Alduin's Rise

[twentynine29]

Edwin paced through the hall, carefully inspecting the entire room for the phylactery. "If it was on the lich himself, it would be too conspicuous. The phylactery would probably be hidden somewhere tightly locked and well guarded." he suggested. "Tordin is buying us a great deal of time. If he doesn't make it, let's not have him die in vain."

Edwin made his way towards the room on the right, the court mage's room. The room was messy and seemed to be filled with scripts on black magic. There were a few bits of ash on the ground as well, as if all of the other books were burned. He dug through countless piles of books and scrolls. Frustrated by a lack of progress, he angrily kicked a small pile of tomes across the room. He noticed a small note that fell out if the pages of one off the books. In it, contained a small note, in it was a map of the palace. A hastily drawn skull was drawn on the left wing of Dragonsreach. It was quite large, so the exact location wasn't clear. At least they were pointed in the right direction.

Edited October 28, 2013 by twentynine29

[Keanumoreira]

They walked through what must have been a maze of rooms, all empty save for a few scattered scrolls and useless paperwork. Nothing seemed to point in the direction of the phylactery. He wondered if there was a secret door or compartment they must have passed as they combed the rooms time and time again. Pulling away cobwebs, brushing away dust, an air of urgency began to sink in. What if they couldn't find it? How long would it be before Hevnoraak discovered them? Was the old man wrong in choosing them?

 

Abdul quelled his anxiety, which quickly turned to frustration. Someone had to have discovered something by now. He was thinking if Sivari turned anything up when he noticed that Edwin rushed back to the main hall, "where's he off to?", only to return shortly after with a paper in his hands. It was a map, leading to what no doubt was the phylactery.

 

"Sivari, you may want to take a look at this!"

Edited October 28, 2013 by Keanumoreira

[Macman253]

Tordin smirked, he had faced down Dragon Priests before, only the world eater and his generals were able to bring him down. He raises his hammer, the amulet of Talos tied around the pommel.

 

"Mighty Talos protects me Hevnoraak. And I will strike you down!" He roars as he hurls a thunderbolt at the Lich and charges him. The charge of battle drowns out the fear inspired by the Lich, to Tordin he was just another evil to be vanquished, he had experienced death before but his return to Mundus was to destroy Alduin, not be killed and cast aside by one of his lackeys. Tordin leapt into the air with Sahrot Strun Tu raised, he bellowed a mighty roar and thunder rolled as he brought the legendary hammer down onto Hevonoraak's skull.

 

The battle for Whiterun had truly begun...

[FennecFyre]

In spite of her apprehension, Sivari laughed. "Nords are far more straightforward with themselves than we Khajiit are. It's quite refreshing." She cast a look over her shoulder back at the staircase. "Although you also seem to be less inclined to retreat safely." she added quietly.

 

She nodded as Edwin answered Teresse's question. "Exactly. Besides, if he had his phylactery with him, then it would be very easy to destroy. No, the old renrijri will have it squirreled away somewhere where we won't be able to find it easily." Sivari pricked her ears as Abdul called her over and walked to him and Edwin, curious. She studied the paper in Edwin's hands, then grinned broadly. "Edwin, you may just be as clever as a Khajiit." She tapped the skull sketch with one finger. "I think we're on that side. I wonder what the map is for, though. Maybe they have Draugr come down here and clean?" She imagined a Draugr with an apron and a broom and snickered. "Either way, we've got to get to it before Tordin's luck runs out."

 

She looked down the hall. The torches farther down had more or less guttered out, so she took one from a nearby sconce, not for herself (her feline vision gathered every possible speck of light) but for her more-impaired companions. She sniffed the air, trying to search for anything that might indicate their goal. Her amulet grew warm again, and her nose sharpened. She could smell Teresse and Edwin, and Abdul's slightly-mossy (but hardly unpleasant) Argonian smell, stones, mold, and...

She inhaled again. "Clay. Pottery, maybe. And...?" She made a face. "Guh! Something smelly and poorly-preserved." She looked at the others. "Smells like lich-guts to me. Come on!" She dashed down the hall, trying to follow her nose.

