Boc's Curse

A forest at midnight, cries for help with no one in sight-anywhere in the world, that would make for an eerie ghost story.

Even in a world filled with magic and swords.

Kale had once mentioned in passing that I should stay away from talking trees. They would use honeyed words to lure in passersby, then turn those fools into nutrients beneath their roots-or transform them into trees like themselves.

Now, one such unassuming little tree stood before me, lamenting, "Oh, why does everyone pretend they can't see me? ...Is it really because an ugly demi-human like me doesn't deserve an answer?"

As a staunch materialist, today I would teach everyone how to debunk superstition!

Watch me roll. Hup!

The little tree rustled as I rolled into it, seemingly startled. "Huh? So someone is there? Please, help me!"

Huh. Strange.

In the game, all I had to do was roll into the tree to reveal his true form. Why was this fellow still a tree?

Was I rolling wrong?

"Hang on. I'll get you out in a moment." This time, I aimed straight at the little tree's trunk and rolled my whole body into it.

Hup!

"Stop! Stop! Stop! It's going to snap! It's going to snap! My back is going to snap!" the little tree wailed, even shoving me aside.

But strangely enough, he still hadn't returned to his original form.

"This isn't right. Is something bugged?" I scratched my head in utter confusion. "What's going on?"

He shook his branches helplessly. "To be honest, I'm not too sure myself... Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, kind soul. My name is Boc. As you can see, I'm a demi-human."

As I can see, my ass, I grumbled inwardly before saying, "I'm a Tarnished passing through, Boc. Can you tell me how you turned into a tree?"

"A tree? Ah! I've been turned into a tree! No wonder I can't move, and nobody will talk to me!"

...Uh, was the real Boc a complete airhead?

Come to think of it, the demi-humans in Elden Ring really didn't seem all that intelligent. Most couldn't even communicate. Boc, a seamster, was probably already a genius by his species' standards.

Boc continued telling his story without prompting. "...Oh, I don't know why, but the others in the Cave didn't like me, and they drove me out... Then I was turned into a tree."

"Did someone in the Cave turn you into one?" Perhaps Boc's memories held the answer to why he couldn't change back. I tried to puzzle it out.

Boc thought for a moment, then finally sighed. "T-to be honest, I can't remember."

"Then try sorting through what you do remember."

"What I remember... I remember that after I left the Cave, the outside world was full of danger... All I could do was run, and run, and run, until I reached somewhere around here... I was so tired that I hid in the bushes and slept for a while. I don't know how much time passed, but when I woke up, I couldn't move anymore."

"...Do you remember anything else? Anyone you saw before falling asleep, for instance?" When it came to magic alone, the strongest sorcerer in Limgrave was probably my teacher, Sellen, and her hiding place wasn't too far away.

But my teacher didn't seem like the mischievous little devil type.

Besides, Boc's answer caught me completely off guard. "Mother!"

"Huh?"

"I-I think I dreamed of my mother in my sleep." The little tree swayed slightly, seemingly embarrassed. "...It's a little shameful to admit, but I think I heard her singing the lullaby she used to sing when I was little. She also said..."

"What else did she say?!" I hurriedly pressed him.

"She recited some sort of spell and told me to keep myself safe."

A spell? Perhaps that was the key.

"Do you still remember the spell?"

"...I-I'm terribly sorry. I-I don't really remember that either." Boc's voice grew subdued. "After all, I'm so useless. Even when we went hunting, I could never catch anything. That's probably why everyone hated me."

Uh, what could I say?

Even I, the Tarnished, had apparently only been able to bully little rabbits until recently. I couldn't even catch goats or wild deer.

"Hey, hey, don't worry so much about that. Just live your own life, right?" I reassured him casually while drawing my Straight Sword. "Since rolling isn't enough, let's start experimenting!"

"Huh? Wh-what are you going to do?"

"First, a slash, of course!"

I swung casually, though I only trimmed a few slender branches from the little tree to avoid injuring him.

Even so, Boc screamed nonstop. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Stop! Please stop and think of something else!"

"Next, fire!" I took out the Torch and set one of the little tree's leaves alight.

Boc let out another scream like a pig being slaughtered. "Hot! Hot! Hot! It's burning me! I'm going to catch fire! I'm going to catch fire!"

"Looks like that doesn't work either." Disappointed, I put out the flame.

Boc asked weakly, "...Master Tarnished, may I dare ask whether you come from around Mt. Gelmir?"

I was a little puzzled. "No. Why do you ask?"

"I-it's just that I remembered Mother saying the people there were extremely skilled at all sorts of terrible methods of extracting confessions. She used to frighten me with that when I was little..."

"Oh, then water torture is next."

"Huh?"

"But I don't feel like peeing yet. Torrent!" I snapped my fingers, but Torrent ignored me.

Boc was already terrified. "Please spare me! Anything but that!"

"Just kidding." I led Torrent over and swung into the saddle. "Agheel Lake is nearby. I'll fetch some water. I'll find a way to help you, Boc."

With that, I rode off.

Uh, wait. I didn't seem to have a basin, a flask, or anything else to hold water. How was I supposed to bring any back?

"Neigh-"

Suddenly, Torrent let out a loud neigh and screeched to a halt from a full gallop.

"What's wrong, Torrent?"

I was just about to ask when another set of hoofbeats answered my question.

Up ahead, on the road to Agheel Lake, a knight seemed to emerge silently from the night itself, charging toward me on a heavily armored horse with a Halberd in hand.

Crap! How had I forgotten about this thing?

The Night's Cavalry was an elite guard dispatched by the Blessing King, the current ruler of the Royal Capital of Leyndell and nominal monarch of the entire Lands Between, to monitor and crush unrest wherever it arose.

Someone like that certainly wouldn't spare a Tarnished trying to lay claim to the Elden Ring!

"Torrent, run!" I yanked the reins and hurriedly turned to flee.

The hoofbeats behind me intensified. The Night's Cavalry was already in hot pursuit, sweeping his Halberd straight at my head.

I had no choice!

The familiar bridge lay ahead. I veered toward the opposite edge.

"Torrent, jump!" I quickly gave the command. Rather than keep tangling with this fellow on the road, I would use the terrain to shake him off as fast as possible.

Just like last time, Torrent performed a midair double jump, first landing on the bridge pier to the left, then coming down safely in the river channel below.

"Gah!"

The Skeleton Squad I hadn't finished off last time stubbornly delivered another terrifying fright.

Seriously, now that you've come to life, do none of you need to sleep?

With no other choice, I continued fleeing down the river channel.

I was almost clear of the skeletons when Torrent stopped once again.

No way. This is the spot!

A thick, pungent stench of blood spread through the bone-chilling air. It even affected Torrent's spirit body, making it tremble all over in pain.

"It's all right. You can go back for now, Torrent." I dismounted and gave its cheek a couple of reassuring pats.

Torrent faded from sight and returned to the Spectral Steed Whistle.

Just as I had experienced dozens of times in the game, a figure rose from a pool of sludge-like blood in the depths of the darkness ahead.

I silently drew a deep breath.

Bloody Finger incoming!