Malenia, Blade of Miquella

Malenia is a tragedy of devotion, a flawless blade wielded by a cursed hand.

Malenia, The Severed

Malenia is a daughter of Queen Marika and Radagon, an Empyrean born from a single God. This unique birth cursed her, as it did her twin brother, Miquella.

  • The Rot's Vessel: Malenia was born harboring the Scarlet Rot, a devastating plague linked to an exiled Outer God. This curse caused her limbs to rot and slough away, requiring her to wear masterful, golden prosthetics in place of her legs and right arm.

  • The Unbreakable Bond: Her twin, Miquella, was cursed with eternal childhood. This shared affliction created an unbreakable, all-consuming bond between them. Malenia swore herself entirely to his protection, taking the title that defines her: Malenia, Blade of Miquella.

  • The Flowing Blade: Malenia's renowned, unmatched swordsmanship was taught to her by a legendary figure: a blind swordsman with a curved blade. This master was said to have once sealed away the very God of Rot, and Malenia sought his tutelage to strengthen her will against the curse within her.

  • Miquella's Dream: Because the Golden Order could not cure her Rot, Miquella abandoned the faith to create his own perfect sanctuary: the Haligtree. He also forged the Unalloyed Gold Needle, a powerful artifact capable of warding off the influence of Outer Gods and temporarily holding Malenia's curse at bay.

The War and the Bloom

During the Shattering, Malenia and her loyal Cleanrot Knights marched out from the Haligtree.

  • The Unbeaten: Malenia's campaign was entirely undefeated. Her grace and devastating speed, exemplified by the infamous Waterfowl Dance, crushed every opponent who stood in her way.

  • The Fated Duel: She came to Caelid to meet her half-brother, General Radahn, in battle. The clash between the two greatest surviving demigods was apocalyptic. They were perfectly matched, and the battle became an interminable standstill.

  • The Ultimate Sacrifice: Unable to win, and desperate to fulfill her mission (which some suggest was tied to Miquella's greater plan to become a God), Malenia abandoned her pride and her control. She unleashed the Scarlet Rot's full power, "blooming" into a gigantic, devastating Scarlet Aeonia flower. This was her first great sacrifice, an act that reduced Caelid to a cursed wasteland.

The Long Slumber and Final Form

The battle was a draw. Malenia was left comatose, her mind blanked by the overwhelming Rot.

  • The Journey Home: One of her loyal Cleanrot Knights, Finlay, carried the unconscious demigod on his back, fighting off countless enemies to bring her all the way back to the relative safety of the Haligtree.

  • The Awaiting Blade: Malenia slept, dreaming of her brother's return and his ultimate triumph. She slept in the depths of Elphael, her presence slowly infecting the very Haligtree with the Rot.

  • Goddess of Rot: When you, the Tarnished, finally reach her, Malenia awakens. If defeated in the first phase of the fight, she succumbs entirely, blooming for a final, catastrophic time. She does not die, but is instantly reborn as a true Goddess of Rot, fully embracing the Outer God's power—her fate fulfilled in her ultimate defeat.

Her last words, if you defeat her, are an apology to Miquella. She died as she lived: not for a crown, but for her brother.