Rastislav

Arc 6 Chapter XCI: Fall of Volkihar (Part 3/ The Storming)

As the gates were slammed into the crumbling wall behind them we rushed in heedless of the cloud of dust that blocked our sight, whichever unit of thralls unfortunate enough to be stationed just beyond finding themselves nearly glued to the floor and then, as if that was not cruel enough to the poor mind raped fuckers, they were ran over by a bunch of heavily armored legionaries.

Needless to say, not a one survived that.

The interior of the castle was a sprawling maz...

Arc 6 Chapter XC: Fall of Volkihar (Part 2/Assault)

A/n: Seeing as my head did not attempt to murder me today, the previous chap has been edited and this one turned into a nice chonker, do enjoy!

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[Quest Issued]

[Slay Harkon Volkihar]

[Reward: The Collected Works on Spirituality by Archmage Numeril of Aldmeris]

The face splitting, and rather bloodthirsty, grin refused to leave my face as I let my thoughts go wild at the potential uses of such knowledge. True, it did seem a bit random considering my...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXIX: Fall of Volkihar (Part 1/Prelude)

As we stepped through the gates of the Solitude common district the the loud hubbub of the ducks slammed into us like a wall of noise and smell, except if the place could usually be compared to a complete mess that somehow ended up working, today it could quite easily be described as complete and utter chaos.

Hundreds of sailors of different origins were moving supplies around and loading them onto a trio of large warships sometimes barely avoiding each other as the crowded walkways wer...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXVIII: Lordly Negotiations

My jovial greeting takes Narsis aback briefly but he doesn't so much as twitch outwardly and simply nods his own greeting "I am glad to have an opportunity to solve our... disagreement peacefully, Lord Dagoth."

"But of course." I smile and point my hand at an empty seat "We are not barbarians."

He hums non committedly and sits down, his two guards standing a bit behind him "As much as I would like to ruminate on your decision to live with these..." He looks at a group of Nords bei...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXVII: Valley Finale

Things turned incredibly hectic the moment I finished beating the shit out of Gelebor and left his unconscious body to feast upon the sunlight he so adores, for as much as I wanted to give everyone a day off the cave-ins we caused would not keep the feral Falmer out forever, and making sure our position was defensible was a must.

And so everyone immediately got to work fortifying the top of the hill the Chantry stood on and as usual the place was already well protected by sturdy walls, ...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXVI: Blasphemer VS Arch Curate

The moment we passed the threshold of the temple gates, they shut behind us locking up once again.

Immediately, Valerica rounded at Gelebor, eyes narrowed in accusation "What is the meaning of this?!"

The Knight Paladin winced at the violent echo of her voice but composed himself just as quickly "Please pardon this deception..." He bows his head with genuine remorse "I had to make sure Virthur's evil would not triumph even should we fall."

My companions turned silent at that...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXV: Approaching The Summit

(Reyvin's POV)

A deathly silence descended upon the now unfrozen lake, the sheer bafflement of everyone present was palpable. Well that and the amusement of the two lizards still present.

"Did they just..." I trail off, unable to actually comprehend a pair of dragons outright fleeing.

"Yup, they did." Scorch sighs.

I too let out a defeated exhale "And we made such a perfect entrance too."

A deep, rumbling chuckle leaves Krein's throat, completely startling the Co...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXIV: The Water Twins

Time seemed to fly as I sat cross legged atop that small hill, Krein's deep voice whispering sage advice about using the voice as he observed me with knowing eyes. He obviously taught before and seemed to enjoy it as he explained concepts that I had a hard time grasping like they were the most obvious thing in the world.

The thing I asked him to teach me was a deeply terrible one, especially for someone with my experiences. I sought his insight into souls, and how to turn said knowledge...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXIII: The First Conquest (Part 2)

(Reyvin's POV, far from the battlefield)

"Can we not speed this up somehow?" I groan, lamenting the fact that real life did not, in fact, follow game rules.

Gelebor who had been praying the entire way while walking at a slow pace stops and mutters "Blessed are you Auri-El who grants respite to the weary." The slow dribble of sunlight suffusing the ewer stills and settles in the holy water imbuing it with an otherworldly glow.

The elven priest turns to me with a slightly exas...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXII: The First Conquest (Part 1)

(General POV)

As the sun rises over the mountains and covers the forgotten vale in a warm golden sheen a complete silence envelops the expeditionary camp. Lines upon lines of battle ready elves and their Dawnguard allies stand in front of the thick walls risen by magic, their shoulders squared and their backs held straight as their leader leisurely walks through the middle of the formation, his hands folded behind his back and his face hidden behind his war crown.

