The spell was broken

"Magic has its roots in the human heart."

"My apprentice, perhaps your friend can't return to his original form because, deep down, he doesn't want to?"

My sorcery teacher Sellen's words were a revelation.

After a brief rest at the Site of Grace in the Waypoint Ruins cellar, I summoned Torrent and hurried away.

Dusk was drawing to a close, and half the sky had already donned a deep, inky blue.

Before the Night's Cavalry came on duty, I rode Torrent along the eastern edge of Agheel Lake, crossed the short bridge, and found the little grove where Boc was hiding.

Still in the shape of a bush, Boc was still lamenting quietly as before: "Hey-someone passing by, please help me."

"Hey, Boc! I'm back!" I hurried over to greet him, full of excitement.

The little bush suddenly shook violently. Had I startled him?

"Th-that voice... Oh, are you the Tarnished from last time?" Boc recognized me too. "You've been gone so long. I'm so glad you're safe. I thought you'd run into trouble."

Well, I certainly had run into a bit of trouble.

"I've got good news for you, Boc. I know why you can't break the spell!" I kept him in suspense for a moment.

But to my surprise, the little bush began trembling uncontrollably. "L-Lord Tarnished, please have mercy."

Shouldn't he have been happily asking me why?

Had last time really traumatized him that badly?

"Don't worry, Boc. I won't hurt you," I said with a smile. "After all, the real cause lies in how you truly feel!"

"How I truly feel?"

"That's right!" I recalled the scenes from Elden Ring. He had gone alone to the Coastal Cave, where he had once lived with his mother, only to suffer a savage attack from the Demi-Humans inside and nearly lose his life.

Coupled with how timid and fearful the real Boc was, he probably didn't even have enough runes to revive through grace. In other words, he only had one life, just like me. (That was how it worked in the game, after all.)

All those factors combined meant that, although Boc kept saying he had to return to the cave, where the treasure his mother had left him lay stolen, he was too afraid to move forward. That was why he couldn't return to his original form.

Boc probably hadn't realized this himself, which was why he kept pleading with passersby for help in confusion.

I simplified my reasoning a little and explained it to him.

Perhaps out of shock, Boc fell silent for a long while before stammering, "...I-I see. Thank you for telling me, Lord Tarnished... Oh, so that's it. I became like this because I didn't dare take action... Mother, what should I do?"

"There's nothing to fear, Boc!" I thumped my chest confidently. "I'll go back to the Coastal Cave with you and help you recover your mother's treasure!"

"What?!" Boc was clearly shocked, his entire bush shaking violently. "B-but, Lord Tarnished, that cave is full of vicious brutes... Especially my two former chiefs. They're incredibly strong. They can tear a lamb apart with their bare hands! ...I-I'm not doubting your abilities, kind Lord Tarnished, but I... I'm really not worth taking such a risk for."

Come to think of it, the Coastal Cave really was an early-game nightmare for newcomers.

Although the monsters weren't particularly difficult overall, the problem was that the boss room held not only the two Demi-Human Chief bosses, but also countless little Demi-Humans circling the Tarnished and darting in for the occasional slash.

-Ganging up on someone was the ultimate form of justice in Elden Ring!

Fortunately, that old bastard Miyazaki had found his conscience and placed a dependable summon there-the Ancient Knight, Ishutobon, who was also a first-rate hand at drawing aggro.

Perhaps we could find that veteran Tarnished first and head to the cave together... Or could I bring some other companions along?

A flash of inspiration struck, and I thumped my chest confidently again. "It's fine, it's fine. I've thought of a way to deal with them! Besides, I happen to have a little business to take care of in that cave myself."

"I-is that so?"

"So there's nothing to fear, Boc! Return to your original form, and let's go take back what's ours!"

My words brimmed with passion and bold resolve.

Even Boc gave his branches a little shake. "...Um, well, my feet seem to have gone numb. I still can't move."

...I felt as though a crow had flown cawing through my heart.

"Aaah-"

"Wh-what are you doing, Lord Tarnished?!"

"Massaging your feet and pulling you out, of course!"

"Aaah-it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! That's my waist! Lord Tarnished! You're going to break my back!"

"Damn it, your fear really is deeply rooted!" I caught my breath and rubbed my palms together. "But I'm not giving up!"

Shing!

"D-did you draw your sword? What are you doing now, Lord Tarnished?!"

"Keep your feet tucked in!" I drove my sword into the ground, then dug up a clump of soil with all my strength. I repeated the process. Surely I could pull this coward out.

"Please, just leave me be, Lord Tarnished." Boc had actually started begging.

I snapped at him, "But do you really think this is all right, Boc?! If you're so afraid of the Demi-Humans in that cave that you can't face their powerful chiefs, why do you keep desperately calling for help?!"

"I..."

"The treasure your mother left you means a lot to you, doesn't it?! Even weighed against your life, you'd still rather have it back, wouldn't you?!"

"..."

"...To tell you the truth, I'm a coward too! After I left here last time, I ran into the Night's Cavalry, a Bloody Finger, bandits, and a crazed Pumpkin Head Soldier! They were all powerful-so powerful they nearly killed me! ...For a while, that left me utterly terrified of death too. So terrified that, just like you, I didn't dare take another step."

"Lord Tarnished, even you feel that way?"

"That's right! Everyone's the same before death. Once your life ends, you've got nothing left, after all." I let out a strained sigh, then continued digging up the soil. "But death is inevitable. Whether in this world full of grace or anywhere else in the universe, nothing truly incapable of dying has ever been found."

"...Why do we fear death? Isn't it because there are still wishes we haven't fulfilled, things we haven't done, even when we're about to die? So we yearn and plead for a little more time, just a little more! ...If that's the case, why not use our limited lives to pursue what we truly want?! Cowering in fear? Wallowing in self-pity? When death really comes-when someone suddenly chops you in half while you're stuck in this bush form-won't you regret it, Boc?!" I was practically shouting.

I wasn't only saying this to Boc. I was roaring at myself as well, venting at the part of me that was still lost, still afraid.

-That's right. Boc was the person I used to be!

"...I... I don't want that either..."

"Then admit it, Boc! In your heart, the treasure your mother left you means that much. Even weighed against your life, the scales would tip toward it! ...Then take action! Some things can only be obtained by giving them everything you've got!" Once again, I swung my sword hard and shoveled up the soil.

Suddenly, a light breeze whipped up a cloud of dust beside me, and within it appeared the figure of an incredibly scrawny Demi-Human who looked like a little dog.

"Cough, cough... Boc?"

"...Oh, Lord Tarnished. Oh, thank you so much." Boc crouched on the ground, his back trembling faintly. "You're right. I... really don't want to let it go. After Mother passed away, it stayed with me, just as she had... I don't want to reach that true death you spoke of without ever getting it back. At least..."

"So, didn't I tell you? I'll help." I crouched down and patted Boc's shoulder.

Boc lifted his head, his face already streaming with tears. "Oh, oh! Lord Tarnished, thank you. Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Belatedly embarrassed, I scratched my head. "Just don't make me give another long, melodramatic speech like that again."