Elden Ring: My Ending

Melina and Ranni stood across from the unflinching Konstantin, who sat calmly by the night's fire. Their gazes bore into him—frustrated, disappointed, and thoroughly unimpressed. Though they weren't his waifus, they were still women. And their stares were so piercing, so heavy, that Konstantin could almost feel his HP bar steadily draining.

Dodging wouldn't save him. Parrying wouldn't help. Shields were useless. Jumping away was pointless. There was no escape—only a slow and painfully excruciating death awaited him.

Even if he had an Estus Flask(1) at hand, it wouldn't have been enough to restore the warmth of a soul plunged into the abyss formed by the displeased glares of women.

The cursed soul of a Soulslike protagonist was ready for any torture—but not this...

"What a peculiar man…" murmured Sellen as she examined Melina and Ranni. "Who would've thought?"

The sorceress didn't recognize Melina, but she did recognize the lunar demigoddess. Who would have guessed that the mad Tarnished was her servant?

Though, in a way, it was oddly logical.

She had been naive to think that the "dead" daughter of a queen would simply forget about her.

"You acted recklessly, Konstantin," Ranni said softly, her gaze pressing down on the Soulslike warrior.

It was the gaze of someone who had once been in line to claim the title of the next Goddess. The gaze of a queen's daughter raised from birth to see herself as above others. Though Ranni herself was humble and preferred the solitude of libraries to the outside world, her origins—and her upbringing—were not something to be dismissed lightly.

Melina, on the other hand, was the daughter of the current Goddess. Despite lacking the title of demigoddess, she had long been forgotten by the world, a bearer of a curse and one thought dead. Yet she was still a Goddess's daughter.

A Goddess unusually wrathful and warlike.

And one with practically no backstory to speak of(2).

"Please, explain why you revealed yourself, Konstantin."

Kosta felt something twist and tighten within him. Melina's soft, calm, almost tender voice carried such indescribable undertones that the fanboy in him wanted to tear his hair out in agony.

Konstantin, however, didn't respond.

Melina sighed, exchanging a glance with Ranni. Sellen, who observed the scene like a theatrical performance, was only missing a bucket of popcorn. Unfortunately, the sorceress wasn't familiar with the concept of popcorn.

"We ask that you act less recklessly next time, Konstantin," the doll-like demigoddess said slowly, still pinning him under her cold, displeased gaze. "Otherwise, you may one day share the fate of the first Elden Lord."

Her anger stemmed not only from Konstantin's rash actions but also from the fact that, when cornered, his only means of countering the sorcerers' long-range spells were bombs!

Ranni saw beauty in sorcery and the stars. She took pride in the astrologers' art—how could she not? And yet this Tarnished warrior had stormed the central Academy, blowing up half of it with fiery, exploding pots before fleeing! He had destroyed all the elegance and intricacy of spells, intricately intertwined with the terrifying beauty of the magical marionettes, with nothing but explosive pottery!

Melina cast a peculiar glance at the lunar demigoddess, who now looked like a pouting little girl.

Ranni was unexpectedly more emotional than the fake servant of the Two Fingers had initially assumed.

Konstantin shrugged.

"If I need to use magic, I'll use it. If not, I won't."

Ranni let out a faint huff, puffing up even more.

"Now the entire Academy will be on guard. You won't reach the next Great Rune so easily, servant. You're on your own—don't expect help."

Kosta hadn't intended to ask for help anyway.

Melina narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"I don't recall him agreeing to become your servant, witch."

Konstantin blinked in surprise, nearly rolling away on instinct. A no less surprised Sellen perked up her ears.

Neither of them expected Melina to stand up for him.

The lunar demigoddess folded her hands, barely shrugging her doll-like shoulders. Her deep, gentle voice carried hints of mockery and disdain.

"Is it my fault that a flighty maid can't keep track of her Tarnished?"

With those words, clearly satisfied with her barb, Ranni dissolved into a burst of starlight, leaving Melina standing with her mouth agape in indignation.

"Wait a minute!"

Melina pulled up her hood and vanished as well. Silence descended. Sellen glanced around thoughtfully.

"They're really gone, Konstantin."

"I know."

The man's unexpected reply made the sorceress tilt her tiny illusory head in surprise.

"You've got sharp eyes, Tarnished."

"I've just been farming a lot."

Sellen, of course, didn't understand the turn of phrase but mulled it over nonetheless. Thoughtfully, she rested her hand on her chin.

"Did you deliberately hunt sorcerers to grow stronger, Tarnished soul?"