A light gale blo...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXXI: A Gigantic Step Forward

The sudden awed silence was broken by the loud clap of my hands "Alright people, let's get moving. Nightshade you are on fortification duty, Lady Valerica as well if you please. Davos, get your people scouting. Companions..." I pause in thought before shrugging "Go hunt us a nice feast or something."

Before any of the others can answer, Durrak is already tossing his spear up and down and marching away "The one who gets the least gets no drinks!" He challenges and just like that all of t...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXX: Story Of The Vale

As the ancient snow elf is about to start explaining himself I stop him with a raised arm and turn to my people "At ease, we are under no threat here."

They waste no time in relaxing and slowly setting up a camp.

Turning back to the priest I snap my fingers and summon a bunch of chairs for us and the other Falmer, this conversation would be pertinent for them so I saw no reason to exclude them.

"My thanks." Gelebor says after a brief pause and takes his seat, visibly melting...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXIX: Spelunking and Geleborian Dunking

(General POV)

Within an ancient cave lit brightly by glowing mushrooms, the sound of peaceful running water was the only thing that could be heard, save for those moments when the trolls inhabiting it would face the colony of frostbite spiders in a cacophony of violence in an attempt to feed their young.

That serene silence was suddenly broken by a foreign and artificial sound as armored boots struck stone, only to face the same interruption as the trolls realized that far more nu...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXVIII: Professional Help

A dark skinned man dressed in expensive clothes collapses next to me, his pants thoroughly soiled, and the guards utterly disinterested in aiding him, as I walk down the familiar streets of one of my favorite cities in the province.

"And what exactly are we doing all the way in Whiterun?" Serana asks dubiously.

I turn to her with a conspiratorial grin "Why grabbing a couple hunting dogs of course."

It takes her only a short moment to catch the true meaning of my words and sh...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXVII: The Ancestor Glade

"I swear I need to do this kind of thing more often." I sigh contentedly as smoke leaves my mouth, the wooden chair below me squeaking as I lightly move back and forth, a light hum coming to mind as one of those songs you can't ever identify stuck itself in my mind.

An annoyed grunt drew me from my relaxation, Isran's eternal frown coming into my sight as I tilted my head "Something bothering you?" I ask conversationally.

It takes him a moment to respond "I despise this waiting." ...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXVI: Confirming A Prophecy

"Anything new on the war front?" I ask as I finish sorting through my hoard of potions, years of traveling had left me with a very diverse stock but most would never see any use and it was finally time to cease my loot goblin ways.

"Border skirmishes continue across the whole front" Davos reports lazily while skillfully tossing his dagger about "The legion's advance on Dawnstar has stalled after they finally dealt with the constant raider presence due to the snows covering many of the i...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXV: Digging Caves And Making Waves

Looking at the serene view of the Sea of Ghosts through the illusory wall in the cliffside I ask "This spacious enough?"

"A fine place to rest, the sea winds are most pleasant when I slumber." Krein rumbles, his eyes closed as he enjoyed those very same chilly winds battering against his scales, completely ignoring the snoozing figure of Scorch perched atop his head.

The bird boi was apprehensive of the reformed dragon at first but as his own affinities reflected ...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXIV: The Orb (TM)

(Savos' POV)

I slump into my chair after a long day of annoyances and curse "I swear to Julianos if I hear about another idiot purposefully caving themselves in just to steal a petty trinket I will lose it!"

"Have you considered... burning them?" Brightburn asks unhelpfully.

"Yes, obviously." I grouse "But hiding that many bodies is more annoying than merely reprimanding them and fining them into poverty."

"Not to mention more profitable." The bird adds smugly.

I...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXIII: Cairnburst

(Reyvin's POV)

"Fuuuuuuck..." I groan as I drop my staff and force myself to ignore the pain of suddenly getting three of my limbs frozen and then smashed apart. For all my advantages I was not at all blessed with supernaturally high pain tolerance, so all I could do was grit my teeth to stop myself from screaming out while chugging down a regeneration potion and channeling every bit of magic possible into healing myself.

'What a nice way to say you are a little bitch.' Scorch gro...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXII: Undying Curse

Shout translations at the end of the chapter

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Leaving Valerica stunned into silence by my declaration I focus back onto the dragon peering down on us.

He was larger than Vulthuryol yet still a fair bit smaller than Paarthurnax, his sickly green scales looked to be almost seeping with some form of disease yet it made him look no less powerful. Jagged spikes covered his back and extended onto his punctured, even gouged in some place...

Arc 6 Chapter LXXI: Valerica Volkihar

"You think she is in there?" Serana asks, both excitement and trepidation dancing in her expression.

