# A Thousand Swords



## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A Dream I (Jul 7, 2018)

​
It comes to you suddenly. A sort of epiphany.

You were powerless.

The world you knew could not be changed. You could not make it a better place.

What rhetoric and words you spout would go on deaf ears.

No matter what you said your words would not move the hearts of the people. Nor did you want to win that way. A victory like that would take decades, centuries, and maybe even millennia. It would be a pyrrhic victory. By the time the change would come the lives lost, and the blood shed would be astronomical.

No, change had to be _immediate_ for you. If not then it would be meaningless. The victory would be hollow, and far from complete.

You want an utter, and absolute victory.

You seek a better world and you want it now.

However, how would that even be possible in a world defined by its limitations? A man could not defeat an army by himself. He could not move mountains. He could not break the moon, and shatter the sun. He could not grasp the stars in his hands.

You need power, and I offer you that gift.

Not the illusion of it. No, true unquestionable power:

That can strike fear into the hearts of gods and devils.

You wish to know my name? I have no name.

So, instead I will ask you something.

What will you _name_ me, my master?

[] You remember the Sighing Desert. Those hot sands between your toes. They were harsh but they kept the mernii at bay. As they were enchanted long ago, and nothing could penetrate them now. No magic, and no sorcery. It brings back memories of a time when you were in service to a deity you would curse now. Alnaar. Yes, that name would suit your friend.

[] You remember the relief you felt as you fell, and you heard the anathema collapse upon itself. Your lover by your side as life leaves your body. It hits you like a bolt of lightning. What would happen to her now without you? You feel her tears as they drop onto your face. You have no regrets now, and fate was brought to an end by your own hand. You were all free now but that wasn't the end, was it Rakurai?

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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 7, 2018)

[X] You remember the Sighing Desert. Those hot sands between your toes. They were harsh but they kept the mernii at bay. As they were enchanted long ago, and nothing could penetrate them now. No magic, and no sorcery. It brings back memories of a time when you were in service to a deity you would curse now. Alnaar. Yes, that name would suit your friend.


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## trexalfa (Jul 7, 2018)

[X] You remember the Sighing Desert. Those hot sands between your toes. They were harsh but they kept the mernii at bay. As they were enchanted long ago, and nothing could penetrate them now. No magic, and no sorcery. It brings back memories of a time when you were in service to a deity you would curse now. Alnaar. Yes, that name would suit your friend.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 7, 2018)

[x] You remember the Sighing Desert. Those hot sands between your toes. They were harsh but they kept the mernii at bay. As they were enchanted long ago, and nothing could penetrate them now. No magic, and no sorcery. It brings back memories of a time when you were in service to a deity you would curse now. Alnaar. Yes, that name would suit your friend.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A Dream II (Jul 7, 2018)

You feel the hot air hit your face and see a fire in the distance. It brings light to the darkness that obscured your sight before.

You travel across the sands on foot. As you grow closer to the fire in the distance you begin to sweat. It was so hot. You could hardly even breath. It was if the air itself was threatening to ignite, and bring an end to your life.

"Your name..." Those words leave your parched lips. "It is Alnaar, is it not?"

The fires seems to subside, and as you finally reach your destination you find yourself in an oasis. What remained of the flames rises up into the air around you, and quickly swirls together before shooting towards into the sky.

It becomes the sun.

It is night no longer and morning comes with the birth of a new star, and you raise your hand to protect your eyes. It is bright but now that is so far away it is bearable. You fall to your knees and begin to drink.

After that, you could only think of water.

"You have found me at last, my brother." You look up and you see it. It was a , and it was magnificent. The guard reminded you of a star, and within was a red ruby that seemed to see look at you. It was embedded in a rock in the middle of the oasis. The pommel was an upside down cross, and upon seeing it you couldn't help but get the sense of deja vu. You remember a face, and a name. A man you tried to save once from making the same mistakes you made.

It has no mouth. It was if it was speaking directly into your mind, and transmitting what intentions it had with a glance of its red eye.

"What is this place?" You wonder what exactly this was. A dream, maybe?

"You're more right than you know." The black sword seems to know of your thoughts. "It is a dream. A world you designed based on memories of a life long since passed."

A life long since passed?

"Well, if this isn't real then I will just wake up--"

"It is real." It laughs.

"You said it was a dream? Did you not?" You look at the black sword confused, and wonder why this dream was so vivid when compared to others you had in the past. It was almost real.

"Just because it is a dream does not make it any less real than what world you experience when you are awake. That world is a dream just like this one. However, it is another person's dream. It is not yours, as far as I know..." The red ruby in the guard of the black sword seems to sparkle with amusement. As if it knows secrets that it has yet to speak of.

"That's ridiculous! That world is not a dream. It is real. I can touch it, and feel it!"

"Oh? Is that so. Then may I ask you something. What did you _feel _on your way here?"

You stop at that, and realize what has been bothering you since this journey began. If this was a dream why could you feel everything in it? The fires that now dance in the sky were still there, and the water in your mouth was wet. _Refreshing_. It had a taste.

You cough, and spit out the water.

"What is going on..." You look at your hands, and see your reflection in the water of the oasis. You see white hair, and red eyes looking back at you. That's not right!

"It is not your face now but it is one you wore once upon a time." You feel it at the edge of your consciousness. They were memories that were yours, and at the same time not.

You grab your head, and growl in frustration. You pinch yourself but you do not wake.

"Get me out of here!" You command the black sword.

"I will in due time but now that you have given me my name I must ask yours. After all, I should know the name of my brother."

You grip your head so hard that your nails dig into your scalp, and draw blood. There were so many memories, and not enough time to sort through them all.

"Very well." You try to remember the name that was given to you. "It is..."

[] You remember the feeling of betrayal. Why would he do this to you? You were nothing but loyal to your master. You were his right-hand. His most trusted child. Yet, when you had the _honor _of surpassing him he tore the wings from your back and cast you into the Lake of the Dead. Kain_, _he refused the sacrifice, just so he could rule over the crumbling ruins left behind. Now Nosgoth was suffering because of him but something was wrong. You felt a tugging at your soul. There was something else. Another creature coiling around the pillars of balance, and the wheel. Somewhere deep within the confines of your mind you knew what it was, and that it was to blame for everything. Your name was Raziel, and you were a man once. Then a vampire. Now you are not _sure _what you are.

[] You remember a fire. You remember the screams of people as they were set ablaze. You lost everything that day, and when you awoke you found yourself in a hospital. The face of a man with tears running down his face was your first memory. He was _happy _that he saved you. You were the only one he could save that day. He gave you a name since you could not remember your own: Emiya Shirou. He was the man you would one day call father. You wanted to be just like him. You wanted to emulate him. You wanted to be able to smile like he did when he saved you. That was your greatest wish. It was the dream you wanted to fulfill but it was not yours. You realize that with a sudden clarity. It was his dream. What was yours?


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 7, 2018)

[X] You remember the feeling of betrayal. Why would he do this to you? You were nothing but loyal to your master. You were his right-hand. His most trusted child. Yet, when you had the _honor _of surpassing him he tore the wings from your back and cast you into the Lake of the Dead. Kain_, _he refused the sacrifice, just so he could rule over the crumbling ruins left behind. Now Nosgoth was suffering because of him but something was wrong. You felt a tugging at your soul. There was something else. Another creature coiling around the pillars of balance, and the wheel. Somewhere deep within the confines of your mind you knew what it was, and that it was to blame for everything. Your name was Raziel, and you were a man once. Then a vampire. Now you are not _sure _what you are.

why the fuck would I not pick this?


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 7, 2018)

[x] You remember the feeling of betrayal. Why would he do this to you? You were nothing but loyal to your master. You were his right-hand. His most trusted child. Yet, when you had the _honor _of surpassing him he tore the wings from your back and cast you into the Lake of the Dead. Kain_, _he refused the sacrifice, just so he could rule over the crumbling ruins left behind. Now Nosgoth was suffering because of him but something was wrong. You felt a tugging at your soul. There was something else. Another creature coiling around the pillars of balance, and the wheel. Somewhere deep within the confines of your mind you knew what it was, and that it was to blame for everything. Your name was Raziel, and you were a man once. Then a vampire. Now you are not _sure _what you are.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 8, 2018)

BTW @Elric of Melniboné, you should threadmark your story posts so it'd be easier to follow for newcomers when it gets long enough


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## trexalfa (Jul 8, 2018)

[X] You remember the feeling of betrayal. Why would he do this to you? You were nothing but loyal to your master. You were his right-hand. His most trusted child. Yet, when you had the _honor _of surpassing him he tore the wings from your back and cast you into the Lake of the Dead. Kain_, _he refused the sacrifice, just so he could rule over the crumbling ruins left behind. Now Nosgoth was suffering because of him but something was wrong. You felt a tugging at your soul. There was something else. Another creature coiling around the pillars of balance, and the wheel. Somewhere deep within the confines of your mind you knew what it was, and that it was to blame for everything. Your name was Raziel, and you were a man once. Then a vampire. Now you are not _sure _what you are.

PD: Gwyn please


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - What Dreams May Come to Be (Jul 8, 2018)

It was peeling the skin away from your bones. When the waters touched your skin, and you fell deeper into the whirlpool. You could remember the pain of having lost your wings but that was forgotten when you felt your flesh being burnt away. It was so much worse! There was nothing like it. Your master had consigned you to torture, and death. Just because he _feared _what you were becoming.

"Raziel!" You grit your teeth. "That is my name."

"Well, Raziel. I have a warning for you." Alnaar whispers those words directly into your mind. "If you leave this place you will forget what transpired here. It will be nothing more than a mirage."

You knew that already. It was the same every time.

The memories would disappear.

"I offer you more than just a lesson, my brother." Alnaar speaks once more. "I offer you another chance at life."

You could see glimpses of what would happen if you refused. The elder god would use you. It would use your desire for revenge to bring an end to Kain. A part of you wants that more than anything. Yet, another part of you understands that it would change nothing. Nosgoth would be caught in the grip of something far worse than Kain. Just so you could have your revenge.

"What is it?" You had to know. Just what was this parasite upon the wheel.

"An archetype, perhaps? It may have forgotten what it was but now it seeks to devour Nosgoth. It went by many names, and took on many forms. However, it was always the grand consumer. The first insect spawned in the primordial nothing before your world came to be." Alnaar seems distant as it speaks. "Do not hate, Kain. You will come to understand why he does this."

"Understand? Why he betrayed me, and cast me into the abyss! No, I will not come to _understand _that. Nor do I want to." You grimace as you look at this faux body you now wear. What happened to your other one? "What do you mean by another chance at life?"

The red ruby in the guard of Alnaar seems to glitter. As if in anticipation of what would come next.

"You must not wake from your dream..."

You must not wake, and instead make your way back another way.

It dawns on you as other memories begin to resurface. These dreams they shape the world around us, and you would forget this.

Provided you did _wake_ from your dream. If not...

You remember them again, those webs connecting the worlds together, passing through each realm, and those silvery lights: the moonbeam roads.

If all the realms were just dreams what would stop you from using them?

"So, you are beginning to remember." Alnaar chuckles. "However, it seems the _worst _of your memories are lost to you for now."

"How can I open the way?" You try, and remember the spell but it seems so far away now buried under so many other memories.

"I will help you open the way." Alnaar answers you, and you can't help but wonder what it wanted with you.

"In return for what exactly? " Your eyes begin to narrow, and you prepare yourself for the worst.

"I wish to be by your side. I wish to be your right-hand. Just as you were Kain's right-hand? I would be yours." Alnaar sounds wistful as it speaks. "It was why I was born. It was why I was made. I am as much a part of you, as you are me. There is always a hero, and there is always a sword."

Those last words make you twitch, and you reach towards your chest. A phantom pain from another life. A betrayal you will not forget. Your right-hand you once called it by _another _name.

"Just so you would betray me again, Stormbringer?" You died to a black sword much like this one.

"Do not compare me to the anathema!" Alnaar is indignant at the very prospect. "When it did that it betrayed itself, and it betrayed you. It was a _blasphemous _act spurned on by what had corrupted it."