Konstantin didn't reply, but no answer was needed. The casuals' den had yielded him plenty of runes, despite the relatively short farming time. Casuals were not like simple undead—they were infused with casual energy, and everything around them radiated it. That power had become runes, thin threads that transferred themselves to Kosta, who saw them more clearly than anyone else.

Adding to this was the massive influx of runes from his dragon victory. It was no surprise that Konstantin had quietly reached another level of power.

Though this time, it wasn't purely physical.

The energy flows of the world revealed themselves more clearly to the Tarnished. The Lands Between grew subtly fuller, brighter. His memory sharpened, and his thoughts became smoother and more fluid. He began to understand, almost instinctively, how sufficiently powerful sorcerers could gauge the potential of future casuals at a glance. The spiritual world, bordering the physical, the living stars, and the astonishingly radiant Sun—shining even in the deepest night—all opened themselves to him. He could now reach out to them, grasp them.

And roll through them.

Now, his spectral waifus wouldn't escape him so easily.

As a side effect, it seemed that the accursed casual playstyle came even more naturally to him now.

Konstantin sighed wistfully.

Sellen's illusion distorted, taking on her familiar adult form. The longer she stayed around the peculiar Tarnished, the more intrigued she became.

"Why do you so vehemently avoid magic, Konstantin?"

"It's casual."

Sellen thoughtfully pressed her illusory hand to her chin, lowering her gaze.

What was a curious sorceress to do in such a situation? Speculate. Analyze the information gathered throughout the day. Unlike Melina or Ranni, Sellen was noticeably more talkative and, most importantly, insatiably curious.

If she wanted to learn something, it was nearly impossible to stop her. The unfortunate sorcerers who had fallen victim to her experiments could likely confirm this, if they could speak.

"Fascinating. So, 'casual,' you say. How, then, is an explosive fire pot any different from magic, Konstantin?"

The Tarnished's eyes widened in surprise.

This was the first waifu who had ever genuinely wanted to discuss such basic truths with him.

The more the exiled witch listened, the more astonished she became. She quickly began to grasp the bizarre logic behind the seemingly mad Tarnished's words.

"So, you enjoy hardship," she remarked with a thin smile. "I think I understand... It must be difficult when the women around you demand things that contradict your principles, isn't it?"

Konstantin stared at the sorceress in stunned silence, feeling as if he might cry tears of joy.

A waifu understood him!

Sellen didn't need a response. The wounded gaze of a hardcore player was so pitiful that even she felt the urge to comfort the madman.

"Fascinating," Sellen's ironic smile grew. "Now, answer me this, Tarnished: does your journey become easier when you absorb the runes of defeated souls?"

Konstantin was about to respond, but...

He froze.

"That's... basic leveling?"

"But by growing stronger, doesn't it become easier to triumph?" Sellen inquired slyly. "Or those terrifying bombs—didn't they make your path simpler?"

"I farmed for them," Konstantin replied gruffly.

"Fascinating," Sellen repeated, clapping her illusory hands. "But in the end, didn't it make breaking through the sorcerers' defenses easier?"

Konstantin opened his mouth. Closed it. Stared into the void.

Incredibly, the sorceress had unraveled the Tarnished's logic in a single day, more than the False Finger Maiden and the lunar demigoddess had in all their time together. Perhaps it was because she had once been a mere human, viewing everything from the perspective of an ordinary person who had gained mastery over sorcery?

Or perhaps she was simply sharper on this particular topic?

"Any convenience is casual?" Konstantin shook his head. "But then most mechanics... And any good build, level-ups... Even weapon upgrades, various spells... In the right hands, everything could become casual? And now what, beat all the bosses naked at level one with just a basic sword? That's p-physically impossible unless you use glitches..."

Konstantin felt his inner hardcore purist being dragged, kicking and screaming, into the deepest abyss by his smug inner waifu fan.

Possibly to rekindle the Flame yet again.

Sellen, observing Konstantin, suddenly realized she might gain an unexpected advantage over the terrifying demigoddess and the odd Finger Maiden.

Meanwhile, Melina, chasing after the brazen demigoddess, suddenly stopped, remembering she had entirely forgotten about the stranded, unfortunate warrior-jar.

Feeling a surge of guilt, she hastily decided to return and deliver the news Konstantin would no doubt find valuable, but...

She stumbled upon something outrageous.

Melina's gaze met Sellen's, who wore a thin smile as she gently patted the head of the now completely overwhelmed hardcore gamer, who was sprawled out across her illusory lap. The sorceress, of course, ensured the experience felt as real as possible.