 

-------

 

Hevnoraak reeled under the blow, crumpling to the floor. The Draugr surged forward, growling, weapons raised. A large one swung at Tordin with a large axe, while another attempted to stab at his gut. Hevnoraak slowly rose again, levitating off the ground. The side of his skull was caved in, and his mask was badly dented. He laughed, a hideous, guttural noise. "I am a lich, fool. You cannot kill me directly. Which reminds me..." He gestured to four other Draugr. "Go after the others. Find them, and kill them." They obeyed, moving in the direction of the stairs. He turned back to Tordin and raised his staff. The end crackled, and a wall of lightning sprayed towards the Nord. "Fight this, Thunderer," the Priest crowed.

[Keanumoreira]

Abdul scowled when Edwin wasn't looking; "Oh sure, he can find a stupid map," the Argonian muttered, "but he can't even fight off a vampire." He was reminded of the incident in the temple. "Psh...if I saw him coming, it would have been different."

 

Turning to his left, he could see Sivari dashing down the hallway, and without a second thought, rushed off after her, leaving Edwin and Teresse behind. "Too slow my friend..." But as he looked back to see the look on his face, he noticed another horde of drauger quickly advancing in their direction. Adbul pulled out his bow and began firing, sure to hit the drauger and not his companions instead. Panting, and his chest tightening, he managed to catch up with Sivari, "It looks like we've got company." He stopped, ready to receive the enemy, "Go! Find the phylactery. I'll try and hold them off as best I can!" He fired another arrow, "And if I fall, let me fall! Hevnoraak must be killed!"

Edited October 31, 2013 by Keanumoreira

[Xion136]

Teresse stepped beside Abdul. With what were practiced motions, she drew her twin blades.

"Go with them. You all are exhausted from the battle with the vampires and I am not. Go Abdul."

She relaxed, spinning her swords as he picked a few more off. "Kynareth left me a gift." While no Dragonborn, she still had centuries to master the art of patience, concentration, and a gentleness of sorts.

"Force without Effort..." she whispered as they gor closer.

 

As a Draugr raised his greatsword, Teresse smirked slightly.

" Fus Ro Dah! "

Kynareth's gift blasted back half the Draugr onto the others. The walls shook ever so slightly, and Teresse fell to a knee. She wasn't panting, momentarily regaining her composure.

 

Standing, Teresse charged, blades kicking up sparks. It was in these moments of battle that Teresse foundherseld the most alive.

Well. Not really. But there wasn't a pointy-eared, pale skinned, dark haired beauty here. To which Teresse turned her foot, using her heel as a fulcrum, and her momentum her attack. She sliced three across the chest, then came to rest.

"Back to Oblivion with you, monsters." She said, and launched herselfninto the fray with a reckless but careful and coordinated flury of strikes.

[twentynine29]

Edwin ran towards the left room. "Sivari! Abdul! Follow me!" A staircase down to a cellar was on the far side of the kitchen. Edwin made for the cellar with utmost haste. The phylactery was guaranteed to be in there according to the map. The basement was pitch black and had a foul stench. Edwin summoned a hovering ball of light to see around, it had old bits of wood and hay laying around, barrels and crates knocked over and scattered around. An old battered door sat only a few feet away. This wouldn't be a bad place to look. Edwin walked to the door, his hand grabbed the doorknob. He was abruptly stopped by a calm whispering voice from the other side

 

"Hello".

 

"Huh?" Edwin stepped back a couple paces. "Wh-who are you?" Edwin replied. "Ah yes, I seemed to have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Mephala, also known as the Webspinner. Pleased to meet you." Edwin knew Mephala as the Daedric Prince of Obfuscation and Secrecy. One of his least favorites "What do you want with me!?" Edwin snapped.