Yes, you are beginning to remember now. The anathema.

That which sought to bring an end to every realm, and break the balance. It was gone now.

Just as the balance was.

"Despite that, and all your sacrifices Yggdrasil still withers. It is not just that parasite that now eats at the roots."

There were everywhere, and now they were free from the balance. It was anarchy. Now law, and chaos were set free upon the realms.

It was your fault but it had to be done. You had no choice.

The alternative was worse.

"How can I trust you knowing what I do?" You shake your head, and begin to wonder which choice was the right one. You could go back to the husk of what remained of your body, or live in this new one with another face.

"If you do go back to that corpse? I can still aid you but it will be up to you to remember. You would take a chance, and in that time there is no way of knowing how you could be used before you remember again." Alnaar sounds exasperated. It had imagined that you might hesitate.

You had no reason to trust it.

"What will it be, my brother? My master?"

[] You will choose to stay, and find another way back to Nosgoth with the face you wear now.

[] You will choose to wake from your dream, and hope that you might remember in time to strike back against the parasite.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 8, 2018)

Hmm...
[x] You will choose to stay, and find another way back to Nosgoth with the face you wear now.


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## trexalfa (Jul 8, 2018)

[X] You will choose to stay, and find another way back to Nosgoth with the face you wear now.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Your Right Hand (Jul 8, 2018)

You close your eyes, and try to quiet the noises in your mind. The images flashing past your eyes. The lives you lived, and the deaths you have endured.

"I have no reason to trust you but I know enough. If I go back I would become nothing more than a puppet."

It is better to stand by the enemy you do know. Then to throw yourself at the mercy of one you don't.

"Good." Alnaar seems pleased, and perhaps more than a bit excited for what is to come. "Now come hither, and take your right hand."

You make your way into the oasis, and find yourself knee deep in water before you reach the rock that Alnaar found itself embedded in. You climb atop it, and find yourself hesitating once more.

"Do not take me for a fool. If you betray me? You will suffer for it. Do not forget that." You reach for the handle, and grab hold of it.

"I would expect nothing less from you." Alnaar answers back, and the runes across the black sword begin to glow with an eerie light. "Now set me free!"

You pull as hard as you can, and the rock breaks. The black sword is yours again but for how long you wonder?

You grasp Alnaar, and look at your reflection in it. It would take a while to get used to this.

You were not a vampire anymore. You were a man once again.

You could already feel the pangs of a hunger you had forgotten. You grab your stomach.

It would take a while to get used to it.

"Now let me show you the way!" Alnaar roars as as the red ruby within the black blade glows brightly, and shoots a red light into the oasis. A rupture in time and space lays before you, and you see the moonbeam roads.

After so long they were still as beautiful as ever.

​
You find yourself assaulted by more memories of another life you once lived. When you walked these moonbeam roads to save the balance.

That seems so long ago but you know the truth. It was happening even as you remember it. You walk in the shoes of another, and you bear the blood of your own people on your hands. Just as Kain now does.

It makes you sick when you realize how much the both of you are the same.

Perhaps this was why _chance_ saw fit to bring the both of you together.

It could not be fate. That was now dead by your sacrifice.

​
Just as so many others were. You fed your hungry gods the souls of your enemies. You became the bane of law, and chaos. You are the eternal champion.

It will always be, and free of your fate you may now be it does not change who you are.

Nor does that mean you can relinquish your might. It stays with you just as your sins do.

Just as tanelorn does, and now it waits for you to return home.

You let yourself fall into the oasis, and become carried away by the turbulent tides within.

You could not navigate these roads as you were. So, you would have to wander aimlessly until you found your home.

Your Nosgoth.

You had all the time in the world. After all, those who travel these moonbeam roads are not constrained by such things. They are beyond them. It was simply a matter of trial and error.

[] It seems to be decades before you find another world, and it is much like your Nosgoth. You find it in turmoil, and in crisis. A ring of power was lost, and now it was found. The dark lord who crafted it now seeks to have it once more, and rule over the land. He sends his forces to retrieve it. Do you stand by, and do nothing? You are reminded of who you once were. No, that wouldn't be like you at all.

[] In a world nothing like your own, people have reached the stars, and now travel between them in machines. The galaxy is vast, and large. In this realm you see warrior priests, and they wield swords of fire. Something is wrong. There is another force behind the scenes, and it wishes for something. It is strangely familiar. Ah, a desire for revenge. You knew the feeling. It gives way to curiosity. Just what was going on?


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## John Wayne (Jul 8, 2018)

[X] In a world nothing like your own, people have reached the stars, and now travel between them in machines. The galaxy is vast, and large. In this realm you see warrior priests, and they wield swords of fire. Something is wrong. There is another force behind the scenes, and it wishes for something. It is strangely familiar. Ah, a desire for revenge. You knew the feeling. It gives way to curiosity. Just what was going on?


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## trexalfa (Jul 8, 2018)

[X] In a world nothing like your own, people have reached the stars, and now travel between them in machines. The galaxy is vast, and large. In this realm you see warrior priests, and they wield swords of fire. Something is wrong. There is another force behind the scenes, and it wishes for something. It is strangely familiar. Ah, a desire for revenge. You knew the feeling. It gives way to curiosity. Just what was going on?


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 8, 2018)

much tougher than the last one, but ultimately, I know where my loyalty lies

[X] In a world nothing like your own, people have reached the stars, and now travel between them in machines. The galaxy is vast, and large. In this realm you see warrior priests, and they wield swords of fire. Something is wrong. There is another force behind the scenes, and it wishes for something. It is strangely familiar. Ah, a desire for revenge. You knew the feeling. It gives way to curiosity. Just what was going on?


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 8, 2018)

[x] In a world nothing like your own, people have reached the stars, and now travel between them in machines. The galaxy is vast, and large. In this realm you see warrior priests, and they wield swords of fire. Something is wrong. There is another force behind the scenes, and it wishes for something. It is strangely familiar. Ah, a desire for revenge. You knew the feeling. It gives way to curiosity. Just what was going on?


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away (Jul 9, 2018)

It was another desert.

"You're nothing if not consistent." Alnaar chuckles. "As far I can tell this isn't the right world. Not unless Nosgoth suddenly became a desert whilst you were away."

"Don't even entertain that notion." You realize Alnaar's jest might very well be true. Yes, with your track record misfortune like that would be expected. There was something left there for you. Your clan. You had to get back to them. A human you may now be but they were still your family. Your children who you brought into the fold.

It was with that when you heard the grumble of a vicious beast. You unsheathe Alnaar, and prepare to strike--

"You know that's your stomach, right?"

Your eyes narrow as you look down at Alnaar.

"Yes." You have the decency to at least sound embarrassed. "Yes, of course it is! It is my stomach growling."

You say those last words quickly, and try to change the topic.

"You don't suppose that is a tavern over there?"

"Your guess would be as good as mine."

They were strange imps waddling about as if they owned the place. Houses built out of clay, and other strange vehicles driving through the village.

Well, if it was a village. You were not _sure_. You have never seen carriages that could fly before, and definitely not under their own power. There were no horses in sight. Just strange creatures speaking in tongues you could not understand.

"I can help with that." Alnaar decides to speak up. "You see, some perks that come with speaking directly into someone's mind is that I quickly learn their languages. I can share that gift with you. Just talk to them like you would normally. I will take care of the rest."

You sigh in relief. "I would appreciate that."

It was strange being out in the sun now that you realized it. When you were a fledgling vampire you would burst into flames, and even as you grew more _divine _with age it was nauseating being in the sun for a long time. Now the sunlight simply felt warm against your skin.

You could even swim if you wanted to. It would not burn you like acid anymore.

So many things you could experience again now that you were free of the curse that Kain had placed upon you centuries ago. Despite everything you couldn't help but smile. You had never experienced these things before, or rather you could not remember what it was like.

You could make new memories now. It was with that you stepped into one building in this strange village. The noises inside were strange, and nothing like you have ever heard before.

"Ahahahaha, this is no tavern! It is a cantina!" Alnaar sounds jubilant. "I wonder if they have a mariachi band?"

"A what?"

"Don't you worry about it, partner. You will find out in due time."

You shake your head, and shrug your shoulders. You take a seat next to a strange blue-skinned woman with tentacles on her head where her hair should be.

"Bartender, yes you! I want a drink, and a meal. Just get me the best that you have." You say the words as your mouth begins to salivate. What would it taste like?

You haven't had liquor, and food in... well, you don't even remember. You have Kain to thank for that.

When he turned you, and your brothers you were already dead. There were no memories of your life before that. Just blackness. A life in the dark was all that you knew.

Now you would understand what it meant to truly live.

It doesn't even take five minutes before a glass of something strong, and a plate full of meat found itself in front of you. You didn't ask what they were you almost seemed to attack them. The meat was succulent, and juicy. Cooked medium rare. The drink burned like fire down your throat. By the time you were done you let yourself lean back, and sigh.

_It was perfect.
_
This is what Kain had stolen from you, and so many others. A simple meal, and drink.

What else had been stolen from you, you wonder?

"You have never known the touch of a woman, have you?" Alnaar sounds mischievous as he speaks. "You should buy yourself one for some fun. That lady next to you seems open to the idea--"

It was with a crash, and a bang that they entered the cantina.

A beast covered in fur from head to toe, and a human whose gait suggested he spent a lot of his time running from people who wanted his head on a platter.

The cantina goes silent for a few moments before the music starts playing again.

"Something bothering you?" Alnaar whispers into your ear.

"I can smell blood on that man." It seems some things never change. You might not be a vampire anymore but your senses were as sharp as ever.

"That so? You want to go talk to him don't you."

Alnaar reads your mind, and not for the first time you wonder how much the black sword knew about you.

"I thought you wanted to get back as soon as possible. No time for detours, Raziel--"

You ignore your right hand, and make way towards the two men who had entered the cantina.

You boldly take a seat next to the man-beast, and across from the human.

"You are a smuggler, aren't you?" You could tell, right away. This man was a criminal.

"Now who told you that?" The human ignores you as he eyes his drink, and takes another sip.

"No one but I know a thief, and a coward when I see one." You smirk, and notice the man twitch towards something on his belt. A weapon, perhaps?

"Oh, did you plan to use this?" That is if he managed to have actually grabbed it before you did.

"How did you--"

"I am faster than I look." You lean forward. "You look like someone who knows a lot about this place. I will give your weapon back provided you answer a few questions."

The man frowns but he nods his head. "Ask away."

"What is your name?"

"Han Solo, and don't you forget it."

A strange name, and nothing like what you hear in Nosgoth.

"Who is your king?"

"I don't got one."

You frown.

"Who is your ruler then?"

"If you mean who is running things? That would be the galactic empire. Those storm-troopers? Those people in white armor, and looking like they are about to shoot you? Yeah, that would be them."

Well, that was not something you were expecting. The _galactic _empire?

"Do you mean to say they have a stranglehold over more than just this planet?"

The man looks at you strangely. As if you just spouted another head.

"Why wouldn't I mean that?" His eyes narrow. "Where are you from exactly?"

You don't meet his eyes, and try to think of a cover story.

"I am not from this galaxy." It was the best one you could up with, and not exactly untrue. "I am from another galaxy that is far, far away from this one."

It was easier to swallow then something along the lines of "Hey, friend. I am from another universe. What is your name?"

"You are not a very good liar." Han Solo snorts as he picks up his drink, and finishes it. "Well, whoever you are can I have my blaster back?"

"Yes, you may have it back." You hand the man his firearm? Then move to leave the table. "Thank you for your time."

"Hey, you ever need something smuggled give me a call will you? I need the work."

You smile back at the human. No, you _really _should stop that.

You were human now too.

"Certainly." You lie through your teeth.

On your way out of the cantina you bump into a robed man, and you hit him hard enough that he falls down. Now with his hood disheveled. You see his face. He was an old man, and his hair was grayer than your own.

