Elden Ring: 2,000 Hour Speedrunner Becomes a Dragon Chapter 20 20: Dragon Shadow

"Road blocked?"

Lucia paused. She tossed the Godskin Stitcher back into the carriage, secured her Dragon-Scale Blade to her waist, and stepped out into the crisp air. The mont she did, the sheer, breathtaking scale of Dectus filled her vision.

The Altus Plateau rose like a colossal curtain wall from the earth, claiming half the sky and stretching into the horizon. At its center stood a fortress that defied the limits of human imagination. Its base was forged from stones weighing tons, held aloft by pillars so thick ten n couldn't encircle them. The mountain rock on either side had been smoothed by master stoneworkers and carved into gargantuan reliefs depicting the War of Unification. The scenes were so vivid it felt as though the world-shaking epic was unfolding in real-ti.

This architectural marvel, rivaling Farum Azula and Leyndell itself, symbolized the supre authority of the Golden Dynasty. It was a monunt to a unified continent.

Lucia exhaled slowly, steadying her heart against the awe. She looked toward the guests Guilel had ntioned: hundreds of Rodel Knights. They stood in a perfect, golden formation, their helts engraved with the Erdtree emblem. Their shields ford a wall, and their spears created a forest of steel that completely blocked the long, winding staircase leading to the Great Lift.

At the vanguard sat six Tree Sentinels. They were mounted on their hulking, alien warhorses, wielding gilded shields and golden halberds. The Erdtree's light shone from the sky behind them, casting a divine, blinding glow over the entire blockade.

"A grand display," Guilel sneered, her hand white-knuckled on her hilt. "Is this how the Golden Dynasty treats its invited guests?"

This was not a welco; it was a demonstration.

Lucia narrowed her eyes. Dectus was a vital strategic node, but Rodel Knights were not so common that they were spent as window dressing. Only a few people in Leyndell—the Queen, the King Consort, or the Golden Prince—had the authority to move a force this size for a political stunt.

The Rodel Knights remained as silent as statues, their discipline absolute. In contrast, the dragon warriors and Storm Knights behind Lucia were vibrating with a cold, murderous rage.

"Your Highness, what are the orders?" Even the stoic Aegis couldn't hide the tremor of anger in his voice.

Elders Muriel and Yatog hurried to Lucia's side. Both ancient dragons looked ready to shift into their primal forms and tear the fortress apart. In that mont, their past political disagreents vanished. This was a direct insult to the Ancient Dragon Demigod. To Farum Azula, this was a declaration of war.

"Your Highness—" Elder Yatog dropped to one knee, his voice a low growl. "I regret encouraging you to accept this invitation. Give the word, and we will wash these stairs in the blood of these traitors!"

Lucia noticed the bandages on Yatog's shoulders—wounds from the Godskin Apostle only a day prior. The old dragon's scales were rippling beneath his skin, fueled by a rage he could no longer contain.

"Rise, Elder," Lucia said, helping him up. "This was my choice. It does not rest on you."

Lucia strode to the front of the envoy, her mind racing. As a display of power, this was clumsy and insulting. If the Golden Dynasty wanted her to submit, they should have sent a formal decree of vassalage, not a silent blockade. This felt like a deliberate attempt to force a conflict or a humiliating retreat.

The ferocity of her dragon blood gnawed at her. She felt the venomous urge to draw her blade and lead the charge, to let the primal hunter take over. Her knuckles were pale as she gripped her sword. The Storm Knights were only a few hundred paces from the shield wall. She could hear the heavy, rhythmic breathing of the Tree Sentinels.

She knew that the steel in her hand held the lives of thousands on these stairs, and millions more in the dynasties beyond. One draw of the blade would ignite a cataclysm far greater than Sunset Pass.

If this were a ga, she thought, I'd back up my save and charge.

But there were no saves. Behind her stood a decaying Farum Azula that could not survive a total war.

"We..." She began to speak, her hand loosening on her hilt, when a deafening dragon roar shattered the sky.

A massive black shadow tore through the clouds from the direction of the Altus Plateau. It moved with a speed that left a trailing wake in the atmosphere. As it circled Dectus, its majestic form was revealed: a white-scaled Ancient Dragon with four unrestrained wings. Faint golden light shimred beneath its rock-like scales—the mark of the Elden Ring's blessing. It blotted out the sun, casting a shadow that swallowed the Golden Knights.

The Rodel Knights broke their silence. Their iron discipline shattered as they hurriedly bowed, clearing a path for the dragon to land.

With a violent gust of wind, the dragon descended. Its icy gaze swept over the Golden Knights, who stood frozen like they had been plunged into a glacial pool.

In a flash of light, the dragon's form shrank, transforming into a tall woman draped in white priestess robes. She raised a sharp brow.

"Who is your Knight Commander? Step forward." Her voice was elegant, yet it carried the weight of a mountain.

A Tree Sentinel trotted forward and bowed low. "I am—"

Before he could finish, Lansseax glanced at him with an indifferent coldness. The knight was struck as if by a physical hamr. His golden breastplate dented inward, and blood sprayed from behind his visor. He collapsed into the dirt, gasping.

"Pass this ssage," she said, her tone flat. "This is a one-ti exception. There will not be a second."

"Yes..." the knight managed hoarsely. His comrades rushed to help him retreat.

Lansseax turned toward the Farum Azula envoy. Lucia stood there, stunned, while the warriors behind her erupted into cheers. Guilel looked ready to burst with excitent.

In a single, flickering step, Lansseax crossed the hundred paces to stand before Lucia. Without a word, she reached out and ruffled the boy's silver hair, a playful smirk dancing on her lips.

"What is this? It's been less than three months since I left the sky city," she chuckled. "Has Your Highness already gone senile at such a young age?"