EPIC OF FATES (RESTARTED) STORY OF STORIES

[Maharg67]

0023(01)023: Of JADEKIN OF THE MAGEBORN: THUGS OR MORE THAN THUGS?

 

The thugs came brazen, aggressively, towards the chamber and the leader grinned at the Breton Sister of Compassion who stood at the doorway. He was a big, rough, filthy man who wore a battered Imperial Legionary helmet on his head.

 

Sister Abronia spoke to the man with a calm, tired voice. “Please go away, Brunatus. You have gathered more thug followers but they are still just thugs.”

 

Jadekin stepped into the big hallway tunnel and grinned mildly at the newcomers. She did not seem overly impressive but she moved smoothly and radiated confidence. The mageborn said nothing. Some other adults came out of the room clutching weapons.

 

Brunatus grinned and his exposed teeth were unnaturally long and sharp. Abronia looked shocked; clearly Brunatus had changed somehow.

 

Jadekin studied the tall, slovenly thug carefully and then gave an expression of disgust. “Willingly possessed by demonic spirits known as demoninoes. Enhances physical and some mental abilities but also evil tendencies and over confidence; leads to absorption and then the victims become demonars. They may have come south because their potential victims have been flooding southwards but they may not have originated on this world at all.”

 

Brunatus grinned at Jadekin. “Aaahhh, mageborn b****! Hhhmmm, makes for good eating.”

 

Abronia was clearly out of her depth. She had been trained to deal with helping people and resisting local thugs. She clutched her quasimagical staff, imbued with low level practical and defensive spell-powers.

 

Jadekin slipped her quasimagical longsword out with one smooth motion and amazing speed. She also brought forth her bladeshield that she had slipped away into its special pouch. She smiled at the demonic thug leader but it was not a pleasant smile.

 

Jadekin spoke. “Why have you come here, Brunatus? Your demonino side would hardly want you to waste your time with just a few refugees who hardly have many possessions of great value.”

 

Brunatus scowled but seemed less arrogantly confident. “None of your damned business, mageborn!”

 

Jadekin took a gamble. “Something to do with a WhirlaKey of Fate?”

 

Brunatus' surprise betrayed him and too late did he cover up his expression. Then he winced as the demonino punished him, briefly, before being such a fool. Brunatus scowled. “Yes! The Emperor has been seeking WhirlaKeys and sent us to find it for him.”

 

Jadekin sighed as if in pity. “Oh, Brunatus, you really can do so much better than that. I doubt a Emperor would work with demons.”

 

Both Brunatus and Abronia gave her a look of deep surprise. Then Brunatus laughed, in a jeering manner, before speaking. “The Sabturs are demonic, the Followers of the Shadow Daedra and the Dark Divines. Are you mad?”

 

Jadekin sighed. “No, I just forgot what alternate reality I happened to be in at this time. Yes, I remember now, the Imperial Dynasty of this Alternate Tamriel is quite evil.”

Edited September 4, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

0024(01)024: Of JADEKIN OF THE MAGEBORN: JADEKIN VERSUS DEMONS!

 

Brunatus scowled. “We are wasting time. Let us fight now and get it over and done with.”

 

Jadekin smiled and reached out her arms. She cried out strange words and her hands glowed as she evoked a string of spells as a mageborn could do that was normally beyond magefolk not born to such power.

 

At the same time nine large fireballs shot out from her, spreading out but not just horizontally as three rose on a gentle angle and three fell on a gentle angle. Brunatus died as he exploded into flames and then he burned away as was the fate of all those who were willingly possessed. Others exploded and died instantly, nine in all, and yet others were burned, injured and hurled backwards by the blast effects added to the fireballs.

 

Survivors stumbled to their feet or were standing, all turning to run. Jadekin flickered in speed and began to cut them down even as they ran. All were willingly demonic and all died as they burned away. None were spared as Jadekin slashed with her sword and her bladeshield. Sometimes she unleashed pulses or energy from her sword or exotic magical darts from her bladeshield.

 

It was butchery for none fought back. Jadekin killed many as they ran away. It was not something she liked to do but those people had chosen to become demonic, she could 'sense' it. There was far from pleasure in such things for her.