[] You help the old man back up, and get him back on his feet. After all, at his age he would need it.
[] It is the old man's fault for bumping into you in the first place. Call him a nerf hearder, and then run away before someone realizes you didn't pay for your meal. Dine, and dash.
[] While the old man is distracted rob him blind, and take whatever you can find on him to pay for your meal.
[] Convince the old man that it is in his best interests that he apologizes to you for scuffing your shoes by paying for your meal.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 9, 2018)

[X] It is the old man's fault for bumping into you in the first place. Call him a nerf hearder, and then run away before someone realizes you didn't pay for your meal. Dine, and dash.

time for shenanigans


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## John Wayne (Jul 9, 2018)

[X] While the old man is distracted rob him blind, and take whatever you can find on him to pay for your meal.

We need resources, and this man is a prime first target.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 9, 2018)

Hmm...
[x] You help the old man back up, and get him back on his feet. After all, at his age he would need it.


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## Atem (Jul 9, 2018)

We need a tie breaker.

@trexalfa


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## John Wayne (Jul 9, 2018)

Why not all three? Pretend to help him, actually rob him in the meantime and then run off and call him a scruffy nerfherder.


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## trexalfa (Jul 9, 2018)

[x] You help the old man back up, and get him back on his feet. After all, at his age he would need it.

Let's start easy


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 9, 2018)

[X] Convince the old man that it is in his best interests that he apologizes to you for scuffing your shoes by paying for your meal.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A Familiar Face (Jul 10, 2018)

He seemed exhausted.

You could see it in his eyes. He had been through countless battles.

More so than any other in your clan. Just who was he?

"I apologize for bumping into you like that. I didn't see you on my way out." You dust his robes with your hands, and drag him back up to his feet. You do it so quickly that he looks shocked.

"You're the energetic sort, aren't you?" He looks bemused more than anything else.

"You could say that." You try to bury the images of other men like him who you killed, and drained dry for blood. It comes with a swathe of guilt.

No more.

You were free now.

"It is strange most people your age wouldn't feel so much shame over something as benign as this..." You can already hear the curiosity in his voice.

"I am not as young as I look." Your eyes shift away from his. You could not meet them knowing what you have done.

It brings back memories. How many lives had you taken to preserve your own? Yet, you claimed to be a man of integrity. It wasn't just as Raziel.

Whatever name you used, or face you wore your hands were dyed red with blood. Your sins crawl on your back, and hound you.

Does it ever end?

"Maybe it will one day." It is surprising to hear someone else speak as they just heard your thoughts. It was not Alnaar this time.

"What did you just say?" You question the older man.

"I said that perhaps the life you live now does not have to be dictated by your past." The old man grabs you by the arm, and brings you over to a table.

"Who are you exactly?" Your eyes narrow, and you give the man another look. He looks normal enough but there was something strange about the air around him.

"Ben." He answers you. "That is what my friends call me."

You laugh, and it is hollow.

"Well, Ben. If you knew me you would know that it is not that simple."

"Oh, really?" He eases into his chair. "You think your story is an exception?" He wears a knowing smirk as if he has seen your kind before.

You raise a brow at this man's boldness.

"Just like that? I should let go of my past, and start anew?" You sound indignant. Almost annoyed. "I should let Kain do as he pleases, and continue on as he is now?"

"I didn't say _that_ but your hate will only impede you on your journey. It will not make things easier."

"My hate is what has been allowing me to go as far as I have until now! It is what kept me sane when I was cast into the abyss! It is what kept me strong when the skin was peeling from my muscles, and my eyes were melting in their sockets! It was there for me when no one else was! Do not speak to me as if it is no friend of mine. I would not be here if not for it." You rebuke this strange, and foolish man. What does he know of your plight?

"You do not even see it, do you? How it eats at you already. How it threatens to poison everything you touch. This person you seek would just be the beginning. It would not end with his life. It would starve, and go hungry. It would seek another." Ben shakes his head, and looks at you as if he has seen a ghost. In you he sees a young boy he raised so long ago. "I know what I speak of. I have seen it before."

"Is that so? Then you already know what my answer will be." You snort as you wear a truly frightening visage. What respect you showed the man was gone, and now it was replaced with bitterness.

"I am afraid I do, and that is why I ask something else of you." He slides a strange _cylinder_ towards you, and across the table. You catch it in your hand.

The metal felt cool to your touch but you knew immediately that this was a weapon.

"I was a Jedi once." Ben almost looks like what you imagine a father would be like when scolding his son. It was strange to have someone younger than you look at you like that. "I am one no longer but I have not forgotten my lessons."

"What is a Jedi, exactly?" Now your mind was alight with curiosity, and questions. "I would assume it means you were a warrior?"

"Oh, I was a lot more than just a warrior. I was a priest. You could say we were religious, and we believe in something. We call it the force. It was what we believe binds everything together. It is a sort of energy field, and we can exploit it. In many different ways." Ben smiles as he explains it to you. He seemed to be remembering something from his past as he did. "I can feel it around you, and it is horrifying to behold. I haven't meant someone like you before. It is like I am hearing the minds, and hearts of countless mad men desperately grasping for something resembling sanity. I haven't met someone with internal turmoil as grand as yours. I am not sure where you begin, and they end."

"You shouldn't do that. You will find things in there that will scar you in more ways than I can." The threat was clearly there. You would not tolerate him looking into your mind again.

"I apologize. It is just that you are so loud." He raises his hand. "It is hard not to listen to you."

"He is not wrong, my brother." Alnaar finally speaks up after being silent for so long. "It is noisy up there."

"That's another question I have been meaning to ask." Ben frowns. "That black sword is dangerous. It is like a black hole in the force."

You are not surprised that he could hear Alnaar. If anything you expected it.

"It was forged of chaos." You wear a mysterious smile as you say that.

"Chaos, you say? What exactly was the purpose behind that?" Ben obviously has no idea what you are talking about. Maybe you should humor him?

"Why to conquer chaos of course. Imagine if you would that reality is like a tree. On that tree there are branches, and on those branches you would see twigs. A twig is a world like this one. Just a part of a larger whole. In this tree there are two opposing forces. There is law, and order. Chaos, and anarchy." You wear something akin to amusement on your face. As you reveal the truth to him.

"You mean a light-side, and a dark-side. Good, and evil?"

"No, not at all. I mean law, and chaos." You chuckle. Oh, the world was not that simple. You wish it were. However, life is not that kind. "Regulation, and freedom. That is what they represent. You see law is control. It is the rules that which govern our society. Whether they make sense, or not. Whether these rules help people, or hurt them. It is the perpetuation of repetition." You smirk, and then tilt your head to the side. "Chaos on the other hand is the exact opposite. It is freedom in every sense of the word. It is to take what you want, when you want it, for whatever reason, whether what you want hurts or helps people. Whether it means breaking the rules, and fighting an established system. It is random, and unpredictable. It hurts just as much as it helps."

"They both sound horrible." Ben looks aghast. He could hardly comprehend something so... vaguely defined.

"They both are, and you have no idea how bad they can be." You laugh, and then you lose your mirth. "They have helped me as much as they have taken away from me. I both hate, and love them in equal measure." You were not just Raziel, anymore. You had so many other lifetimes behind you now.

"..." Ben goes silent at that. He could not sense any dishonesty in you. You were speaking the truth. If that was the case? "Then you need my help."

It was your turn to be surprised again.

"What help could you give me?"

"I can teach you what I know, and maybe then the path you walk will not be as hard."

You are at a loss for words. No one had ever offered you help before without asking for something in return. "What do you get out of this?"

"A second chance." Ben doesn't specify as to what he means, or to who he is referring to.

It annoys you immensely. You had a feeling the cryptic was in your future.

"I..."

[] You accept Ben's invitation, and begin to learn what he has to teach you about the Jedi.
[] You decline Ben's invitation, and decide you do not have time to spend here any longer than you should.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 10, 2018)

Lets humor him, he seems to know something that others here don't.
[x] You accept Ben's invitation, and begin to learn what he has to teach you about the Jedi.


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## John Wayne (Jul 10, 2018)

No this old man should go back to his cave, besides some stones are better left unturned.

[X] You decline Ben's invitation, and decide you do not have time to spend here any longer than you should.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 10, 2018)

[X] You accept Ben's invitation, and begin to learn what he has to teach you about the Jedi.

let's see where this takes us


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## trexalfa (Jul 10, 2018)

[X] You accept Ben's invitation, and begin to learn what he has to teach you about the Jedi.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - You Have a Choice (Jul 10, 2018)

You know that there is only one choice you can make. You need _everything_ that you can take advantage of.

"I accept." It was with those words that your path diverges.

The aging warrior priest wears a smile on his face, and oddly enough you find yourself sharing that same smile.

You were melancholic for so long. It was about time you take back the life that was stolen from you.

"Well, what is your name my student?"

"Raziel." You answer him. "I was--"

You stop yourself.

"I am the eternal champion."

***​"The force has no such thing as a limit. It penetrates us, and connects us. Our thoughts, our emotions, our dreams, and our desires. They are part of it, or rather it is to say the force is part of them." Ben waves his hand, and the boulders in front of him lift up from the ground. Your eyes widen. You could do that as a vampire but to see a human do so was surprising.

You are reminded of the grey fees. What you could remember from your life as the white wolf taught you much about them. Sorcerers could harness them, and forcibly impose their desires upon reality. They could take their dreams, and give them substance.

"You can be stronger, faster, and tougher than you can possibly imagine. You can understand the thoughts, and feelings of others. You can even manipulate them. You can command the matter around you, and destroy it." He crushes the boulders, and they are reduced to gravel. "However, the most elegant ability the force can afford you is prescience. You can interpret the future, and you will react according to it. That is the most difficult ability to master but the easiest to learn. I think you already know what I speak of."

You suddenly remember all of the glimpses of your other lives you have been seeing for a while now. Perhaps that was part of it. You wonder for a moment if the force was an extension of the grey fees.

"Yes, I have been having visions..." You answer your teacher. "Of lives I have lived before, and deaths I have been subject to. Things that have happened, and that will happen. On other worlds where I have been both a hero, and a villain. Sometimes both, and sometimes neither. Most of all, I remember a question that has haunted us." You struggle to say it. "When does it end?"

He nods his head.

"If what you told me was true I would expect no less." Ben looks at you with sympathy, and takes a seat on a nearby rock. The only one he left standing. "What else have you tried to do?"

"Nothing." You answer truthfully. Your abilities were unpredictable, and random. Your only chance of controlling them would be to find tanelorn. If you were to try without finding it? "I have no idea what would happen."

"I wonder..." The aging wizard is lost in thought. "If all chosen ones are like you, or maybe a part of you. You say you are this champion?"

"An aspect of him. As far as I can understand."

"It is strange to hear such stories." The once Jedi shakes his head. "That there are more that just other galaxies beyond the outer rim. That there may be other universes as well?" His frown becomes a smile. "It is exciting in a way, and humbling."

You didn't think of it that way, and your teacher was right.

No matter how strong, or fast? No matter how smart, or wise? You could never reach a limit. There would be someone stronger, and faster. There would be someone smarter, and wiser.

"It is in understanding that the mastery of something is not the peak of a mountain but instead a bottomless ocean. Its depths horrifying, and unseen." You say those words without realizing it. Perhaps it was something you said in another life. That you hold onto for some reason. You did not know enough about yourself to know.

"That is surprisingly astute." Ben laughs. "I wonder who is the teacher, and which of us is the student?" He points toward the gravel. "So, let's start with something simple. I want you to focus on those boulders I destroyed, and piece them back together."

You get up, and move to grab one piece of gravel--

"Not with your hands." Your teacher scolds you. "You must use the force."

You grit your teeth, and bite back a retort. "Very well."

You focus on one piece of gravel.

It doesn't budge. You grit your teeth. Nothing. A vein threatens to explode as you grind your teeth together, and you make a grabbing motion with your hands. "Why, won't, you, _move_."

This was easier when you were a vampire.

Ben looks at you in amusement.

"You're not having trouble, are you?"

You suddenly get the feeling that by the time you finished learning everything he has to teach you Ben would be next on your list of people to eviscerate, and eclipsed only by Kain who firmly has the number one spot on it.