"Yup." I nod with certainty "It wouldn't be sufficiently dramatic otherwise."

"You do know the world doesn't need to follow the rules of drama, right?"

'It is cute how she is trying to convince herself of that' I turn to her and quirk an eyebrow, saying absolutely nothing. After a brief bout of staring she huffs and looks away.

As we get closer to the mass...

Arc 6 Chapter LXX: Descent Into The Cairn

I try and hide my sudden bout of avarice with a cough, it doesn't work "Impressive collection." I let out an appreciative whistle as I observe the small library no doubt filled to the brim with all manner of research.

I can practically taste Serana's amusement as she smirks "Mother was a very dedicated scholar, whenever she finished her research on something she would immediately move on to something completely different."

"A genuine polymath, eh?"

"Yes." She nods with a hin...

Chapter XLIX: The Volkihar Heist

"There it is, home sweet home." Serana voices blandly.

"Bigger than I expected" I note idly as I observe the dozens of tall towers, many of them in ruins, looming over a veritable fortress island "And also far more disgusting" I add with a mildly offended sniff.

Quickly catching my meaning she asks "How so?"

I cup my chin and narrow my eyes "Think of somehow turning unbridled cruelty and decadence into a color and have it virtually bursting from atop the entire structure." A...

Arc 6 Side Quest III (finale): A Fateful Meeting

The moment I touched the amulet the feeling that had been pulling me here reached a crescendo, the sheer certainty I felt within myself blinding all of my other senses only to disappear completely as I felt what I can only describe as a *Click* within my soul, signaling the end of a soulbinding ritual.

And I knew then and there that my fate was sealed, for good or ill.

The amulet disappeared for a split second before reappearing around my neck, hanging snugly just above the amulet...

Arc 6 Side Quest III: Cloud Ruler

(Another two months later, Minthara's POV)

The thick forest finally parts as we emerge onto a rocky clearing, the crisp mountain air bringing an immediate smile to my face as I was reminded of my true home.

I couldn't wait to get back to Skyrim.

My reminiscing is swiftly cut short as my eyes land on a ruined structure, the architecture of which looked so odd and foreign that the uneducated would think it some kind of Ayleid remnant. I immediately recognized it as Akaviri, wh...

Arc 6 Side Quest III: Just A Quick Trip South

(General POV)

Far away from a certain cackling elf, across the Jerall Mountains that separated Skyrim from Cyrodiil, and many a moon before he blessed the world with his newest creation, his two apprentices found themselves once again questioning their life choices.

A tall Altmer wearing light armor that could be mistaken for fancy clothing, a slightly glowing lute on his back and an old blade in his hand, followed after a heavily armored Nord woman with slightly pointed ears, her...

Arc 6 Chapter XLVIII: The Shroud

We spent a few more hours debating the details of the upcoming operation with Savos pointedly asking me about each and every protection I had against everything the Volkihar could try doing to me. It would have been endearing if it didn't remind me of the protection jokes my parents constantly made so long ago but I still thanked the old elf for his concern when he finally stopped.

Still, it isn't like he was wrong. Where I was going I would definitely need a way to protect myself, my s...

Arc 6 Chapter XLVII: Conference

After spending the remainder of the evening reminiscing about the past and pondering the future, constant blabbering from the asshole bird included, I found my mood far less dour when morning came. Sleep was a thing that I only had to do occasionally at this point and with each excursion and the subsequent growth in power it was turning from a necessity to a simple luxury.

In fact, my recent battles and victories against the supernaturally fast and strong have had a rather profound effe...

Arc 6 Chapter XLVI: Moving Forward

With a lazy flick of my staff, the barrage of blinding lightning bolts redirects away from me and gouges the stone of the cave behind me "Is that it?" I ask with feigned disappointment, intending to rile her up "All of that bluster and this is all you offer?"

The Thalmor mage scoffs "Petty mockery? Is that all the great Master Reyvin can do?" More runic circles form in front of her as her conjured bodyguards create a loose shield wall.

"Archmage actually." I smirk and swing my sta...

Arc 6 Chapter XLV: A Cavernous Showdown

(Reyvin's POV)

'That is a lot of n'wahs' Scorch whistles in my mind.

'And their power is nothing to scoff at' I comment idly, mentally going over my stock of potions and tossing a couple of them to passing Dawnguards.

Isran stops barking orders for a moment and asks "What can you see?"

I focus harder on my sight and my lips thin slightly "Over a hundred approaching at full speed, many of them respectably powerful. It would seem that we were expected."

Isran immed...