 

Then it was over. She turned and spoke to the stunned people at the door way even as she walked towards them. Her tone was matter of fact. “I have dealt with them. They may have some good loot on them and some semi-useful stuff that can be recycled somehow.”

 

Abronia frowned. “You murdered those people. You could have shown mercy.”

 

“Not people, demonino puppets on their way to being fully absorbed as more powerful, more dangerous demonars.” Jadekin frowned. “Released the human souls so they will go to hell and have a chance to redeem themselves. One never leaves hell but always leaves hell. Those men, and a few women amongst them, were willingly possessed. If any of them had been unwilling victims, they would have acted differently and I would have 'sensed' what they were, just as you would have and others. That kind of 'mercy' is not really mercy at all.”

 

Abronia looked troubled. “I am newly come out from the Order House where I was an Initiate Compassionate. This is much harder than I thought it would be though it has been hard ever since the Emperor forebade (Forbid by Edict) the Sisterhood along with all surviving Divine Orders. That was the same year the Templedom Followers began to destroy all surviving Chapels of the Divines, statues, gardens and much much else. Later they began to kill us.”

 

Jadekin took upon a grim expression. “I remember now. Existing in one Alternate for a few years, or more, can imprint that existence on one and make it harder to adapt to another Alternate. This is something that I am also remembering. There are Alternate Nirns where the Septum Dynasty have always been followers of the Divines, where they have been generally wiser and kinder. They are of the Dragonborn.”

 

Abronia looked suddenly concerned. “Please be careful how loud you use that term. That is a term that can draw very much the wrong kind of attention. Sirius Sabtur is one of the three worst Sabturs to ever sit upon the Damanthrone of the Damans, the mortal demonfolk that overthrew the Ayleid Kingdoms of Cyrodiil so many centuries ago and then betrayed their human allies.”

Edited September 4, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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Edited September 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

0025(01)025: Of JADEKIN OF THE MAGEBORN: GENEROSITY, STORIES AND REACTIONS

 

Jadekin utilized resources of a FategamePlayer and used fategamecredit to buy goods for the refugees. The list that she could access was not long and, though fairly good, had some odd inconsistencies. The young mageborn woman made items appear as if summoning them but these were to remain permanently.

 

First thing she brought forth were 20 large daypacks of food rations that also included drink stuff as well and related items such as some basic eating devices and metal panniers. Very soon the refugees were putting the rations to good use as they followed basic instructions and were soon putting on a meal.

 

Then came forth 30 blankets, water resistant and very versatile, tough. This time there was some argumentation but Abronia soon put an end to it, once thumping a tall thin man lightly with her staff until he backed off from trying to grab an extra blanket.

 

Then came 10 handlamps and 20 litrejons (special containers each holding one litre) of lamp fuel that burned bright but only warm.

 

Added to this were 20 survival knives, each in its own scabbard.

 

Then, last of all, 10 vialpacks of concentrated healing serum, each small pack having four vials. These last she gave directly to Abronia.

 

Jadekin considered that to be enough for then and there. She went and sat with her daughter, and the puppy. PearlLisa had missed her mum despite the dreamlinking, which had helped a great deal. She showed her small book that she carried filled with little stories and pictures she had put in along with items that Jadekin had put in. Puppy had contributed a light urine stain to the cover.

 

Jadekin told PearlLisa about the other Alternates, about the one where there was much peace and the Emperor was good but also about the one suffering much and which had too many Emperors along with one Empress. She realized, after a while, that others were listening, both children and adults. Then a woman asked Jadekin to speak more of the Empire that was more peaceful, that had areas that were not fully occupied and had not been since sickness had swept the land during the Red Plague. Jadekin did so and did not then consider the consequences of doing so, so intent was she on just being with her beloved daughter.

 

=-=Alert, Jadekin, you have unknowingly given these desperate people the idea that they might go to that more peaceful Empire and have a better life. They are whispering with each other and some are getting very excited.