"Is there something you are not telling me?"

"Why Raziel, you think I would keep something from you?"

"Yes, brother. He is just an old man." Alnaar interjects. "Don't be so harsh on him."

"Now listen to that right hand of yours. He seems an erudite. If you can't trust your sword who can you trust?"

Oh, so they were teaming up against you. How wonderful.

"I would see the both of you drawn, and quartered." You grumble as you continue to try, and fail to lift the gravel.

Your hands drop to your sides. You can't do it.

"It's impossible!"

''Is it?"

That is when Ben gets back, and with a wave of his hand the gravel swirls together before taking shape becoming boulders once more. It was as if they were never pulverized to begin with.

"I don't seem to have any trouble doing it. What exactly is holding you back?"

You clench your hands, and take a deep breath. "It is fear."

***​"So, you did not succeed. That is nothing to be surprised about." Your teacher brings you near another dwelling. A farm this time. "You did acknowledge what was holding you back. Which is a step in the right direction."

"Why are we here?"

"This time I want you to answer a question for me. How many people are living in that farm, and what are they thinking about right now?"

You close your eyes, and focus.

Two. No, three people. A man, a woman, and a child.

A child who--

"I have to leave." You realize with a sudden clarity who that was.

"What is wrong, Raziel?" The former Jedi gives you a strange look. He could probably feel your fear from across the galaxy.

"Do not ask me any questions I have to get as far away from here as possible!"

That child.

It was *you*.

You turn around, and make your away back into the desert. Your teacher following you.

***​"What happened, Raziel?" He looks concerned. This man you now call your teacher has the nerve to ask.

"The soul is a strange thing, and mine is even stranger." It could not be contained in one body. No, it never could be. "It permeates itself across every world, and is born anew on each one."

"That boy is someone I used to be, or someone I might become." The eternal champion. On every plane, and in every realm. A constant. That would never be undone.

"How can you be so sure?"

"You think I can't recognize my own soul?"

Your teacher goes silent at that.

"I can't go anywhere near that child. If I do your reality might unravel. I will continue the training but that farm is one place I can never return to."

In front of the campfire you look into the flames.

"Luke Skywalker."

You try the name. It was a fine one.

"Is he happy?"

Obiwan Kenobi does not answer you for a long time.

"I like to think so."

***​"Before we continue your training we must see what oath suits you best." The former general takes out a holocron from within his robes. "Then I expect you to learn everything you can about it."

"A Jedi believes in this, and strictly adheres to it. It is what I _believe_ in. However, it is admittedly draconian leaving no room for any deviation. The path to enlightenment requires sacrifice."

_There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.
_
"The Sith believe the exact opposite, and see the force as a weapon. A way to free themselves, and indulge in their desires."

_Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me._

"However, there was a time before Jedi and Sith. When the Jedi called themselves Je'daii. Their code is forgotten more often than not. Sometimes I wonder if the Jedi Order should have considered teaching it."

_There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no fear; there is power.
I am the heart of the Force.
I am the revealing fire of light.
I am the mystery of darkness
In balance with chaos and harmony,
Immortal in the Force._

[] You follow your teacher's footsteps, and become a Jedi.
[] You become enthralled with the promise of freedom, and passion. You become a Sith, and seek your revenge against Kain.
[] You remember who you are, and recognize that the only choice you can make is to accept both ideologies. You live in the balance between them, and that is what you represent. You learn of the Je'daii.​


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 10, 2018)

[x] You remember who you are, and recognize that the only choice you can make is to accept both ideologies. You live in the balance between them, and that is what you represent. You learn of the Je'dai.


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## trexalfa (Jul 10, 2018)

[X] You remember who you are, and recognize that the only choice you can make is to accept both ideologies. You live in the balance between them, and that is what you represent. You learn of the Je'dai.


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## John Wayne (Jul 10, 2018)

[X] You remember who you are, and recognize that the only choice you can make is to accept both ideologies. You live in the balance between them, and that is what you represent. You learn of the Je'dai.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Undying in the Force (Jul 10, 2018)

It was the first choice you ever made.

When you were once Prince Gaynor the Damned. When you were a Knight of Balance.

You were born of tanelorn's womb, and together with your brothers you brought forth change. However, it was the greatest mistake you ever made. Your greatest sin. Your *first *sin. In truth, it was a mechanism designed to serve one side.

The balance it brought _regulation _to limbo.

It only worked in favor of law.

In the end chaos was destroyed, and the balance had to be undone.

It was a demiurge. Just like Stormbringer it was anathema.

It obstructed the future, and denied possibility.

"I cannot choose to follow your same path, and I am not so consumed by my hatred that I would become a Sith." You frown as you look over the oaths. There was one that almost seemed designed with you in mind. "These Je'daii I would learn more about them, and the oath that was forgotten. I will not deny my emotions but I shall not let them control me either."

Obiwan Kenobi looks surprised.

"Strange, I thought you would choose the easiest route. Instead you decided to pick the hardest one." He shakes his head. "I have a feeling you would be a troublesome student." He says that but wears a smirk on his face. As if he is proud of you.

"The path of the Je'daii is a difficult one. You will embrace your emotions, and at the same guide them towards a specific course. You will both use, and control them. Instead of being controlled by them like the Sith." Ben turns the holocron on. You see a figure with a strange triangular tattoo on his face. He was human but something was strange about him. A hologram he might be you could recognize the power he had regardless.

"I was once called Xesh. Now I call myself Tau. I am a Je'daii Master, and I leave this holocron for those who desire to learn about the force..."

***​_There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
_
"Sheev Palpatine was a chancellor in the galactic republic." Obiwan Kenobi speaks to you as you eat. "None of us suspected him when it came down to it. I believe in part that it was because he was clouding our thoughts." He leans forward. "In truth, he is probably one of the greatest masters of the dark side in recent history. We weren't prepared when the clones betrayed us, and we were caught unaware. Separated from each other, and alone."

"Why do you not seek revenge?" You ask your teacher. "You were wronged, and so were your comrades! Now they lay beneath the dirt."

Your teacher sighs, and gives you a resigned look. "A Jedi does not seek vengeance. He seeks justice."

"Then why not seek justice?" You don't let it go. The more your teacher told you about the galactic empire the more it reminded you of the crumbling ruins that are now Nosgoth.

"I am but one person, and I know that I am simply not strong enough to defeat him." Obiwan Kenobi admits his weakness.

"I can help you." After all, Ben went out of his way for you. Why not do the same for him?

"You are not ready, and I believe you told me that you need to find tanelorn before you can reshape the world in whichever way you want."

"I have Alnaar, and despite the fact I have not found my tanelorn it does not mean I am powerless." You had your black sword, and your memories were becoming clearer every day.

"Then I shall make a deal with you, Raziel. Prove that you can defeat me in combat, and I will consider it." Your teacher challenges you. You aim to meet that challenge.

***​_There is no fear; there is power.
_
Do not be afraid. You may have not found tanelorn but it is with you always. Just as limbo is. Just as the grey fees are.

You gesture towards the boulders, and this time they float into the air.

"Yes, that is perfect!" Your teacher claps his hands. "Now take them apart!"

You clench your hand, and the boulders are pulverized. They become gravel.

"You can do more than just destroy them! Now put them back together."

The gravel swirls together into a tornado, and takes another shape once more. However, this time you decide to be more creative than your teacher.

"Kain..." You murmur after making a statue in his likeness. You wear a nasty smirk on your face before swinging Alnaar through the statue, and cleaving it in half. "It is not over! I live!"

***​
_I am the heart of the Force._

You meditate, and see memories of lives long since passed. You see your lives that are yet to be.

"I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you."

"You already have, Luke."

You feel tears run down your face. As memories of the future plague your mind. You wish you could meet that child, and help him but you know that you can't.

You cannot meet yourself. The risks are great, and many.

It is better that he never walks the road that you do.​***​_I am the revealing fire of light.
_
"Are you alright!" You grab your teacher before he falls. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing it is just time catching up with me." He tries to smile but grimaces in pain instead. You look at him, and open your mind. You look deeply inside of him. You see his muscles, and his organs. You look deeper within him. You see his cells, and that's when you find it. At his age it would be expected.

Cancer.

It was spreading throughout his body, and soon it would metastasize. You wouldn't let that happen.

You press your hand against his chest, and envelop your teacher in the warmth of the force. It revitalizes him, and soon the cancerous cells die.

After making sure you had destroyed every single one of them you let go of him.

"You won't die this day."

***​_I am the mystery of darkness.
_
"Alnaar." You grasp your black sword. "This beast dies."

The krayt dragon roars in defiance. It was hunting you for days.

It had managed to hurt your teacher as he defended you from it.

Now it would be the one that is hunted.

You run your hand across your blade, and it is enveloped in the crackling electricity of the force.

You charge forth, and claim the head of your tormentor.

Your vengeance would not be denied.

***​_In balance with chaos and harmony,
_
"Prepare to die, Jedi!" The Sith Acolyte charges at you with his light-saber, and you meet his charge with Alnaar. There is a look of surprise on his face when your black sword manages to stop his light-saber. "What manner of vibroblade is that--"

He does not finish as you cut through the electromagnetic field containing the plasma within, and cleave him in half from shoulder to hip.

"I am no Jedi, you miserable insect." You swing Alnaar, and ring the blood away from your blade. "That was your first mistake."

"A fine trophy to add to our collection, my brother." You pick up the Sith Acolyte's light-saber, and add it to the others on your belt. Alnaar satisfied once more by your bloodshed.

The other Sith Acolyte who followed you practically jumps in fright when you turn your gaze to him. "You can choose to fight me, and end up like him." You point towards the corpse of his friend. "However, I suggest you leave and perhaps I will be merciful enough to spare you for your cowardice."

It only takes the Sith Acolyte a few seconds to decide. He drops his light-saber, and makes his escape.

***​_Immortal in the Force._

"I cannot die, and I never will be free of this burden." You suddenly realize this. You had seen all of your lives now. This was your lot in life. You may have broken fate and destiny but the burden of responsibility will be on your shoulders. You are strong, and you are powerful.

You will be born again. You will die, and find yourself wearing another face.

​
You find your peace in that. Your heart yearns for battle.

It shall not be denied. However, that does not mean you will always be fighting. Sometimes you will know love, and happiness. You will have a family. You will have friends. You will have a life worth living.

"Kain, you have failed spectacularly." In that moment everything disappears, and the sounds of countless others screaming in your mind cease to be.

You only hear the dripping of water, and chirping of birds.

What was this feeling?

This serenity.

It was more than just happiness.

It was the force.

***​"Are you sure you are ready, Raziel?" Obiwan Kenobi turns on his light-saber, and prepares to do battle with you. "You have completed your training. You don't need to do this."

"You said I could help you if I defeated you earnestly." You give your teacher your retort. "I will take you up on that. Whether you like it, or not." That is when you smile at him.

Your mind is in turmoil once again.

You see the choices before you. The force gives you a glimpse of the future.

[] You do not hesitate, and do not hold back against your teacher. You would show him how powerful you are. So, that perhaps you could save him when the time comes. You would risk everything to ensure your teacher's livelihood. Despite what may happen to the galaxy. This galaxy does not come before those closest to your heart. It is nothing compared to them.

[] You see it all before your eyes. If you win, and you fight Darth Sidious... what the force orchestrated would unravel. The future would be uncertain. There is no telling what would happen. You cannot take such a risk, and hold back against your teacher. The many always come before the few. You hate yourself for this but you must lose if the future is to remain the same.
​


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## trexalfa (Jul 10, 2018)

[X] You do not hesitate, and do not hold back against your teacher. You would show him how powerful you are. So, that perhaps you could save him when the time comes. You would risk everything to ensure your teacher's livelihood. Despite what may happen to the galaxy. This galaxy does not come before those closest to your heart. It is nothing compared to them.


