on your hand. I theorized that the mark might be able to close the rifts that have been opened in the Breach’s wake, and it seemed I was correct.” He added smugly.“Meaning it could also close the Breach.” Cassandra said almost as a question to the bald man.“Possibly.” He evaded.“Good to know. Here I thought we’d be ass deep in demons forever.” the short man quipped as he swung his crossbow across his back. He walked toward Eowyn and introduced himself. “Varric Tethras. Rogue, storyteller and occasional unwelcome tagalong.” The last part was said with a wink to Cassandra who answered with a scowl.“Thy crossbow doth please me well.” Eowyn replied with an indulgent smile. Varric preened as if she complimented his own looks. Upon a closer study Eowyn may have been prone to do just that. Varric Tethras, though much shorter than her, had a ruggedly handsome face and a chestful of rust colored hair open to the air.“Bianca is a beauty isn’t she?” Varric said, tapping the crossbow affectionately.“Thy crossbow is named Bianca? How strange.” Eowyn replied curiously. Varric grinned.“We’ve been through a lot together, and she’ll be a big help in the valley.”At that point Cassandra butted in furiously. “I only had you here to tell your story to the Divine! Your help is appreciated Master Tethras, but-”“Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? “ Varric interrupted. “It’s nearly overrun with demons. Face it, you need me.” He finished with a smarmy grin. Cassandra made a sound of disgust and looked away.“My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions.” Solas, the bald man stated. Eowyn nodded to him and Varric with a small smile.“I am called Eowyn, tarnished warrior. I hail from the Lands Between.” Eowyn introduced herself, looking between her new companions. They seemed puzzled by her title but quickly moved on.“I am pleased to see you yet live.” Solas added. Eowyn sent him a confused look.“He means he kept you alive while you slept.” Varric explained, though Solas’ bland look turned sour. Eowyn looked between them.“I used healing magic and wards to keep your mark from expanding, though it didn’t help much.” Solas said bitterly.“Dost thy sorcery hold no sway o’er me?” Eowyn queried. Solas’ head tilted at the question, but then smiled ruefully.“My healing magic did indeed affect you, just not as much as I’d hoped. The mark is beyond my healing capabilities,” he replied.“I render thee thanks noneth’less, O mage.” Eowyn said with a small bow toward Solas. He appeared a bit more gratified.“Solas is an apostate, like you seem to be.” Cassandra added.“Technically all mages are now apostates, Seeker.” Solas countered blandly. Eowyn scowled.“I am no traitor to mine own faith.” the tarnished denied. Solas quickly attempted to calm her.“An apostate is just a mage that is not a part of a circle. My travels allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to give whatever help I could with the Breach. If it is not closed we are all doomed regardless of origin” He explained then turned to Cassandra. “Seeker you should know this magic is unlike any I’ve encountered. Whether or not Eowyn is a mage, I find it difficult to imagine anyone having such power.”Eowyn did not wish to tell them of the Elden Ring in her breast, or that she held enough power to wash this world away in flames this very moment. She merely watched as Cassandra nodded to Solas and beckoned them to the forward camp. Varric commented that at least Bianca was excited as he followed after the Seeker. The tarnished smiled at the smaller man’s jest. Cassandra and Solas seemed to be grim and serious, but Varric strove to break any tension that built up and Eowyn could appreciate his efforts.'
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