 

Jadekin kissed her daughter and looked around, kissed the puppy and looked quietly around again. The Sister Compassionate was arguing with the tall man who had tried to grab an extra blanket for himself. He, who was named Smadin, kept gesturing wildly at Jadekin, his face red with anger. Jadekin's hand slipped towards her sword hilt which was when five adults pointed powerful crossbows at her from different angles. Then Abronia was disarmed, gently but firmly, of her staff and she was also made prisoner by desperate people.

 

Oddly enough it was only then that Jadekin learned that most of the group were escaped slaves from the Empire, were desperate to get away because of the terrible punishments they would get if the Imperial Slavers regained control of them.

Edited September 3, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

0026(01)026: Of JADEKIN OF THE MAGEBORN: DIFFICULTIES AND REVELATIONS

 

Jadekin, stripped of weapons and yet still far more dangerous than these people knew, stood with her back against a wall and examined the refugees. The Sister Compassionate stood next to her.

 

The tall, angry man stepped forward and grinned. “You aren't pushing anybody around now, are you Sister Abronia.” He held her staff in his left hand. “I am going to enjoy using this.”

 

A tall, strong woman scowled. “Shut up, Taykeman!” She held a crossbow. “The staff isn't yours. Put it on the floor, now!”

 

With a scowl, Taykeman did so reluctantly. Clearly he was not in charge of the group.

 

The woman turned to Abronia. “You have done much for us, Sister, and we appreciate it greatly but you have admitted yourself that the Sisterhood of Compassion is in trouble; you can not help us and so we must help ourselves. So we will make this newcomer, this Jadekin, take us to the better version of Tamriel where there is a peaceful Empire.”

 

Jadekin responded carefully. “I do not know if I could do what you ask. I have something here that might let me know.” She reached for a pouch.

 

The woman, with a crossbow, scowled. “Stop! Do you think I am stupid?”

 

Jadekin only smiled but the smile did not reach her eyes. “Desperation can make even normally smart, or wise, people do stupid things. You could have asked me to help you except that somebody in this group has been generally controlling your mind with the use of a powerful artifact. That is they have been misusing it. They are not evil. Just like you they are desperate. I have been quietly investigating the group since I got here, in a variety of ways I will not speak of.”

 

Jadekin sighed. “The Empire that I speak of will welcome you. The Red Plague killed off at least a fifth of the population in many areas. Slavery is illegal there. There are many abandoned rural areas to resettle, including smaller settlements. So why would somebody try to control this group, somebody who is not evil? A good person trying to do good? A person who is pretending to be something that she is not?” Jadekin turned to Abronia. “Where did you find the WhirlaKey? Was it in the same place that you found the hooded robe and staff?”

 

Abronia went to refute Jadekin's words but then she gave in. “How did you know?”

 

Jadekin responded with care. “You walk all wrong for a Sister Compassionate and you carry the staff as if it is a weapon, which is not how a Sister Compassionate would though they are trained to use such as weapons if they have to do so. For each staff is more of a symbol of their order, of their purpose to help people, than it is a weapon. The other matter is that I 'sense' no magical ability in you which you would need to have to use that staff that is imbued with spell-powers of various kinds. Please give me the WhirlaKey before you do some real harm to yourself or somebody else. You have been losing your control on the ancient artifact and this is showing up in how the group is acting.”

 

Taykeman grinned. “We could make some real good profits by selling that WhirlaKey to the Emperor. Come on, it's too good an opportunity to give up on.”

 

Which was when Abronia drew out a WhirlaKey, a globe, from beneath her robe and frowned hard at Jadekin. “You are so very clever but you are a fool. I will control this group properly and turn it over to the Emperor, along with the WhirlaKey, for it is the Emperor that I serve.”

Edited September 3, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

0027(01)027: Of JADEKIN OF THE MAGEBORN: THE TRUTH ABOUT ABRONIA AND OTHERS

 

Jadekin sighed. “No, you do not serve the Emperor. Why do you wish to get close to the Emperor?”

 

Abronia looked astonished. “Who, what, are you?” Then she reached out and gave the WhirlaKey to Jadekin. “Damned thing is getting heavy on my mind, you have it. I wanted to get a chance to assassinate the evil Emperor. Like most of these people I am an escaped slave but I am also a fighting rebel. Many of us are escaped slaves because we have nothing to lose.”