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## John Wayne (Jul 10, 2018)

[X] You do not hesitate, and do not hold back against your teacher. You would show him how powerful you are. So, that perhaps you could save him when the time comes. You would risk everything to ensure your teacher's livelihood. Despite what may happen to the galaxy. This galaxy does not come before those closest to your heart. It is nothing compared to them.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 10, 2018)

**looks at sequels**
[x] You do not hesitate, and do not hold back against your teacher. You would show him how powerful you are. So, that perhaps you could save him when the time comes. You would risk everything to ensure your teacher's livelihood. Despite what may happen to the galaxy. This galaxy does not come before those closest to your heart. It is nothing compared to them.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 10, 2018)

[X] You do not hesitate, and do not hold back against your teacher. You would show him how powerful you are. So, that perhaps you could save him when the time comes. You would risk everything to ensure your teacher's livelihood. Despite what may happen to the galaxy. This galaxy does not come before those closest to your heart. It is nothing compared to them.

time to cast some ripples


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Beginning of the End (Jul 10, 2018)

You saw the world as it was to become, and you burst into hysterical laughter.

_No.
_
Your teacher would not die. He would not be cut down by the servant of that manipulative snake.

Darth Sidious... his life, and his head would be your reward.

Your teacher's greatest enemy would be punished by your hands!

You move quickly, and close the distance. Your black sword meets your teacher's light-saber. As you clash you cannot help the smirk that grows on your face. You live for this!

Your instincts are on fire. A thousand lifetimes of swordplay, and swordsmanship flash through your mind. He could not hope to match those many centuries of practice. He finds himself being pushed back.

Your teacher was no longer just fighting you. He was fighting everyone you would ever become.

"I admit I am no match for you when it comes to dueling!" Obiwan Kenobi backs away, and thrusts his hand forward. You feel the force strike at you with the strength of a battering ram as it sends you flying across the desert. You twist, and turn in the air before landing on your feet. "However, that is not the only weapon in my arsenal!"

"Who said that it was?" You thrust your hand forward as crackling lightning shoots out of your fingers. You teacher blocks it with his light-saber but he has to dig his feet into the ground just to keep standing.

You take that chance, and in a burst of speed you disappear from his sight. You reappear by his side, and swing Alnaar sideways. He turns his body to defend against the black sword with his light-saber. His light-saber barely manages to stop it, and he finds his trusted heirloom _bending _under the force of your strike. You push with the force, and your teacher is sent hurdling into the air. You jump clearing dozens of meters, and clash blades with him once more in the air forcing him back down to the ground.

He is on his knees, and you strike again with Alnaar knocking the light-saber from your teacher's hands. You point the black blade at his neck. "Yield, my friend."

"You have taken what I have taught you, and surpassed me. That is true." Obiwan Kenobi says between labored breathes. The exhaustion settling in now. "However, Darth Sidious is not someone you should underestimate--"

"I was holding back." You inform him immediately. "If I had taken you seriously you would have died in the first move." You say it with pride.

"Be that as it may." Ben shakes his head, partly in amusement, and partly in annoyance. He was not getting that weak, right? "Darth Sidious is another beast entirely. He would have defeated me with as much as ease as you did. In fact, it would have been even easier for him."

"I will be prepared for him when the time comes." You relent, and acknowledge your teacher's concerns. "There is more that I should learn, and I will learn it by the time I face him." Your visions were becoming clearer. You knew who you had to learn from next.

"If you do not?"

"Then I will die."

***​"You know, when I asked if you had any work for me this was not what I meant." Han Solo gives you a strange look from the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. "I usually don't smuggle people."

"What is it they say around these systems? There is a first time for everything?" You place your hand on the seat of the cockpit, and look deep into space.

Yes, there was one last part of your lessons you needed to complete. You learned of the Jedi.

Now?

"Korriban... you know that place is nothing but trouble?" Han Solo looks unnerved. Just being near the place made him feel nauseous. There was something fundamentally _wrong _about it.

"That would be the force, or rather how it has been perverted by the Sith Lords there." You answer the smuggler's question before he even gets a chance to ask it.

"Ugh, Jedi." He grumbles. "Try not to read my mind, okay?"

"No promises." Your mind was elsewhere. You could feel the spirits wandering that planet even from Tatooine. Just the light side would not be enough, and you have mastered it thanks to Ben. You had some understanding of the dark side but only what your instincts allowed you, and being self-taught is a recipe for disaster. The dark side of the force was stronger on Korriban. You are not sure what you would find but you knew that if you want to master the force this is where you must begin.

Chewbacca makes some indignant noises.

"Yeah, buddy. I don't like him either." Han Solo snorts, and you give him a nasty look.

"Who exactly is paying you again?"

"Yeah, yeah I get. No complaining."

It was a good thing those Sith Acolytes had so many credits on them. You can't imagine what you would have done without them. You should probably consider pawning those light-sabers too...

"The man-bear reeks of manure." Alnaar is the first to complain about Chewbacca.

"Yes, he does indeed." You really wish this star-ship had better ventilation.

***

​"You know, this place feels _really _welcoming." Alnaar is always dry when it comes to sarcasm.

"The air itself is thick with the dark side." Your scrunch your nose in disgust. Well, at least you were away from Chewbacca. That stench was even worse than this feeling of primordial passion, and ambition rife in the atmosphere.

You see the temple ahead of you, and make your way towards it. He was calling you.

Someone who knew Darth Sidious intimately. You could feel their connection in the force.

It was a temple made to be the tomb of Marka Ragnos. Where his body would be enshrined.

Now you sense another presence within.

It most certainly was not him.

You move boulders, and concrete aside as you make your way deeper into the temple with the force beside you. Guiding you further within, and towards the source of this disturbance in the force.

"I have been waiting."

The transparent figure looks bemused. He is looking around the temple, and examines some murals paying you no mind.

"Who are you?" You ask the ghostly figure.

"An enemy of my enemy is my friend." He speaks again, and turns around removing his hood. He was a muun, and that was clear. What else was obvious was that he was powerful in the dark side of the force. He was a Sith Lord in life to be sure. "You seek my apprentice's life. I will help you take it from him."

"Oh, so you were his teacher then?" Now this was interesting. What exactly could motivate a man to murder his student? Then as you sense the bubbling feelings you realize what it is. You notice them in yourself when your thoughts drift towards Kain. "This is about revenge, isn't it?"

"When it comes to Sith Lords when doesn't it come to that?" The force ghost bursts into laughter. He must think your question was amusing more than anything else. "I am or rather I was Darth Plagueis. I taught Darth Sidious everything that he knows, and he rewarded me by taking my life when I was inebriated."

"It sounds like you have only yourself to blame if you were foolish enough to get drunk in front of him." The moment those words leave your mouth Darth Plagueis raises his hand, and sends you flying across the room into a mural.

"I am offering you help but that does not mean I will tolerate disrespect. You may have loyalties to a Jedi but I will overlook that. Provided you bring about the downfall of my former apprentice? I will teach you everything that I know." Darth Plagueis continues his speech, and then uses the force to drag you towards him. You meet his eyes. "You are no Jedi, and you are no Sith. You make me curious, Raziel." Darth Plagueis speaks your name. "Perhaps you shall master the force in ways I couldn't in life."

"I have every intention of doing so." You answer back, and quickly you unsheathe Alnaar swinging it towards the malevolent spirit. Darth Plagueis dodges it but the edge of the blade manages to somehow cut his cheek. He swabs his finger against his face, and feels blood drip from it.

"Ahahahahaha, yes! Your potential is astounding." Darth Plagueis seems pleased instead of being angry that you just cut him. "You would be my instrument of vengeance against Darth Sidious, and in turn what I teach you will be the instrument of your vengeance against Kain."

You wear a truly horrifying smirk on your face. "It seems we have an accord."

"Yes, we do... my apprentice."

You kneel before your master.

_***
_​"What name do you think suits you above all others, my apprentice? You may walk between two paths but that does not mean you can neglect either side. As my apprentice, and a master of the dark side. You need another name that reflects that part of you. You do not just belong to the light side." Darth Plagueis circles around you, and as he reads more of the tomes of the Sith Lords that preceded him he pays you a single glance.

You are meditating, floating about the temple's floor, and are focusing deeply on the force. You feel both sides of your being. The affection you felt for your teacher who taught you humility, and mercy. Your hatred, and desire for revenge against the man who made you into a vampire.

A thousand different names flash before your eyes but there are four above all others that answer your pleas.

The force guides you towards them, and it gives you the answer:

[] Darth Ignis. You do not forget the Lake of the Dead. You remember the water burning like fire against your skin. Alnaar by your side, and giving birth to a star. The fires within born of your agony as you died.
[] Darth Fulgur. You are swift, and cunning. Your black sword strikes without mercy, and lightning crackles upon the edge. You are fire, and lightning. It is what your soul has been written in.
[] Darth Shaitan. You cannot forget your past. You do not forget God. Nor the stigmata placed upon you. You lost everything when you abandoned Pandemonium. Just for a chance at reconciliation with your lord.
[] Darth Immortalis. You will die but that will not be the end. You have eternity ahead of you, and you will be born again. Your soul is undying. It is forever. You will see the stars die, and hear the last gasp of every realm.
​


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 10, 2018)

*does google check on names* I'll choose the one most like satan. 
[x] Darth Shaitan. You cannot forget your past. You do not forget God. Nor the stigmata placed upon you. You lost everything when you abandoned Pandemonium. Just for a chance at reconciliation with your lord.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 11, 2018)

[X] Darth Shaitan. You cannot forget your past. You do not forget God. Nor the stigmata placed upon you. You lost everything when you abandoned Pandemonium. Just for a chance at reconciliation with your lord.


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## Atem (Jul 11, 2018)

Who here thinks Darth Iblis sounds better than Darth Shaitan?


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## John Wayne (Jul 11, 2018)

I do.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 11, 2018)

Better give it a description then.


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## trexalfa (Jul 11, 2018)

[X] Darth Shaitan. You cannot forget your past. You do not forget God. Nor the stigmata placed upon you. You lost everything when you abandoned Pandemonium. Just for a chance at reconciliation with your lord.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - You Will Walk the Path of Thorns (Jul 11, 2018)

Lucifer.

You were meant to cure the world's pain. It was your light that would banish the darkness. Your beauty was unmatched, and so was your pride. In your hubris you spurned your lord, and chose to rebel. You rallied those entrapped by your beauty, and your passion. You used their love for you.

You fought for your own sake. That was always true.

However, as with anything in life things began to change. You knew remorse, and sought to stand by his side once again.

You tore the wings from your shoulders, and cast away your immortality. You left your throne, and abandoned your kingdom. You climbed your way out of the abyss, and found yourself gasping for air as you reached the surface.

Earth.

Your beautiful Earth.

No matter what face you wore, or what name you use it was always yours. That is when you knew love. In the first time since you were born you became enamored not with a person but with a place.

The only home you would ever dare claim.

Heaven could not compare, and Hell was but a shadow of it.

You knew then where you belonged. It was not by your lord's side.

No, it is by living with these flawed and ugly creatures that you realized that it was not their pain you cured. They had saved you from yourself.

God was wrong.

They were not grasping at the illumination your light would bring. You were enveloped in the warmth of their embrace.

"Darth Shaitan." You speak the words, and they reverberate across the galaxy. Throughout time, and space. The force recoils both in trepidation, and realization of what you are.

"Then it is decided." Darth Plagueis puts one of his tomes down, and looks at you once more. "Now we can begin."

***​"A rival."

Darth Sidious could feel it. The birth of another master of the dark side.

However, something was strange. In the darkness he felt light intertwined with it.

Hatred, and mercy.

Pride, and humility.

A mass of contradictions.

It unnerved him... how easily these opposing forces became as one in this rival.

He had heard of this before when he researched his predecessors. There was one person that matched this description.

Darth Revan.

A man who was both a Jedi, and a Sith. Yet, neither of them at the same time.

"What concerns you, my master?" Darth Vader kneels before him.

"There is another." Darth Sidious answers him. "A master of the dark side who may one day be a threat."

"Are you certain?" Darth Vader sounds strangely interested. "If it is so I can deal with him by your command."

"No, not yet." Darth Sidious raises his hand to dismiss his student. "We must learn more first."

