Alduin's Rise

[Keanumoreira]

Abdul didn't have time to think about the origins of the falling woman, only how lucky he was to hold his ground for as long as he did. Vampires were falling left and right, and yet, more were on their way. When he felt that Edwin could hold his own, Abdul pushed through their assailants, flinging arrows and swinging his bow at any who dared to challenge the Argonian. One way or another, they were getting to that phylactery. The odds seemed to turn within their favor, and he wasted no time, for he knew they could easily turn again.

 

 

Many fell to his expertise with the bow, and many were fearsome, but it was the lich that would prove a true challenge. From the chaos of battle, there emerged an idea, and to do it, he had to summon the Hist.

 

 

"Oh scared tree of Argonia, our soul, our breath, our mind...native to the marshland, far to the East, the home of your children and the realm in which you dwell; I ask of you to awaken and relent your powers to me." Within seconds, all appeared to slow, and the council of the Hist assembled. From the depths of his mind, it ventured forth:

 

 

"What is it that you require of us? What can the mighty Hist do for the Argonian?"

 

"We need a way to defeat Hevnoraak, to distract him while we shatter his phylactery."

 

The Hist sighs with disappointment, "Isn't it obvious?" It waits for a moment, then proceeds, clearly irritated, "We know of a way to destroy the unholy king of Whiterun. The answer is deep within yourself. All you have to do is discover your roots..." It chuckles at this, pleased with its answer. Moments later, it fades away, leaving Abdul in bewilderment.

Edited October 25, 2013 by Keanumoreira

[twentynine29]

The pain from Edwin's wounds slowly subsided and he was able accumulate enough strength to walk again. However his vision was blurred and his hearing was hazy due to losing so much blood. He was absolutely puzzled by that girl who had just rescued them, how she fell from the sky and took down all of them single-handedly. He shuffled towards his sword and sheathed it. He still wasn't well enough to wield a sword but he still has his magic.

 

He ran through the gates, the interior of the once grand palace was replaced by a macabre surrounding. Necromancer tools and writings decorated the hall, Rotting corpses dangled from the ceiling. More vampires showed up to greet them. Edwin was prepared this time, he raised his hand in the air and snapped his fingers. This caused around four or five vampires to burst into flames. The nightdwellers stepped back a few paces before lunging back again. Edwin shoots a stream of lightning from his hands at the attacking bloodsuckers until they were reduced to nothing but ashes.

 

The phylactery was dead ahead, sitting nicely on the throne as if it was asking for it to be shattered. This was his big chance, he could destroy it now. Yet it seemed too obvious. Who in their right mind would leave their source of power out in the open for someone to shoot? That phylactery could be a fake, a spell could be planted on there to go off on contact. He saw mages do stuff like that to soul gems back home. He didn't think this was the real thing.

Edited October 25, 2013 by twentynine29

[FennecFyre]

Sivari's dagger flashed upwards at the vampire charging her, causing the undead creature to reel back with a scream, a long diagonal cut beading blood across his face. She shifted the blade in her hand and stabbed downwards, burying the weapon into the vampire's collarbone and twisting viciously. The monster crumpled, only to be replaced by another, and another. Panic welled in her chest. This wasn't like fighting a pack of bandits who were harassing the caravan. These things were ruthless and quick. She screamed as a dagger sliced across her shoulder, a scream echoed in the throat of another of her friends, followed quickly by a dying gurgle. Sivari's frantic eyes cast about, fixing on Artago's corpse. The chest was ripped open, and he was lying in a pool of his own blood. The amulet the old man had given him was flung to the side, it's silver chain snapped. "No!" For all his gruffness, she had been glad to have the Dunmer in their group, and now despair and anger clouded her mind. With a feral snarl, she stabbed and slashed in a maelstrom of blows, but she knew it wouldn't be enough. From across the melee came Abdul's frantic shout, and she attempted to fight her way towards Tordin, but found her path blocked by a she-vampire with red magic glowing in her palms.

 

They were going to die.

 

Just as she was contemplating her death, something crashed through the roof, landing the fight and striking out at the vampires. It was an armored woman, but with large white wings. She cut through the undead like a scythe through wheat, carving out a path to Edwin. Tordin strode in as well, sending vampires flying with weapon and shout alike. Sivari heard his rally call and fought her way towards him, standing back to back and holding off the undead. She suffered several wounds, and it seemed like there would be no end to the monsters, but eventually, finally, the last fell, and silence descended upon the hall.

 

Panting hard, Sivari tried to take a step and grimaced, hand clutching her shoulder and coming away bloody. She murmured a few words and conjured up a pitiful golden glow, patching up the worst of her injuries. She turned her attention towards the new woman, thankful, but still wary. It could be a a trap. "Who...who are you?"

