The Tarnished in LOTR with Elden Ring

(TL NOTE: The author used chapter 36 for promotion of the story.)

Unlike the swift assault with the Misbegotten on the way there, the return journey took considerably more time due to carrying the bodies of fallen Misbegotten and Mills and the others who had voluntarily pledged allegiance to him.

Moreover, Tarnes followed the markers Rogier had indicated on the map, conveniently collecting those hidden treasures along the way back.

Tarnes had arrived at Lond Daer in early June, and by the time he returned, it was already near the end of the month.

He had been away for nearly a month. When Tarnes returned to his territory, he immediately noticed that the Golden Tree had grown taller and larger once again.

It was afternoon now, with sunlight spilling across the endless plains and several white clouds drifting across the horizon.

Mills and the others could see a tall castle and the towering tree within it from afar. A well-behaved little girl sitting on Torrent's back asked Tarnes, who was walking alongside leading Torrent, in a crisp voice, "Wizard lord, is that your territory? That tree is so tall and so bright!"

Tarnes was still marveling inwardly at how quickly the Golden Tree had grown in just under a month away. Upon hearing the little girl's words, he immediately smiled and said, "Yes, that's the Golden Tree. This tree is very magical—it will keep you from fearing colds and illness."

"Can it bring my father back to life?" the little girl asked with some longing.

After hearing the little girl's question, Mills immediately said nervously in a low voice, "Doris, don't ask strange questions. Be sensible and don't trouble Lord Tarnes."

Tarnes first waved his hand to indicate to Mills that he didn't mind, then seriously answered the little girl's question: "I'm very sorry, but the dead cannot be brought back to life. I have no way to revive your father, but he would certainly want you and your mother to live well."

"Sorry, Lord Tarnes, Doris just misses her father too much," the little girl's mother came over, carefully apologizing while subtly patting the little girl's back.

Though the little girl felt somewhat disappointed after hearing Tarnes' words, her mother's pat let her know she had asked an inappropriate question, and she immediately apologized: "I'm sorry, Lord Tarnes..."

Even the other two little boys sitting on Torrent's back apologized along with her, and the adults around them stopped talking, holding their breath and not daring to speak easily.

These people were terrified that the little girl had upset their future lord.

Just how cruel were your previous lords that you're this frightened over a child asking a question? I'm not going to eat you.

Tarnes complained inwardly while indicating that the matter was over.

However, he understood what his lordship meant to Mills and the others, and he understood why they were nervous—after all, these people's fates were truly in Tarnes' hands.

The surrounding Misbegotten, who had once been slaves themselves, understood these people's feelings and cast sympathetic glances at Mills and the others.

The group fell into silence, with even the three children on Torrent's back unconsciously sitting up straight.

Just as Tarnes was trying to think of something to say to break this awkward atmosphere, a patrol of Haight Fortress soldiers discovered them and immediately came to greet them.

"Your Majesty Tarnes, congratulations on your victorious return from the campaign!"

The leading Royal Army soldier, along with his comrades and auxiliaries behind him, knelt on one knee in perfect formation facing Tarnes' direction, speaking in a loud and respectful voice.

Your... Your Majesty?

Mills' heart skipped a beat upon hearing the soldiers' form of address, and he exchanged glances with his compatriots who had also heard it.

Lord Tarnes' status was probably even more noble than they had imagined. The worship and fanaticism in these soldiers' eyes as they looked at Tarnes was almost overflowing.

Mills had no doubt that even if Lord Tarnes ordered them to commit suicide, they would not hesitate.

Tarnes stepped forward, formally accepting the soldiers' kneeling salute, then had them rise and said to the patrol captain, "Thank you for your hard work patrolling. Send someone to notify Kenneth Haight that we have local refugees seeking to join our Golden Tree. Have him arrange a separate area and find good lodging for these people."

Tarnes wasn't yet clear about the Golden People's acceptance of outsiders. If he rashly had Mills and these other outsiders live together with the Golden People right away, he worried it might cause conflicts.

After all, even the Dwarves and Elves living in the same world had conflicts, let alone people whose worldviews and living habits were completely different.

Moreover, it was fortunate that the Lion Misbegotten had led the expedition to Lond Daer this time, taking all the Misbegotten with him.

Otherwise, Tarnes would probably have to deal with the headache of a three-way relationship between the Golden People, Misbegotten, and local refugees.

Accepting outsiders had to be done gradually—one absolutely couldn't bite off more than they could chew.

The patrol captain immediately nodded in response: "Yes, Your Majesty Tarnes. We can also help escort them back to Haight Fortress. We just finished our patrol mission in this area and were preparing to return to Haight Fortress."

Tarnes glanced at the Misbegotten corpses still in a frozen state, thought for a moment, and agreed to the captain's suggestion: "Very well. I still need to return these gloriously fallen Misbegotten to the tree, so I'll leave these people to you. Be careful—these people were just liberated from Orc slavery and have walked such a long way, so they're physically weak. Arrange rest and food for them as quickly as possible."

The captain stood at attention: "Yes, Your Majesty Tarnes."

The captain then waved to his men behind him, indicating they should help Mills and the others carry their tattered bundles that could barely be called "luggage."

Tarnes came before Mills and the others, who were bewildered by the soldiers' enthusiasm but didn't dare move, and said, "Mills, you don't need to worry. These soldiers will take you to Haight Fortress, and then someone will specifically arrange lodging for you. Of course, not concentrated housing like the Orcs used, but individual houses belonging to you personally."

Mills could only nod dumbly. Having come this far, they could only choose to trust Tarnes.

Tarnes' behavior and conduct along the way had also made Mills and the others willing to trust him.

"See you at dinner—I'll come check whether they've properly arranged your lodging." Tarnes' words served as reassurance for Mills and the others, allowing them to leave with the soldiers.

The two groups separated, with Tarnes leading the Misbegotten toward Moen City.

Mills noticed the soldiers casting envious glances in the direction Tarnes had left, and following their gaze, he discovered they were envying those frozen Misbegotten corpses.

This made him curious, speculating it might be some custom of the Golden Tree, but he was afraid that asking rashly might displease the soldiers.

However, the captain, who had come to his senses, noticed Mills' hesitant expression and proactively said, "You're curious why we envy those Misbegotten corpses?"

Mills nodded repeatedly.

The captain looked back again and said with deep satisfaction, "Because they can return to the tree..."

Return to the tree?

Though Mills wasn't clear what the captain meant by "returning to the tree," he made note of this term in his mind.

On the other side, Tarnes only discovered something was wrong with the Golden Tree's appearance when he drew closer.

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the Golden Tree—it was purely that its appearance was somehow off.

Tarnes discovered that the Golden Tree, which had previously grown straight upward, had begun to branch from a certain section of the trunk.

Golden radiance filtered through the leaf gaps, spilling onto the starting point of that branching.

From that moment on, the trunk was no longer monotonous.

It began to grow in an incredible double helix structure, spiraling upward in an interwoven pattern, like the arms of lovers tightly entwined, weaving a scene Tarnes had never witnessed in the Lands Between.

No, wait. This was the Golden Tree's original normal appearance—it was the Golden Tree in the royal capital that had been tampered with.

Tarnes suddenly realized he had actually seen this situation in the Lands Between, except that in the Lands Between, the double helix structure of the Golden Tree had been separated.

One stood in the center of Leyndell Royal Capital, while the other was isolated on the dark side where all records and traces had been erased.

Looking at that branch emanating obviously weaker light than the other end but still blooming with pure golden radiance, Tarnes couldn't help but whisper, "Shadow Tree?"

(End of Chapter)

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