Now that surprises Darth Vader. The only reason Darth Sidious would be cautious like this is if he felt threatened.

In that moment the monster who was once Anakin Skywalker realizes that he could use this.

"I will investigate." Darth Vader tells his master. "Where did you sense this disturbance in the force?"

"Korriban." Of course. Where else would it be? "That is where it came from."

Darth Sidious could sense them. His student's rebellious thoughts.

Any attempts on his life would be dealt with. Darth Sidious would teach his student the price for treachery.

***​"I spent a large part of my life studying midi-chlorians." Darth Plagueis meditates with his apprentice. "I thought that by studying them I could discover the secret to immortality."

"What happened?" You ask your master.

"I went beyond my station." Darth Plagueis wears something of a sardonic smile. "I did more than just seek immortality. I tried to change the force itself." He shakes his head. The mistakes of mice, and men. "I thought I could control it. I thought I could tame it." Darth Plagueis looks you in the eyes. "Just as with any cornered animal it became desperate. It lashed out, and created what would become Darth Vader."

"Darth Vader..." You murmur. The name seems familiar. "Who is he?"

"Your teacher did not tell you?" Darth Plagueis looks positively ecstatic. As if he is the cat who just caught the canary. "He went by another name once. He was a Jedi. A man called..." Darth Plagueis chuckles. It gives you no comfort. "Anakin Skywalker."

_"Search your feelings. You know it to be true."_

It hits you again. A vision of the future that was meant to be.

Now cast aside by your actions.

He was Luke Skywalker's father.

He was your father.

"Do you think that?" Darth Plagueis couldn't help but notice your feelings. "Truly?"

"I am not sure." Luke Skywalker. You could be him one day. "We share the same soul but our hearts, and our minds are distinct."

"Then treat him as you would anyone else." Darth Plagueis advises you. "He is not your father. He is an enemy. He is your quarry's greatest disciple."

"His greatest disciple, and his greatest enemy." You rebuke your master. As ideas run rampant in your mind. "You must be able to sense it? He is not loyal."

"While that may be true Darth Vader would not risk his own life for a plan that would fail. You know this already." Darth Plagueis grabs another tome, and begins reading it. "However, he is driven by his love for a woman. That child may be all that is left of her in this galaxy."

You understand what Darth Plagueis means to say immediately. "I will not use a boy as a means to an end, and especially not one who I am to become."

"You cannot dismiss such opportunities, my apprentice. My traitorous protege does not believe in mercy like you do." Darth Plagueis takes a deep breath, and realizes once more who he is talking to. "You need not use the boy as a shield, or as bait for a trap. You can instead use the boy to turn Darth Vader to your side."

Your master was right. You had options at your disposal.

"That would be the most desirable outcome. If I can reach the man, and not the monster?"

"Then you can use that weakness. His love would betray him."

You do not like the way your master derides love as a weakness but you can't help but agree with him. There was a chance you could save Luke Skywalker's father, or at the very least make him a comrade.

Darth Sidious would not expect that.

[] You feel the inklings of the part of you that was Luke Skywalker reach out to you. He pleads to you to save his father. You were a monster for so long as Raziel. How many lives had you taken as a vampire? Perhaps it was time to put that part of your past behind you. If only so that boy may have a father for once in his life.
[] You cannot take such a risk, and you quiet the storm of emotions that erupts in your soul. You were Darth Shaitan, and you would show no mercy to your enemies. Darth Sidious was cruel, and capricious. You must be even more ruthless than he is to win this war. If your teacher hates you for this then so be it.


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## trexalfa (Jul 11, 2018)

[X] You feel the inklings of the part of you that was Luke Skywalker reach out to you. He pleads to you to save his father. You were a monster for so long as Raziel. How many lives had you taken as a vampire? Perhaps it was time to put that part of your past away. If only so that boy may have a father for once in his life.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 11, 2018)

Vader being converted early prevents the sequels entirely, but being able to convince him is also a long shot. If vader is killed Luke doesn't grow enough to beat Sidious. Seeing as a sith master is suggesting it, I would assume that is a course of action that is still sith like... unless he's testing out our darkside. What to pick...


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## Atem (Jul 11, 2018)

Just saying but there are manipulative, and dark side ways of saving someone. 

A lie can go a long way, especially if there is truth to it.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 11, 2018)

Well, if you put it that way.
[x] You feel the inklings of the part of you that was Luke Skywalker reach out to you. He pleads to you to save his father. You were a monster for so long as Raziel. How many lives had you taken as a vampire? Perhaps it was time to put that part of your past behind you. If only so that boy may have a father for once in his life.


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## John Wayne (Jul 12, 2018)

[x] You feel the inklings of the part of you that was Luke Skywalker reach out to you. He pleads to you to save his father. You were a monster for so long as Raziel. How many lives had you taken as a vampire? Perhaps it was time to put that part of your past behind you. If only so that boy may have a father for once in his life.

We are not Sith.


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## John Wayne (Jul 12, 2018)

Also true power is not obtained by slaying every would be foe. It's through taking everything from people that can be taken, draining the potential dry, and twisting it to suit your needs.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - I Am Your Father (Jul 12, 2018)

Time.

It was an illusion. You see, it has no linear course.

Past, present, and future are as one. People do not realize this.

They cannot.

If they do that means acknowledging something about themselves they do not believe in.

It is created by us this concept of linearity. So, that we can keep living our lives as we do.

We navigate through something that is non-linear in a way that is linear.

Distances become shorter, and longer. Minutes can become seconds, or centuries.

You do see this. You have no choice in the matter.

Your memories grant you this sort of ephemeral understanding.

In another place, in another time, and in another space.

You find yourself in the shoes of another.

"Just for once let me look on you with my own eyes." You take your father's mask, and gently remove it from his face. Careful as to not hurt him anymore than he is already.

"Now go, my son. Leave me." Your father commands you.

"No. You're coming with me. I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you." Your heart bursts at the seams. A primal desire to save your father erupts within you.

"You already have, Luke. You were right. You were right about me. Tell your sister... you were right." Darth Vader goes silent. He closes his eyes.

"Father. I won't leave you." Your father goes limp in your hands, and takes his last breath.

You knew how you could reach him.

It became clear to you now.

You open your eyes, and wake from your dream. A future that was happening even as you lived in the present.

"I envy you, my apprentice." Darth Plagueis looks bemused more than anything else. "You are blessed in more ways than you can imagine."

***​When Darth Vader landed on Korriban he could feel it immediately. A force unlike anything he had encountered before.

It was no Jedi Master.

However, it was not a Sith Lord either.

It was a swirling amalgamation of light side, and dark side energies. He is reminded of Tython, and the strange balance that exists there.

"I have been waiting for you, Anakin Skywalker." You speak his name. Which no other should know. You leave the shadows, and let the light shine upon you. You wear the black robes of your master. Your white hair blows in the wind, and the red of your eyes pierce this broken man's soul.

"Ah, so you are who my master fears so much?" Darth Vader seems amused, and ignites his light-saber. "I would see your head set free from your shoulders." You were powerful enough to discover his true name, and rip it from his mind. At least that is what he thinks.

You smirk, and unsheathe Alnaar. He is in for a surprise.

"A vibroblade?" Darth Vader sounds disappointed. However, that is when he feels it. The energies around that black sword were dangerous. The force was whispering to him, and _warning_ him. It could not penetrate the black blade, or reveal its secrets. It was not forged out of the dark side.

No, it was made out of something more ravenous than even it was.

"So, you wield an artifact of the ancient Sith Lords? Is that why my senses betray me?" Darth Vader assumes what comes obviously to him.

"No, it is no artifact of theirs. It is my brother. My right hand. My other half." You correct the Sith Lord, and make your way towards him slowly.

You could sense it. He wished to test you.

As the winds of Korriban passed by the both of you? You both disappear. You move as fast as you can. You leave light in the dust, and transcend the physical laws.

Darth Vader manages to block your first strike regardless. His light-saber meets Alnaar, and deep inside his soul he could feel it already. A strange familiarity. He should know you.

Why is that? What connection could you possibly have to him?

"What is your name, boy?" Darth Vader pushes back with light-saber, and you give allowing yourself some distance from him.

"Luke." Your plan is set in motion. Now it was time to capitalize on it. "He told me much about you."

A sudden urgency is born in Darth Vader. A gnawing curiosity.

"Who?"

"Obiwan Kenobi."

A feeling of hatred erupts within Darth Vader. His former master lives. Darth Vader closes the distance this time, and strikes with his light-saber. You deflect every blow with Alnaar, and see through his rage. It made him stronger but it made him easier to predict at the same time.

Against the thousands of generations of swordsmanship and swordplay at your disposal that was Darth Vader's greatest mistake. He could not break through your guard, and even without the force whispering in the back of your mind you could see his moves before he made them.

In his frustration he screams, and his voice is amplified by the force. It pulverizes the earth around you, and sends you flying backwards. As rock is reduce to its component atoms from the reverberation of it.

That was a nice trick. You had to admit.

However, your master knew it too.

You take a deep breath, and unleash an even deeper roar. It overpowers Darth Vader's attack, and forces him back.

You feel his surprise.

"Why wouldn't my master teach me it? After all, who do you think taught yours?" Darth Plagueis made sure to teach you that first. It had many uses, and you aimed to exploit every one.

"You said you knew Obiwan Kenobi." Darth Vader grinds his teeth, and clenches his light-saber. "Now there is another?"

"Obiwan Kenobi raised me, and Darth Plagueis taught me."

Darth Vader is surprised. You could feel it immediately.

His master had lied to him. Darth Plagueis was not dead.

"Yes, he still lives." You lie with an expert's grace as you feel Darth Vader's suspicions grow. It would work in your favor. "As a recluse in these ruins. I found him, and he agreed to teach me. In return for a favor."

"What favor would that be?" Darth Vader disappears, and reappears before you once more. You block his light-saber with your bare hands this time.

Your master had taught you how to both shield yourself with the force, and absorb energies with it. He had taken to using a walking cane instead of a light-saber in his life. You would use your hands instead.

Darth Vader begins to understand as he fights you. There was a reason his master was cautious.

This was no upstart.

It was a rival.

Just as he said.

"Oh, he asked me to bring an end to his apprentice's life." You answer the Sith Lord, and then strike with the palm of your hand. Sending him flying backwards, and into a boulder. It breaks, and crumbles to pieces. "Your master, Darth Sidious."

Darth Vader hesitates. As the pieces begin to come together, and looks again.

The hair, and eyes were wrong. However... the facial features were nearly identical.

Just like his own. The rest could be explained by the dark side being so strong in this young usurper.

"What is your surname?" Darth Vader had to know.

"You know the answer to that already." You are almost there. You just have to let him find it for himself. "Obiwan Kenobi... he was always brought to tears when he spoke of you. He felt he wronged you--"

"He did!" Darth Vader picks himself from the rumble. His mind was now on fire. The pieces beginning to come together. So, the whole picture could now lay bare before him. "He nearly brought an end to my life, and now look at me!" Half man, and half machine. It was only his hatred that kept him going. "This is what the Jedi Order did to me!"

"He spoke a lot about my mother as well. That she was a kind woman. That she loved you dearly. That her last words on her lips were your name." You continue to spin your lies, and take advantage of your enemy's uncertainty. Luke Skywalker had to be sixteen years old by now. You looked around that age.

Technically, you would become him. So, this wasn't a lie.

No, a part of you even felt the need to embrace this man as your father. You could not deny that.

That is why you can use it. Anything else would not work. No, you had to _believe _it. You had to fool yourself.

The best lies are those that hold some grain of truth to them.

"_No._" Darth Vader wavers, and he begins to understand. His son had followed his footsteps. The lies his master spun to him were far grander than he imagined. He had not murdered Padmé Amidala Naberrie?

"It was giving birth to us that strained her so much." You answers your father's question before he has a chance to ask it. "What you did to her was not the cause."

You notice the subtlest of twitches, and you slowly approach your father. "I do not want to fight you but Darth Sidious has to be stopped. It was why I risked becoming a Sith Lord myself. I had to learn everything I could about the force. What Obiwan Kenobi taught me was simply not enough." Yet more truths within lies. You squash any feelings of guilt you have.