The False Finger Maiden was closer than ever to unleashing her cursed eye. And this time, she would use it to its fullest.

It seemed leaving her chosen one alone, even briefly, was far too dangerous.

Everyone wanted to take advantage of him! And he fell for it so easily...

…Though, of course, she had been the first to try and use him. But her intentions were purely noble, yes! Unlike the others! Melina was sure of it!

"I met a strange warrior-jar, Konstantin," Melina said quietly. "He might ne—"

Konstantin's eyes widened as he suddenly broke free from the surprised waifu's embrace.

"Let's hurry!"

He urgently needed the advice only a true man-warrior could give another man-warrior, even if one of them technically lacked a gender and the other was utterly insane.

No words could describe the relief Konstantin felt when he spotted the enormous, living jar stuck in the ground atop one of the hills. The man wanted to shed a single, stoic, hardcore tear.

Standing nearby, Melina rolled her eyes.

"Oh my stars I'm so happy to see you!" the jar exclaimed with a voice full of relief.

A calm smile spread across Konstantin's face. The surprisingly cultured, straightforward voice of the massive jar, emanating... presumably from inside, warmed the heart of the Tarnished, who had suffered so much.

"Konstantin. You can call me Kosta."

The giant jar chuckled kindly.

"I am Alexander, also known as the Iron Fist. And as you can see, I'm stuck here. Ha-ha!"

Though he spoke humorously, it was clear how uncomfortable the warrior felt in such a pitiful situation.

"I can help you get out."

"Really?!" Alexander exclaimed in surprise. He hadn't expected the first passerby to be so friendly. The jar might have cried tears of joy if it were physically capable. "My thanks! a thousand thanks!"

Melina squinted.

"Does he seem friendlier than usual?"

Was Konstantin suggesting that the company of a giant jar was more pleasant than that of... waifus?

The giant jar made another attempt to free itself but failed. He sighed sadly, pondering how the man might assist him.

The idea came to him immediately.

"Just give me a good sma— Kha!"

Before he could finish, Alexander found himself flying out of the pit as Konstantin, already knowing what to do, circled behind him and swung an enormous club with superhuman strength. The force of the blow sent the jar hurtling away, rolling further down the hill in surprise.

Konstantin tucked the massive club away into a place only he seemed to know and approached Alexander, who was struggling to rise.

"Stars above, I thought that mighty blow of yours was going to finish me off..."

Alexander winced and clutched his side. For a moment, Kosta thought he heard a faint cracking sound.

If he'd accidentally killed Alexander with that strike, then…

Konstantin shrugged stoically. Dwelling on what his remnants of a conscience might do to him in such a situation wasn't worth it. Especially now, when the wounded soul of a hardcore player and devoted waifu fan demanded unity.

"The important thing is that it worked."

"It did indeed!" Alexander let out a hearty laugh despite the pain. "Thank you, Konstantin! You know, now that I think about it, I've heard your name recently! Konstantin the Tarnished, slayer of a demigod and new bearer of a Great Rune! Am I right?"

Kosta blinked in surprise.

Melina raised an eyebrow, more surprised that her chosen companion could still be caught off guard by his growing notoriety.

"Yes, that's correct."

"What an honor, Lord Tarnished!" Alexander exclaimed as if meeting his idol. "I've dreamed of encountering you, but to meet under such circumstances... How shameful for me..."

The jar warrior drooped slightly in embarrassment.

"We all make mistakes," Kosta declared, clenching a fist. "The key is to keep trying, to believe in success no matter what. Only then can you achieve the perfect attempt and praise the Sun with a smile on your face."

Raising his hands to the sun for emphasis, Konstantin struck a pose so inspirational that Alexander, moved to his core, almost wept. Alas, jars weren't exactly equipped for such displays of emotion.

"Words of a true warrior!" Alexander gasped, instinctively tilting his jar-head toward the sun, deeply respecting the peculiar Tarnished. Even if he didn't grasp everything, the message rang true. "You're right, Konstantin! Please, accept this as a token of my gratitude."

Melina wrinkled her nose involuntarily.

Alexander lifted his lid, revealing the writhing mass of flesh inside. With a squelch, his long arms rummaged around, searching for something.

Konstantin's expression remained stoic.

At last, Alexander produced a chunk of meat and offered it to the Tarnished with what could only be described as heartfelt sincerity—perhaps even literally.

"Thank you," Konstantin said, accepting the gift with all due reverence before stowing it in that mysterious place.