[Xion136]

Five to one, none of them the power of the master. She charged, dragging her swords. She brought them up, knocking blades aside. She used her momentum to execute a backflip, kicking two, then landed in an awkward handstand. She grimaced and let her weight carry her down into a kneeling position, where she brought Frost and Blaze up to block. She whipped out her wings, bashing two vampires to knock them off balance. She backed up as tge third Vampire slashed her bare upper chest, drawing blood. Ignoring the wound, Teresse charged and spun, decapitating him. She ended her spin and parried the next two, then went sideways. The other two were coming from behind. Typical. She jumped back, letting them lose balance slightly to engage her, and rushed forward, slashing one across the chest with both swords. She jumped and stabbed another through the chest, and as he fell to the floor, she used her now-embedded sword as a fulcrum, spin-kicking two away before pulling her blade out. Three Vampires left.

"Not bad for the denezins of Molag Bal." She let them charge, then threw her twin Nordic blades, impaling two through the heart. The third smiled in anticipation, his axe raised.

Requiem's Call pierced his chest, and he fell.

 

Gathering her two blades and sending them back to their magical storage space. Her armor and wings seemed the crystalize and start shattering into a shardstorm, and the girl stood there in mostly normal clothes. She adjusted the length of what appewred to be rope looping over her left shoulder and going across her chest to her left hip before facing Sivari.

"Teresse Angel-Fire. Valkyrie of Shor, a Ningheim of Kynareth." She knelt before the Khajiit. "I was ordered to assist your group, and thus I am here." She stood, looking somewhat distasteful at Tordin. "Despite them sending the almighty Thunderer." She said somewhat sarcastically. Teresse again looked to Sivari. "Is everyone ok?" She asked.

[Keanumoreira]

How long was he out?

 

 

Abdul returned to find all of the vampires dead, and the majority of the group relatively intact. He was especially glad to see Sivari in one piece; the wound on her arm instinctively drew worry, but with a golden glow, she sealed it. He blew a sigh of relief. But just as he was going to join her and the others, he remembered the woman who had crashed through the ceiling. Rain water was pouring through and down the steps, flowing beneath the feet of the one who called herself "Teresse." He was shocked at what came next.

 

 

"A Valkyrie?" Abdul ventured to ask, cautiously approaching her, "You're a Valkyrie? So what, you're some kind of fallen angel or something, sent by Shor to save us?" As crazy as it sounded, given the circumstances of the past few days, could it really be all that far-fetched? Whatever she was, Teresse saved their lives; Valkyrie or not, she had earned his respect, at least for the time being.

 

 

"Savari...I know all of this may seem strange- it certainly is to me - but...." He walks over solemnly to the corpse of Artago, kneels down, and shuts his eyes, "...I think she should join us, at least for now." He raises his body and sets him beneath the aperture, allowing the rain to cleanse the blood that has tainted his body (it's an old Argonian tradition, typically performed in preparation for burial), "It's not like we have a lot of options right now..."

Edited October 26, 2013 by Keanumoreira

[twentynine29]

Corpses of vampires were scattered throughout the hall, and the young winged woman standing over them. She came down from the sky and took down an entire battalion of vampires in only a few short minutes. Edwin just stood there, completely flabbergasted. He let out a long sigh of relief, and plopped down with his back resting on a wall. "We owe you our lives Valkyrie, I am grateful for your help." Edwin said enthusiastically. "Shall we move on? We might get more company if we linger."

[Macman253]

Tordin growled, The Valkyries were what brought the honored dead to Sovngarde. He cursed and strode towards her. "Did Shor send you to interrupt my mission?" He demanded, Shor gave him the task of killing Alduin and sending one of his Valkyries was just another sign of his infinite distrust in the skills of mortal men, even those that sacrificed as much as he had in his life. Tordin raised his hand to signal he cared not for a response, he checked his shield and walked up the steps of Dragonsreach to the throne room where Hevnoraak resided.

 

He inhaled deeply and channeled his thu'um. "Hev Nor Raak!" He shouted, the challenge had been made. He turned to his companions.

 

"I will deal with him, you find his phylactery and destroy it." His voice was full of a righteous rage and left no room for protest, a deep groan came from the depths of the Keep. The Lich was approaching.

 

Tordin took a knee, he whispered a silent prayer.

 

"Lord Talos, bless me in this time of need. Grant my storms the strength of your vengeance." Tordin finished the prayer and entered the main throne room, stepping over the mass of vampire bodies. He stood staring and ready for the battle to come, he challenged Hevnoraak and he would face him alone.

[FennecFyre]

(Hey Macman, we were already in Dragonsreach, sorry to bug.