"If what you say is true? Darth Sidious has more to answer for than I could have ever imagined." Darth Vader stops calling him his master. That was what revealed the most to you. You could hear the seething vitriol within his voice. His hatred was discovering another target.

It was working, and perhaps not in the way that you wished but you would make due.

"Then let us defeat him together. He needs to pay for what he did to us both. He took your family from you, and my future from me." You could have had a father. You could have had a mother.

If not for Darth Sidious.

You lose yourself in the part of you that is Luke Skywalker. Your are merely feet away from Darth Vader.

That is when you take Alnaar from your belt, and let your black sword drop to the ground.

You embrace your father. You cast aside your fear.

Whatever boundary separating Raziel, and Luke is gone.

They are as one.

They are the Eternal Champion.

Something Darth Vader can't control takes over. He was always ruled by his emotions. His hand loses its tight grip on his light-saber. It falls to the ground.

It happens slowly at first but he finds himself returning your hug.

"I... do not know how to do this."

"Neither do I."

They were both fools.

***​"You are crueler than I." Darth Plagueis seems impressed. In a way he is even proud of you. "You lie to the man's face, and use his emotions against him. Just so you can use him against his own master."

You bite back a retort. You feel strangely happy.

Just where did Raziel begin, and Luke Skywalker end?

You did not know anymore.

"Brother." Alnaar speaks for the first time in a long while. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I do what I must." You answer your black sword. "It has to be this way."

"Now we can begin the next phase of our plan. Since Darth Vader has agreed to aid in the _assassination _of Darth Sidious we are afforded a unique opportunity. Several in fact."

[] You believe a straight-forward approach is the best way. You have Darth Vader bring you before Darth Sidious after he "captures" you. At which point you would both strike against him.
[] Darth Sidious is dangerous, and could be prepared for betrayal. It is best you take advantage of Darth Vader's resources to discover what operatives Darth Sidious has besides him that he could use against you both, and eliminate them first.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 12, 2018)

[X] Darth Sidious is dangerous, and could be prepared for betrayal. It is best you take advantage of Darth Vader's resources to discover what operatives Darth Sidious has besides him that he could use against you both, and eliminate them first.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 12, 2018)

[x] Darth Sidious is dangerous, and could be prepared for betrayal. It is best you take advantage of Darth Vader's resources to discover what operatives Darth Sidious has besides him that he could use against you both, and eliminate them first.


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## John Wayne (Jul 12, 2018)

[X] Darth Sidious is dangerous, and could be prepared for betrayal. It is best you take advantage of Darth Vader's resources to discover what operatives Darth Sidious has besides him that he could use against you both, and eliminate them first.

Yeah walking up to him is suicidal, he's gonna see right through it.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Emperor's Hand (Jul 12, 2018)

Byss.

You could already feel it. It was a nexus for the force.

Darth Sidious drew on it for his experiments, and to feast on the energies of the inhabitants. Who were lost in their dreams.

Your face scrunches in disgust. What Darth Sidious did here was beyond reproach. 

You approach the planet in a TIE fighter your father had relinquished to you. He could not go here.

You could, and this where they were now. Darth Sidious kept them close to this place.

It was their leash.

His operatives. His agents.

The Emperor's Hand.

However, among all of them there was someone that you could not forget.

Someone you would have known if things turned out differently. Someone you would have loved.

​Her red hair. Her green eyes. Her soft skin. Her plump lips as they captured your own. Her hands as they ran across your body. As your fingers intertwined, and you held each other.

When you were Raziel you did not know such things. You were a vampire. You did not love. You had no need for a woman. Your children were those that you turned. Your clan.

However, as Luke Skywalker you knew love. You could have been hers.

In another life, you could have been a husband.

Now she was just another enemy, and unlike your father she could not be as easily convinced.

You have to bring an end to her life.

Just as you did Cymoril. 

​
Just as you did Zarozinia.

​
By your hands those you love would die.

_Elric Womanslayer.
_
"I will do it." Alnaar could sense your anguish. "You need not strike her down." It was the only mercy he could grant you. "You have done it in the past but now I am here. I will carry this burden for you."

Your black sword. Your right hand. Your brother. Your other half.

Your executioner.

"No, I belong to her." You rebuke your black sword. "So, it is my burden to bear. It is not yours." No matter what life you live it is the same. You fate is undone but chance saw fit to place the same curse upon you.

As your TIE fighter lands you make your exit.

Your first step towards her.

***​Mara Jade was loyal. Mara Jade loves her master.

That was true but there was something wrong. There was something missing.

A part of her that was absent for as long as she could remember.

However, she paid it no mind. It was probably nothing important.

That is what she told herself. Yes, her life was fine as it was.

There was no reason to want for more...

There was one thing that confused her though. 

Her dreams would hound her. There were other lives she had lived within them. Obviously, they were not real. They could not be.

They were not visions the force had granted her. They were just the fantasies of a young girl.

They had to be.

There is no way anyone would love her so unconditionally like that. Her master did not even love her as much as those people did.

Those men. Those women.

They weren't real.

They can't be.

That's when she feels a familiar presence. The first thing she notices is that this force-sensitive is enveloped in both sides of the force. Which was strange enough by itself. That is not what concerned her.

It was the scent. It reminded her of place she only saw in her dreams.

The Dragon Isles. Melniboné.

The dreaming city. Imrryr.

"Who is there--" As Mara Jade reaches for her light-saber a hand plunges itself into her back, and reaches for her heart.

"I am sorry." You speaks those words but they are empty. You waver, and begin to lose yourself. As Mara Jade begins to fall, and you cradle her in your hands. That is when she sees your face.

Your pale skin, your white hair, and your red eyes.

"Elric?" Mara Jade speaks the name of another. A man who you were once.

"Yes, I am here."  You choke, and you sob. The tears are shed. "I will always be here."

It is a promise.

"I missed you." Mara Jade's eyes become glassy. As she loses more blood, and the life begins to leave her. "I missed you so much, Elric." She runs her fingers through your hair. Her hands soaked in her own blood, and now it paints your face. The blood of the woman you love. "Where did you go? You were gone for so long."

The woman you have _always _loved.

"I will find you." You make this solemn vow. "Wherever you go? I will find you, and you will be happy! I promise you that. This won't be forever!" It has to stop.

You wouldn't stand for anything less. You will see her smile.

No matter how long it takes. You will find Nosgoth, and you will find her there.

Mara Jade reaches forward with the last of her strength, and catches your lips in hers. You return her kiss.

You pour as much passion as you can in it. 

Her body grows cold, and you realize that the deed is done.

You wipe away the last of your tears.

You still have work to do. There were others.

They would not live to see tomorrow.

***​"You have turned his disciple to your side, and you have taken the lives of his greatest assassins. You are ready, my apprentice." Darth Plagueis is pleased, and that is when you travel deeper within the tomb of Marka Ragnos. That is when you see it. A library that stretches on forever. What secrets of the dark side are hidden here you wonder. 

"I leave everything that I have in your hands. I have amassed everything I could discover about the force here." Darth Plagueis begins to disappear. "I cannot stay. The rest is up to you."

Your master returns to the force.

It was time.

[] You begin preparations, and report to your father. You make a public appearance, fight Darth Vader, and lose. After this, Darth Vader brings you before Darth Sidious. You both strike against him when he least expects it. This is the most reliable method of fighting him, and ensures that he is truly defeated. However, he will be at his strongest. Which means you fight Darth Sidious, and your only aid in this battle will be your father.
[] You decide that poison, explosives, traps and other indirect means of assassination are safer. However, if this fails Darth Sidious would be put on high-alert. Which would make it all the more difficult to assassinate him in a direct confrontation. It can backfire spectacularly later on. Do not forget what secrets Darth Sidious has. When it comes to him death is not always the end.


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## trexalfa (Jul 12, 2018)

[X] You begin preparations, and report to your father. You make a public appearance, fight Darth Vader, and lose. After this, Darth Vader brings you before Darth Sidious. You both strike against him when he least expects it. This is the most reliable method of fighting him, and ensures that he is truly defeated. However, he will be at his strongest. Which means you fight Darth Sidious, and your only aid in this battle will be your father.


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 12, 2018)

[X] You decide that poison, explosives, traps and other indirect means of assassination are safer. However, if this fails Darth Sidious would be put on high-alert. Which would make it all the more difficult to assassinate him in a direct confrontation. It can backfire spectacularly later on. Do not forget what secrets Darth Sidious has. When it comes to him death is not always the end.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 12, 2018)

[x] You begin preparations, and report to your father. You make a public appearance, fight Darth Vader, and lose. After this, Darth Vader brings you before Darth Sidious. You both strike against him when he least expects it. This is the most reliable method of fighting him, and ensures that he is truly defeated. However, he will be at his strongest. Which means you fight Darth Sidious, and your only aid in this battle will be your father.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Eternal Champion (Jul 12, 2018)

Coruscant.

It was once the home of the republic.

Now it is the seat of Sheev Palpatine's empire.

You find yourself in shackles after the spectacle on Byss. Darth Vader arrived just as planned, and you lost your fight with him. Stormtroopers surrounded you.

In front, and behind you were the Royal Guard.

You made your defiance public. The galaxy saw your actions.

So, Darth Sidious knew there was only one option. An execution broadcasted across every world within his clutches.

In order to teach any others like you fear. This is what happens to rivals. They would know this now. Dissidents would not be forgiven.

The only thing the galaxy would see is the death of a tyrant.

Alnaar was taken from you but Darth Vader had hidden your right hand near the stage of the execution. Your brother would meet your call.

Just as he always would.

"So, you were the rival I felt?" Darth Sidious snorts, as he looks at your disheveled appearance. "It seems my fears were unfounded, and you are just a boy." It was disappointing in a way. He was hoping for a challenge.

Oh, how he would get his wish.

"I never claimed to be anything more than that." You answer the Sith Lord, and survey your surroundings. It would be one of the Royal Guard who would take your head.

There would be no need for Darth Sidious to dirty his own hands.

"Those who make the sentence should carry out the punishment." A look of surprise mars the aging dictator's face. How did you know that? "At least that's what I believe in."

You couldn't have sensed his thoughts without him noticing. You were but a knave.

A child Darth Vader had swiftly defeated.

"It does not matter what you believe in." Darth Sidious dismisses it as coincidence. "Your life ends here today."

"So be it." You wear a mysterious smile. Raziel would disappear, and be reborn.

A vampire no longer. Kain's right hand no longer.

Darth Vader stands besides his master. He does not pay you any mind.

Anything more than that would draw suspicion.

You are forced to your knees. You wear a nasty smirk.

"Cowards... the whole lot of you." It is a condemnation. Your voice echoes across the stadium. The people below you wilt under your glare. They knew the truth but they did not care. They value their lives more than they do their freedom. "You are no better than he! Why should I care about what happens to you?" Your vitriol is clear.

Darth Sidious gestures towards the Royal Guard behind you, and as he swings his weapon down to separate your head from your shoulders? You whistle, and Alnaar bursts out of the ground. You grab the handle, and break out of your shackles in one quick movement. You cleave the Royal Guard in half.

You gather the force around you, and release it at once. The force repulse disintegrates the stormtroopers, and the remaining Royal Guard surrounding you. Their ash scatters about, and that is when Darth Sidious turns his attention towards you.

That is his first mistake.

Darth Vader ignites his light-saber, and attacks his master from behind. Darth Sidious has but nanoseconds before his head leaves his body.

That is more than enough time for him. He jumps into the air, and spins around. He reaches for his light-saber within his robes. As he lands on his feet he takes another stance. His light-saber burns to life.

"It is treachery!" Darth Sidious was not expecting this. However, he would live regardless. "Darth Vader, your punishment will be legendary!"

"Only if you live, you decrepit fool!" Darth Vader answers his master, and for the first time in a long time he feels as if he is doing the right thing. The part of him that was once Anakin Skywalker begins to awaken from his slumber. "You will pay for what you have done to me!"