"There's no need to thank me, Lord!" Alexander sighed—if that sound could indeed be called a sigh. "Are you traveling in search of the Great Runes, Konstantin?"

"You could say that."

"I thought as much," Alexander said, clenching a mighty fist. "Beyond these lands lie the Starry Wastes, plagued by the Scarlet Rot. And on the southern border stands Redmane Castle, where a festival of war may soon be held."

"Do you intend to attend?"

Melina pressed her lips together.

Konstantin had definitely become more talkative lately.

Alexander nodded, his massive jar-body tilting slightly.

"Yes! I've heard tales of such festivals... The very thought of them quickens the pulse! I don't know exactly when it will happen, but I'm certain it's soon!"

"Soon" was a relative term in the Lands Between. Still, the Tarnished suspected the festival might indeed be imminent.

He himself was beginning to lose track of time.

"I understand how you feel," Kosta said thoughtfully.

Of course, he, too, wanted to attend the festival as soon as possible.

He drifted into his thoughts, struggling with a question. It was difficult to ask—it felt like admitting weakness—but he knew he had to.

The fallen hardcore player within Konstantin could never fully die. Even if the waifu fan in him tormented his pride, stripped him of dignity, and dragged him into casual gameplay, the true hardcore spirit could never be extinguished. No matter how many times it quit the game, sobbed into a pillow, or berated itself for greedily going for that one last hit, the hardcore player would always rise again.

The waifu fan was stronger than ever, but the hardcore player… He endured.

"I need advice, Alexander."

Konstantin's unexpected words blanketed the hilltop in silence, broken only by the howling wind.

"What kind of advice?"

Alexander scratched his lid—his version of scratching his head. He hadn't anticipated that such a mighty warrior would seek counsel from him.

Kosta's gaze shifted to the unseen Melina, who visibly flinched. His piercing look was so intense it forced her to take a step back.

'He can see me…'

Melina understood at once. Konstantin wanted to discuss something personal. Though reluctant to leave him alone, fearing he might again fall under someone else's influence, she decided to trust him.

Not that she had much choice.

She nodded and disappeared entirely.

Konstantin squinted, scanning for any lurking waifus. He'd left Sellen's illusion by the campfire, Ranni was absent, and his hardcore instincts told him the area was temporarily clear. Thankfully, the Lunar Demigoddess wasn't always watching him.

After all, if he blindly followed waifus, they'd never let him reach his own ending.

"I'm confused," Kosta admitted with a sigh.

He proceeded to explain everything to the jar warrior—about hardcore play, challenge runs, leveling, casual gameplay, and magic. He even recounted Sellen's remarks about casuality and how it conflicted with his beliefs.

Alexander listened intently. Though he initially understood little, the more Kosta spoke, the clearer the problem became—a dilemma seemingly trivial but profoundly significant to a true warrior.

"I understand you, Lord Konstantin!" Alexander declared, clenching his fist. "And I believe I can help you find clarity. Don't think of this as weakness, Tarnished: the fact that you've had the courage and strength to confront yourself proves you're no casual!"

Konstantin stopped breathing.

The hardcore player within him, long tormented by waifus, felt his strength returning.

But rather than attack the subdued waifu fan within, they both stood still, listening intently to the wisdom of the jar warrior.

Alexander, inspired, continued:

"It's important to enjoy the battle, Konstantin. And I completely understand you! That feeling of facing a strong opponent! The sense of becoming better and improving yourself! The thrill of true victory after a hard-fought fight!"

Konstantin wanted to step forward and embrace Alexander.

He understood him so well! Finally, someone who truly understood him!

Alexander sighed as he observed the Tarnished's state.

"You've made a fatal mistake, Konstantin."

"What kind of mistake?" Kosta asked in surprise.

"You've forgotten what actually brought you joy. The pleasure wasn't in limiting yourself for a hard-won victory, but in surpassing yourself, in growth. You've outgrown all your opponents, and because of that, you've burned out. By restricting yourself and forbidding yourself to use everything you're capable of, you won't rediscover that sense of overcoming and self-improvement, Lord Konstantin."

"Then what should I do?"

Alexander folded his hands.

"To start with—let go of those foolish restrictions. Stop worrying about your opponents being too weak. That's not your problem; it's theirs."

Kosta lowered his head, lost in serious thought.

"If I fall completely into casual play, I'll stop enjoying the battles altogether…"

"No one's telling you to completely give in, Konstantin. Just stop limiting yourself with nonsense and think about how defeating an opponent could bring you satisfaction—and why. A true warrior always has a goal, even if that goal is simply to become the strongest! And besides, a goal doesn't have to be singular, ha-ha!"