 

If anyone else doesn't know where the group is or needs a recap, tell me and I'll try to explain)

 

Sivari snorted, then winced in pain. "So long as nobody's been infected, we should be fine." She joined Abdul in moving Artago's body, nodding quietly. "Sivari does not know if she trusts this Teresse yet, but you're right, we have little choice." Artago had been a trained warrior, and had been cut down almost immediately. They were up against heavy odds. She looked over at the Argonian, suddenly feeling a rush of determination. She wasn't going to let anyone else die.

 

Her ears caught the sound of Tordin confronting Teresse. "I thought Nords were supposed to have comradeship bursting out the ears and all that," she called, more to distract the two from a potential fight than to insult him. She frowned as he shouted for the Priest. "I thought we were supposed to do this without confronting him," she said. But what was done was done. She nodded at Abdul, Edwin, and Teresse. "Let's go." She turned and rushed into a side hallway, moving down a flight of stairs into a series of dank rooms. The dungeon, maybe? "Spread out, see if you can find a hidden alcove or something where it might be."

 

------

 

Up on the balcony, Hevnoraak turned his dried visage to look back at the door. The dragon, scales patterned in white, blue, and black with a double row of vicious spines across his back, turned his head. "Is there something wrong?" he asked in Dovah, raising one scaly brow. He didn't appreciate being interrupted.

"Some Mey who wishes to win glory against me." responded the lich, voice crackling from his rotted vocal cords. He bowed deeply to the dragon. "A moment, Lizjotstrun." Red flames engulfed him, and he and his guards disappeared...

 

------

 

...And materialized in the throne room in front of Tordin. Hevnoraak was a fearsome sight. His once-golden armor was now tarnished, and his faded red robes were tattered. His face was hidden behind an emotionless metal dragon priest mask, and in one hand, he held a dragon headed staff. There was a rattle of weapons around him as the Draugr drew their weapons. "The newest fool to try and test his mettle against me." he rasped. "Did you know, mortal, that when I planned my resurrection, I left no possibility unaccounted for? I have not lost that trait. The vampires may not have been enough to stop you," Magic began to glow in his free hand. "but I am more powerful than that entire band of batfaces combined. First, I will crush your mind, and you will beg for death. Then, my guards will detain your friends, and they were suffer the same fate as you." Although Tordin couldn't see it, Hevnoraak was smiling (It was actually a good thing Tordin couldn't see his face, a smiling lich could probably sour milk). "How does it feel, mortal, knowing that your journey ends here?" He raised his hand, palm glowing with energy. "Your will is mine."

 

And yet Tordin would feel nothing but an extremely unpleasant mental sensation, as if slimy tendrils were attempting (and failing) to worm their way into his brain. Shocked, Hevnoraak drew back. "Wha--Who supports you, Nord!?"

[Keanumoreira]

Abdul glanced over as Sivari joined his side, the two of them lowering the body of their fallen companion in the hopes of putting him to peace. For a moment, she glanced back at him, renewal replacing the doubt on her face. He smiled at this, hoping that she didn't notice the burning in his cheeks. Before they set out for the phylactery, Abdul thought it respectful to say some words on Artago's behalf. A lot of it was blessings from the nine divines, deities the Argonian did not choose to follow, but ones that Artago may have. There are exceptions to every rule, and he thought that for but a moment, he could place his prejudice aside.

 

 

As the others set out, Abdul turned to see Tordin, who was intent on facing Hevnoraak alone, standing there like a statue, waiting for the lich to reveal himself. As he joined the search for the phylactery, worry welled beneath his scaly chest. Andul knew that this may have been the last time that he would ever see his friend alive again.

Edited October 27, 2013 by Keanumoreira

[Xion136]

Teresse scowled. Shor sent her to ensure Alduin's fall. But the hotheaded Tordin did not even give her a chance to explain.

"Kynareth, fill me. May my breath be used for you." While not skilled in the thu'um like a Dragonborn, she could still use Unrelennting Force, the sole gift from Kynareth. She followed Sivari.

"Distrust me as you like, Khajiit. Tordin dislikes my presence. If he wishes to be snide and rude towards Shor's Valkyrie, it is his choice." She wasn't happy, obviously. She followed the rest, eyes scanning.

 

Then she stepped beside Sivari, hands clasped over her heart.

"Nords will disagree a lot. My love for Tordin is more akin to dislike. He is too showy and too arrogant." She looked around, frowning. "I don't really need your trust. After this, go ahead and detain me. I'm here to help you succeed. Not to become your friend." She smiled shyly at that. "Wouldn't mind not bing mistrusted." She admitted, then left Sivari alone. "How do we know his phylacer-whatever isn't on the Lich himself?"