 

Jadekin was holding the WhirlaKey when it vanished with a sparkling shimmer and the black, golden patterned, bracelets appeared on her body, one on each wrist, with a sparkling shimmer.

 

=-=Very good! One Base WhirlaKey obtained, eight more to go along with three Mediate and one Prime WhirlaKey. You gain a bonus of 1,000 fategamecredit, 100 fategame-points, 10 spinlings and one wishling. You could consider using some of the fategame-points and spinlings.

 

Abronia spoke out. “Lower your weapons! Is it not clear to you that Jadekin is beyond the power of a few crossbow bolts?”

 

The crossbows were lowered and the users seemed confused. Taykeman shook his head and rubbed his forehead. Then he scowled at Abronia. “What did you do to me? I feel all strange!”

 

Abronia sighed. “You are unwillingly possessed by a demon spirit, a demonino. I hoped I might get rid of it using the WhirlaKey but clearly I did not know what I was doing.”

 

Jadekin raised a hand and from her fingertips spat a bolt of energies that struck the tall, angular man. He cried out and vanished in sparkling, glowing energies. On impulse she had used a spinling in an attempt to save the fool who at the core had much heavily buried goodness; that is goodness buried by some very dark and bitter experiences along with the demonino.

 

Then he stood there again but something profound had changed about Taykeman. He looked around as if he was just awakened from a dark and terrible nightmare, which he was. The demonino was burned away, destroyed, its own version of a soul driven to one of the Hells. He looked younger, was rejuvenated, had sad eyes and the arrogance was gone. He turned to Abronia. “I have gained important information from my 'experience' and know now that Emperor Sirius Sabtur VI has made a very dark pact with the Dark Divines of the Nine Hells and the 999 Devils. I will join the fight against the Sabtur Dynasty and the evil Empire that it has created.”

 

Abronia looked grim. “At one time I was tested in hopes of becoming an Initiate Compassionate but I failed because of my desire to control everything, everybody, around me. I wanted to make people do good. Now that urge seems to be gone from me. I was wandering through the Imperial Undercity when I came upon a long dead Sister Compassionate. I took her hooded robe, her staff and some other items just to survive. I found the WhirlaKey lying next to her in a pouch. She was clutching the pouch when she died. I could find no obvious reason for her death. When I ran into the group of people, including the little girl and her puppy, they assumed I really was a Sister Compassionate and so I took leadership of the group. Temptation grew too much and I began to try to use the WhirlaKey to make the group do good. PearlLisa seems quite immune to it as does her puppy.”

 

So Abronia had never even managed to become an Initiate of Compassion; that explained much! Jadekin sensed that the other woman had been struck very hard because of her failure to be accepted by the Sisterhood of Compassion. Perhaps it had caused her to be more bitter, more angry and feeling helpless she had tried to use the WhirlaKey to compensate for her feelings.

Edited September 4, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

0028(01)028: Of JADEKIN OF THE MAGEBORN: TESTING AND NEW HOPE

 

Taykeman looked to Jadekin. “What you did for me, can you do that for others? I am enhanced of mind, body and spirit. There is something else also, a more profound kind of change.”

 

“Yes, but those kinds of resources are limited. The use of them also carries a risk.” Jadekin reached out and touched Abronia, who transformed the same way that Taykeman had done.

 

Abronia looked younger, less angry, more peaceful. She shook her head in wonder. “Now I can see why the Sisterhood of Compassion would not have me. They tried to give me a role of a different kind but my pride was hurt and I left in outrage. I was being a fool. Now I want to return to the hidden Sisterhood compound and see if it has survived. The whole group could go that way. It is safer than the Imperial City has become even for those who officially serve the Empire.”

 

=-=I suggest you utilize your wishling on the TransGlobeShaiVa and expand it capacities. I have been allowed to make this suggestion because you seem slow in using your fategame resources.

 

Jadekin=What other resources can be utilized to improve it, to speed up its full reactivation?