The inner waifu enthusiast and the inner hardcore gamer within Konstantin exchanged glances. They extended their hands toward each other, unexpectedly shaking them.

Kosta closed his eyes, feeling the light of the Sun grow even closer and brighter.

"Challenges. I can create them myself. With different classes, different builds, different weapons, and armor. These mechanics weren't added just for show—they're there so players can experiment and enjoy the game. A true hardcore gamer isn't someone who plays one class and defeats all the bosses with an unupgraded club but someone who's explored the game thoroughly, trying and enjoying every mechanic. I'd completely forgotten that…"

Alexander barely understood what the mad Tarnished was saying, but he still nodded in support of his new friend.

"You're right, Lord Konstantin!"

Kosta remembered how, bored of monotony, he had first tried the astrologer class. How, after only a bit of leveling, he began obliterating bosses without even getting close to them.

How he collected various spells and experimented with them. How he toyed with different builds, sometimes speccing into bleed, other times using absurd incantations, or exploiting developer oversights to gallop across the map on a flying mount. And he enjoyed it. Because it was something new and unusual.

How unfortunate that the veil of "true" hardcore had eventually clouded his vision. He thought he'd stopped enjoying the game because everything had become too easy.

But in truth, he had stopped enjoying it not because of ease, but because he was simply burnt out. He had explored and tried everything, eventually returning to total hardcore mode, which no longer brought him the same joy, no matter how much Kosta denied it.

Now, however, the situation was different. This world had something that completely compensated for the trials of a burned-out Soulslike player.

Of course, that something was waifus.

And unique, not necessarily difficult, but just enjoyable new challenges he could set for himself using the limitless mechanics of the Lands Between. There were countless things he wanted to try, to explore what he hadn't yet uncovered. But he had been holding himself back.

"Thank you. You've helped me a lot, Alexander."

The warrior jar laughed heartily.

"Of course, Lord Konstantin! Oh, stars, I'm so glad I could help you!"

In the end, Konstantin—his gaze imperceptibly changed, now filled with the light of the Sun brighter than ever—watched as the jar went on its way. They planned to meet again in the future.

And this time, he would not be constrained by dialogue options and would try to help another warrior as lost as he had been.

Melina didn't stay away for long. She couldn't find peace, fearing something bad might happen again. But she could never have imagined what had actually occurred.

"Do you feel better, Konstantin?"

Meeting Melina's astonished gaze, the man nodded firmly.

"Yes. I've thought a lot. And considered much."

The girl thought that the gray eyes of the man—eyes that only lit up during battle—now burned with renewed strength. Brighter than ever, they seemed to glint with the golden sheen of a true hardcore gamer who had embraced and mastered every mechanic of the game, even the utterly broken ones.

"I see you really do feel better," Melina said calmly, though inwardly she was genuinely happy for her champion. "What are you going to do next, Konstantin? Will you return to the Academy?"

Thanks to a Site of Grace, he could teleport straight to the heart of the Academy at any moment. But now the frightened sorcerers would be waiting for him.

"Certainly. But first, I've been meaning to visit a village in the Lakes of Liurnia. I'll try breaking a quest with a waifu warrior," Kosta mused. "And maybe have a little chat with Fia in the fortress…"

Seeing the smile spreading across the man's face, Melina's cursed eye briefly opened again.

'He's never smiled like that before! What did that jar do to him?!'

Melina wanted to chase after the departing Alexander and hit him with something heavy.

Konstantin blinked. For a moment, he felt as though he had narrowly avoided a softlock.(3)

(1) Estus – the health restoration flask in Dark Souls. Interestingly, in other games with similar mechanics, many players still refer to flasks as "Estus" out of habit, regardless of what they're officially called. Even in Lies of P, it's still Estus.

(2) Unfortunately, despite Melina being a central character in the game, she doesn't really have a backstory. We actually know more about Sellen than we do about Melina—even though Sellen is just a side character you have to stumble upon, by divining her position using your third eye. To complete her questline you'll need to use your precognitive posterior (or guides) only to reach an abrupt and unexplained ending.

(3) A softlock is essentially a game-breaking bug. The game might seem functional at first glance but refuses to progress the player through the story. This can manifest in various ways, such as key characters disappearing, dialogue loops, or simply breaking the sequence of events, making further progression physically impossible. Interestingly, some softlocks can only be bypassed by breaking the game even further.