The phrase 'Radagon is Marika' is inscribed at the Raya Lucaria Academy. It is the canon's central revealed secret. Marika the eternal, Queen of the Lands Between, and Radagon, her second consort and the husband of Rennala, a separate being in every record of the Lands Between, are the same body. Marika split. Marika became Radagon. Radagon married Rennala first, fathered Rykard, Radahn, and Ranni in Liurnia, then left her to rejoin himself as queen and re-marry his other half as king. Malenia and Miquella were born of this second marriage to himself; Mohg and Morgott, the Omen twins, were born of Marika's earlier union with Godfrey.

'A Great Rune of the shardbearer Malenia. The blessing of this half-rotted rune reduces the healing power of Flask of Crimson Tears. And yet, due to the infusion of Malenia's spirit of resistance, attacks made immediately after receiving damage will partially recover HP.' Why Marika split is the canon's open question. The Erdtree's order required a male principle to bind the female lord; Marika could not produce demigods of the Golden Order without a husband whose blood was already Numen. She produced that husband from herself. Goldmask is the Tarnished who deduces the flaw at the heart of the Golden Order, its imperfection blamed upon the fickleness of the gods. Maliketh's office, sealing the Rune of Death, was assigned to him by Marika before she was Radagon; Radagon's later pursuit of the same Order required him to keep his earlier self's promises. Goldmask's Mending Rune of Perfect Order is the only ending that can heal a god who is both husband and wife to herself.

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ItemMalenia's Great Rune

A Great Rune of the shardbearer Malenia. The blessing of this half-rotted rune reduces the healing power of Flask of Crimson Tears. And yet, due to the infusion of Malenia's spirit of resistance, attacks made immediately after receiving damage will partially recover HP.

ItemMending Rune of Perfect Order

Rune discovered by the noble Goldmask. Used to restore the fractured Elden Ring when brandished by the Elden Lord. A rune of transcendental ideology which will attempt to perfect the Golden Order. The current imperfection of the Golden Order, or instability of ideology, can be blamed upon the fickleness of the gods no better than men. That is the fly in the ointment.