 

=-=Now you are thinking Fategame! Along with the wishling spend 100 fategame-points and 1,000 fategamecredit. I am picking up strong impressions of what you want to happen so that will ensure the changes happen that way.

 

Jadekin:=Yes, do that!

 

Jadekin spoke to the others. “I have a special place we can go to but only for a relatively limited time. You will adjust there, heal and then from there I have a much better chance of getting you to a better place to live. It may not be the more peaceful Alternate Empire I spoke of. For one thing I suspect it is not going to remain so peaceful. To go there you will have to agree to be tested as both Abronia and Taykeman were. The children will pass easily.”

 

Some came forward eagerly and were tested. One short woman failed the test. Oddly enough she had a sweet smile and large sweet eyes but Jadekin 'sensed' something nasty about her from the first. She burned away, demonic or undead fashion, for she was demonic. As soon as she perished, the group was to become more peaceful after that with less fighting and far less small, valuable items vanishing. When her backpack was searched, it contained many valuable stolen items but also others that the woman could have shared with the group for its good; instead she had taken as much as possible while giving as little as possible. Abronia had always distrusted her but was not the only one. The others went through the test, including an oldish dog, and vanished.

 

Then came the not so eager and most of those went through. Two were rejected, had failed the test but were not harmed. They were two scowling human-orc hybrids who had too often caused trouble in the group. Abronia gave them some supplies and Jadekin materialized for them some items being two knives in scabbards, a handlamp, a litrejon of lamp oil, and a backpack plus a blanket. The two brothers departed with no ill feelings being happier with their new property than they were with being with the group.

 

With increasing reluctance the others came forward and were tested, all of them being accepted to pass through. The last five were a woman, a man and three children. Jadekin was puzzled at first at their reluctance to come forwards. Then she 'sensed' the truth about them and smiled. “Friendly azidemonfolk, not really demonfolk at all thanks to long held traditions of progressive reform, you are welcome.”

Edited September 3, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

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Edited September 13, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

0029(01)029: Of JADEKIN OF THE MAGEBORN: DOMELAND SANCTUARY

 

The place they all ended in surprised Jadekin and she had to change her mind about something that she had earlier said. For it was a great domeland of semiwilderness that stretched out into the distance, that was a gentle bowl of land centered by a great lake and a fairly large island in the center of that. There was to be found a rather basic copy of the Imperial City complete with a ring wall, some buildings, roads and other infrastructure. From its center rose a copy of the White Gold Tower.

 

Jadekin spoke to the group. “Welcome to your new home. I was wrong for you can stay here as long as you want and give birth to new generations. Be warned though, I suspect you will have to make concessions. Somebody rules this place.”

 

Savitia, the woman who had once spoken while aiming a crossbow at Jadekin, stepped forward. “Who is that? Somebody you serve, Jadekin?”

 

Jadekin smiled. “No, myself! “I am Jadekin Strongvar of Shellinza MonGomaVia, Inheritor of the One, the Two and the Three of the VestisVantis. Lady of the Dragonborn Mageborn. Inheritor of the Guardian Banecrawtisi. Fifteenth Dethroned Empress of the Imperius Skylands. Swordmaiden of the Flame. Shieldmaiden of the Ice. Winner of the best crayon drawing at the Imperial Children's School at the age of five.” She blushed. “Perhaps that last bit was not so necessary for me to speak of.”

 

Savitia shrugged with a mild grin. “Not true! Nothing wrong with a good crayon drawing.”

 

People stared at her in surprise except for Abronia, Taykeman and Savitia along with PearlLisa, her daughter and the puppy. The puppy, and the other dog, were sniffing around the area. They had appeared on a disk relatively close to the great dome walls-ceiling that showed above an amazing realistic looking blue sky. The disk was a quasimagical lookout place that gave abnormal visual access to the great landscape; it did so in a way hard to explain.

 

Jadekin said something that took her by surprise as much as it did the others, for knowledge returned to her even as she did so. “I am already here, another aspect of me that is. I suggest you make your way down the path there until you reach a disk shaped platform with a teleportation chamber, a cylinder shaped building, in its center. There will be three duplicants, human or other humanoid like entities, guarding it. They will show you how to use it to go directly to the Imperial City.”