 

"I know very well what you seek, Hevnoraak's phylactery, it lies beyond this door. But it cannot be destroyed with mundane tools or regular magic. It needs something with a bit more...strength. Something like a daedric artifact. Fortunately for you though, I just so happen to also have one behind this door. The Ebony Blade, a true masterpiece. That should do the trick. The door clicked, signifying it being unlocked. Edwin drew his sword and cautiously opened the door. As he peeked in, sure enough there was the phylactery, sitting on top of a table. It was small urn with a carving of two dragons on the top. Beside it, was a He furiously swung his sword at the phylactery to make sure she wasn't bluffing. As the blade hit the Edwin was knocked back a few feet. The urn was undamaged. He cast his most powerful Destruction spells at it. The phylactery still sat there without a scratch. The Ebony Blade sat beside it, waiting to be picked up. It was a large dark sword, looked of Akaviri make. Perhaps the blade could be able to destroy the phylactery as she said. But he heard the legends of the blade, how it turns even the most honorable men and women into bloodthirsty savages. Edwin thought for a good long moment. He didn't have any other choice in this matter. He reluctantly reaches for the demonic blade.

Edited October 31, 2013 by twentynine29

[Keanumoreira]

"No." Abdul uttered harshly, "Other men may bow before the Valkyries, but this Argonian does not." He smiled, joining her side confidently, "I'm not going anywhere."

 

He charged into the fray of swords and bloodshed, striking down many foes with his poniard. Teresse wasn't bad herself. With her expertise in the Thu'um, Abdul found her to be a worthy companion. Within minutes, the horde had been virtually destroyed. He turned to the Valkyrie, nearly out of breath, "you don't fight half bad for a fallen angel." He laughed for a moment, sheathing his poniard.

 

It was at this moment that he witnessed Edwin shouting and running off in the opposite direction. "That moron is always running after something..." He shook his head, "and one day, it's going to get him killed. Where do you suppose he's off to anyway?" He slapped his forehead in frustration, laughing somewhat nervously, "Oh no...I know where he's going." Abdul turns to Teresse, "You know, I bet you that he read that map wrong. Sivari is headed in the right direction, and frankly, I'd trust her instincts over any of ours any day. That fool, however, looked to be heading for the basement. No doubt, Hevnoraak has planted something there." He sighed deeply, "I better go tell Sivari. You can stay here if you need to. More drauger might be on the way."

 

He bolted after Sivari, hoping that she hadn't found herself in any trouble of her own.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Keanumoreira

[Xion136]

"I never said bow you...you stubborn lizard. You need to regain lost strength. Not lose more." She kept her temper in check, then frowned as he talked about Edwin and Sivari.

As Abdul bolted away after it all, she toyed with his words.

No. Not a demand. No smartassery today.

 

Drawing Requiem's Call, Teresse leapt down the stairs. She frowned. Landing in a crouch, the basement felt...wrong. oh so wrong.

Advancing, she kept her Valkyric sword drawn.

"Edwin?" She called.

 

(Yes I made up Valkyric I am pretty sure. So sue me.)

[twentynine29]

(Oops. I didn't really mean to send Edwin in the wrong direction. It was a stupid mistake on my part. l changed a few things in my first post so he would be a little bit less idiotic.)

 

Edwin raised the blade, preparing to strike, but then he felt something, like waking up from a bad dream. Hee throws the Ebony Blade to the side, realizing the magnitude of his folly. Mephala snickered. Uh oh, you've snapped out of it. Unfortunately since you know what's going on, you are of no use to me. Now run along back to your playmates. Don't worry, Hevnoraak and I will be sure to send our regards. His mind has been toyed with and he let himself be lured in to be corrupted by that b**ch Mephala. He stood there staring at the blade for a few more seconds before turning around. He heard the voice of Teresse calling his name. She'd kill him if she found out what had happened. Edwin ran out as fast as he could. He looked behind and saw the door shut all on it's own. As he looked forward again he found himself crashing right into Teresse. Edwin fell to the ground. Teresse remained unphased. "Teresse, forgive me! We've been lured away down here by Mephala, she's in with Hevnoraak! We have to help the others now, i'll make it up to you!"

Edited November 2, 2013 by twentynine29