 

She hugged her daughter to herself. “The Empress JadekinKia is me and will be your mummy, is your mummy. You understand because you will one day be the Sixteenth Dethroned Empress of the Skylands. She is a little different from me. We will dreamlink.”

 

PearlLisa shook her head. “Mummy can do better than that.”

 

Jadekin laughed softly. “Okay, I will stay here with you and another aspect of myself with continue to search for the WhirlaKeys. I need to get my thoughts together anyway.” She spoke to the whole group. “My daughter has wisely changed my mind and I will remain here. Another will continue my mission, that other being also me.”

 

Taykeman frowned. “I wanted to fight the evil Sabtur Empire.”

 

Jadekin responded. “You can by helping to make this a strong sanctuary for those escaping from that evil empire. Let us make our way to the teleport cylinder.” She looked around and listened to the many sounds of animals, saw small active animals and smelt many amazing smells with her enhanced senses. She also 'sensed' much else as a magefolkan of the magefolk.

Edited September 3, 2012 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

0030(01)030: Of JADEKIN OF THE MAGEBORN: MEETING LADY ASTILLAARENDUM

 

Jadekin brought the first group to be with the second group. The children and the neobaby, that is being Petra, Peter, Nibby and Sanchy. The children were understandably taken back by the new landscape about them and the others now there.

 

When the people came out, of the forest, to greet Jadekin and the others, they were a mixture of wozzles, gnomes, true elves and others including humans of orange-brown skin and brown or black hair who also had oddly rounded off eyes.

 

One tall orange-brow woman wore practical but decorative robes and carried a staff of electrum topped with a softly glowing sphere of crystal. She stopped before Jadekin and smiled coolly. “Empress JadekinKia would have you know that according to the Accordance you would not intrude upon her leadership of Jadekinaria, that is this realm.”

 

Jadekin smiled. “Empress JadekinKia knows well enough that the Accordance is limited to only the city itself, along with the island and the inner half of the great ring shaped lake. I am here to rest, to consider matters, to remember fully what has been forgotten or suppressed by others and to do what ever else is necessary. Also I bring tributes in the form of new resources, in an on going basis. I also bring my, our daughter, here. Her name is PearlLisa.”

 

The tall orange-brown woman nodded and smiled but the smile did not reach her eyes. “Empress JadekinKia is thus pleased by your visit. She gives you permission for you take up residence in the town of EvaLaketown that lies on the eastern outer shoreline of the Great Ring Lake.”

 

Jadekin sighed. “Firstly, I know where EvaLaketown is. Secondly, I do not need the permission of Empress JadekinKia. Thirdly, Empress JadekinKia will stop playing these games or I will kick her in the a***.”

 

The woman looked affronted. “I am Lady AstillaArendum of the Imperial Council of Regulatory Diplomacy, of the Committee of Regulatory Resourcefulness and the Subcommittee of Regulatory Related Logic, I am a third generation enriched clone of the Empress herself, may the heavens bless her and the very ground shiver in delight at he presence.”

 

Jadekin sighed again. “Yes, I know, she gets up in the morning, bends over and the sun shines out of her a***!”

 

Lady AstillaArendum looked scandalized. “Really, the Empress would never behave so.”

 

Jadekin grinned. “Tell me, Lady AstillaArendum, have you ever met that other aspect of myself, the Empress?”

 

Lady AstillaArendum thrust out her chin. “I have seen her at the Imperial Outer Court, at a distance, four times. I have heard she looks forward to the large, comprehensive and very elaborate reports that the Council, Committee and Subcommittee send her on a regular basis of at least once a century. We would send more reports but really, there is so much to do also of importance; there are dinner parties, ceremonies and much else to attend. Why, I am just come recently from an award giving ceremony in which special people grant each other awards for such wondrous achievements as chastened vulgarity, quantum decorative understanding and even the balancing of ascetic causes.”

 

In other words Lady AstillaArendum was a useless somebody-nobody co-existing along with many others of her kind who were over cloned clones suffering from many defects; or was it so simple?

Edited September 3, 2012 by Maharg67