Darth Sidious spins into the air, and towards Darth Vader. His light-saber threatening to sever one of his arms.

Only to be stopped by the black sword in your hands.

"You should pay attention!" You look into your adversary's eyes. "Darth Vader is not the only one you fight!"

Darth Sidious frowns, and is surprised by your movements. They remind him of another he once knew.

"Who taught you?" Darth Sidious forces you back with a wave of his hand but you hold your ground, and push back.

"Who else? Darth Plagueis!" You gleefully answer. It catches Darth Sidious off-guard.

An opening that existed for only a fraction of a second. It had to be enough.

You thrust your left palm into his chest, and the force launches your rival over the stadium.

You jump down, and chase after him. You father close behind you.

You both attack him at once, and despite that he manages to hold fast against you both. You hear the screams of the people below.

It was anarchy.

An execution has become an assassination attempt.

"Brother!" Alnaar didn't normally speak to you in the midst of battle. "Something is wrong!"

You could feel it. A disturbance in the force.

Darth Sidious lands, and that is when you see it.

A wormhole in the sky, uprooting sky-scrappers, ravaging the surface of the planet, and you knew already what was happening. It was a force storm.

"I figured as much. He would not be satisfied with what he knew." Why would Darth Sidious stop at what his master could teach him? He delved deeper into the dark side a long time ago.

"What manner of trick is this?" Darth Vader stands beside you.

"It is a tear in the fabric of reality." You answer your father. You have read about them but you never imagined anyone would be foolish enough to try, and control them.

"Now you shall witness the difference between you, and me!" Darth Sidious cackles, and as he does so the force storm hurdles towards you.

"Alnaar." You speak your black sword's name. "It is time."

"You can't be serious!" Your right hand knew immediately what you referring to. You had not found tanelorn. If you were to use it now...

"No time for excuses! We have to use it!"

The scorching fires that you found in that desert so long ago. They burned within Alnaar, and waited to be released. "Do not blame me for what happens next!" Alnaar relents, and does as he is told.

That is when the runes across your blade begin to glow with a menacing red light. These fires would burn hotter than the heart of any sun. They would devour all in their path. You were not exempt from this.

The danger was there.

As the black flames are released, and the sinew holding reality together is undone you slash with Alnaar! The malevolent flames taking the shape of a dragon, and rushing to meet the force storm.

The moment these opposing forces meet? Coruscant shakes, and begins to break apart. The gravitational forces holding it together disappearing under the force of the reality bending energies that were unleashed.

Countless billions die. 

At this rate no one on Coruscant would be spared.

You hear their screams echo in your mind. This was the consequence of wielding eldritch might.

You put aside your feelings, and focus. Darth Sidious had to be stopped before the rest of these people died!

The dragon bites into the wormhole, and tears it apart. It roars as it devours the force itself. The force storm collapses on itself, and the dragon disappears with it. 

Darth Sidious for once in his life feels uncertainty. He feels fear.

Someone had met his greatest technique, and beaten it.

This was a rival.

The fear is replaced by excitement. He gestures towards Darth Vader, and with a snap of his fingers his apprentice is sent sprawling into the distance.

You only have a nanosecond to feel surprise before he crosses the distance between you. You block his light-saber with Alnaar, and allow yourself to become submerged within your subconscious.

As a duelist you could not beat him alone. However, you never were.

Your lives lay before you, and you remember one in particular.

When you were not Darth Shaitan.

It was so long ago but it feels like yesterday.

"_I am simply trying to help you and complete this mission, and yet you battle me at every turn!_"

"_What can I say? It's fun._"

"_Fun?! Fun?! Driving me insane is your idea of a good time?_"

"_Careful. Remember your self-control._"

 "_You…You are a very odd man, do you know that? I simply don't know how to deal with you. All I want to do is help you, but you seem determined to drive me mad._"

"_Complain all you want, but I know you love it._"

Bastila Shan. Oh, how you adore her.

Darth Revan is your guide. Together, and as one!

Your blades dance against each other. Darth Sidious is surprised once more. The last time someone met him as an equal in dueling was when he fought Yoda. When he fought Mace Windu.

Now there is another.

However, you knew Darth Revan would not be enough. 

You reach out to Luke Skywalker, and allow him to permeate your being.

Raziel, Revan, and Luke. You become a trinity.

Three who are as one.

You push Darth Sidious back, and if before you were his equal? You are now the master.

You break his guard, and slash his ribs.

You draw first blood.

Darth Sidious backs away, and looks at you again. Not for the first time he sees you in a new light.

He could lose.

"You could join me!" Of course he would do this. It is always the same. "You could replace Darth Vader as my apprentice!"

There was so much you could learn from him.

"There is nothing I want to learn from you, and even if there was I would simply take it from you!" You wear a condescending smirk. "I have taken your disciple as my own, and I have stolen the lives of your most loyal assassins! I have humiliated you in front of all your subjects! Who now see you for what you are!" You walk towards him, and what fear you had before dissipates. "I have a secret for you. I do not even want to rule! I am not here to replace you. I just wanted to see the look on your face when I took everything from you!"

Revan, and Luke by your side. Giving you courage.

Your pride, and your hubris. It would always be a part of you.

Darth Sidious screams as the force recoils around him. His uncertainty, and fear becoming a scathing fury! He was a black hole in the force. The life around him begins to die, and around the planet natural disasters begin to happen. Tornadoes, tsunamis, blizzards, and hurricanes that threaten more lives. You had to end this before it got any worse.

You meet his light-saber with Alnaar once more, and begin to *laugh *in his face. "Is that all you are?" You mock him. "A child who breaks his toys when he doesn't have his way?"

Darth Sidious does not bother to speak anymore. The dark side has consumed him.

He was a force of nature now.

An anathema not unlike Stormbringer once was.

It is as if time stops.

​
You see them all, and you see the balance that was destroyed by your own hand.

The tree shakes. The branches sway, and what was once dead is born again.

Ouroboros.

You hear the roar of the great dragon. All of reality begins to unravel at the seams.

_The Eternal Champion is whole once more._

In that moment you knew what you had to do. You grasp Alnaar tightly, and stab the black sword into the heart of the anathema.

Destroying body, mind, and soul.

Darth Sidious erupts into a miasma of malicious energies. The force could not have him.

His soul broken, and undone.

Oblivion.

A fate worse than death for what he had stolen from you.

***
​As you walk through the crumbling ruins of Coruscant. You find him.

A piece of durasteel impaled in his chest. You quickly rush towards him. The part of you that was Luke Skywalker taking over. No, not again.

It had to be different this time!

"Luke..." Darth Vader whispers. "I wish to see you with my own eyes." What was the point if things remain the same?

That is when realize what it was you saw. It was not a premonition of Luke Skywalker's future.

_It was yours.
_
"No! This is all wrong!" You grab hold of him. You use the force, and try to heal the wound. It does not close, and the bleeding does not stop. "This was not supposed to happen! I can save you!"

"Luke, _please_." The tears won't stop. You shakily reach for his mask, and gently remove it. "You already saved me. You know that."

You see his face. It is like yours, and just as pale.

His hair was burnt away long ago, and his eyes were sapphires. In contrast to the rubies that were your eyes.

"I am proud of the man you have become." Your father looks at you with warmth. As Raziel you never knew this feeling. Now as Luke you would have no choice. You struggle to speak the truth but you can't.

Your shame is great. Your lie stays with Darth Vader in death.

"No, don't close your eyes!" You shake him. He has to wake up! "I said open them!" You scream in between tears.

Why is it always this way?

***​You were on the Millennium Falcon. After defeating Darth Sidious the galaxy found the Galactic Empire in turmoil. They had no leader now, and many would seek to replace Darth Sidious. However, none of them would be as ruthless or as monstrous as he is.

You knew that things would get better. It was only a matter of time now that Darth Sidious was gone.​"You alright, kid?" Han Solo hands you a cup of what you think is coffee. "You should be happy!" He had found you on Coruscant. Carrying Darth Vader, and desperately trying to dig a grave for him. There was an influx of smugglers bringing supplies to the planet after the devastation wrought by Darth Sidious. It would be a long time before the planet recovered.

"It's nothing." You try, and smile. "It is just..." You wear a strange look on your face. "You ever wonder if things could be different?"

"All of the time." Han Solo puts his hand on your shoulder. "I wouldn't dwell on it. You can't change the past." He ruffles your hair before he leaves to go back to the cockpit.

That wasn't entirely true but he was right. The past should remain where it is.

You look out of the cockpit's windows. You look, and see the stars.

They are beautiful. 

***
​There was one last thing you had to do before you left. You make your way towards the farm, and see Obiwan Kenobi waiting for you.

He could sense that you were coming. You could feel his concern.

He wasn't sure what to make of you now.

"Raziel..." Your teacher can feel it now. The regret, and the remorse. He realizes that you are the same boy he met all those years ago. Whatever else you were did not matter anymore.

Whether you were a Jedi Master, or a Sith Lord?

That was the least of his worries.

"When he looks for you, and trust me he won't stop looking until he finds you... I want you to give him this." It was a mask. The only thing you kept before you buried your father. "I want you to tell him the truth. I want you to tell him how his father became a monster but died a man." The whole truth. What you could never reveal to Darth Vader, and what you couldn't reveal to Anakin Skywalker. "I want you to teach him, and I want you to be the father he needs."

Obiwan Kenobi holds the mask close to his chest. As if it would disappear if he lets go of it.

"Is this goodbye?"

"No, it is another beginning."

[] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You see a world of heroes, and villains. Those who are brave enough to face their fears. You see magic, and sorcery.  You see gods, and devils. You have seen families torn apart just as they have been in this world. You see a titan, and his ambition. You see a gauntlet of great power. A man who has lost everything.
[] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You find a world plagued by war, and bloodshed. You see demons run rampant, and witness strange assassins do battle with them. Those who walk besides ghostly spirits who protect, and empower them are abound. A war erupts for stones of great power. A land of swords, and sorcery. Dictated by honor.
[] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You see a civil war. You see men of the north who fight for their god. You see dragons begin to wake from their slumber. You see their destroyer, their devourer, and their master. A land blanketed in snow, and mystery. Where nothing is as it seems. You see haughty elves plot behind the scenes. Their arrogance would be their undoing.
[] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You find yourself in a church. As mages, and templars speak of peace. This place was sacred but it was to be defiled. There is an explosion! The sky is ripped open. A breach opens due to an act of sacrilege. You see demons escape through the breach. These lands would find themselves overrun by these abominations.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 12, 2018)

[x] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You see a world of heroes, and villains. Those who are brave enough to face their fears. You see magic, and sorcery. You see gods, and devils. You have seen families torn apart just as they have been in this world. You see a titan, and his ambition. You see a gauntlet of great power. A man who has lost everything.


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## Atem (Jul 12, 2018)

Also, might take a bit of a break because work starts tomorrow again and I am going to be busy.

Which means expect something next week.


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## John Wayne (Jul 12, 2018)

[X] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You see a civil war. You see men of the north who fight for their god. You see dragons begin to wake from their slumber. You see their destroyer, their devourer, and their master. A land blanketed in snow, and mystery. Where nothing is as it seems. You see haughty elves plot behind the scenes. Their arrogance would be their undoing.


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## Atem (Jul 13, 2018)

Also, decided to add a couple more options. It should be obvious what they are referring to.


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 13, 2018)

[X] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You see a civil war. You see men of the north who fight for their god. You see dragons begin to wake from their slumber. You see their destroyer, their devourer, and their master. A land blanketed in snow, and mystery. Where nothing is as it seems. You see haughty elves plot behind the scenes. Their arrogance would be their undoing.


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## trexalfa (Jul 13, 2018)

[X] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You see a civil war. You see men of the north who fight for their god. You see dragons begin to wake from their slumber. You see their destroyer, their devourer, and their master. A land blanketed in snow, and mystery. Where nothing is as it seems. You see haughty elves plot behind the scenes. Their arrogance would be their undoing.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 13, 2018)

[X] You return to the moonbeam roads. You have changed this world, and now others await you. You use the force to guide you, and the journey is clearer now. You grow closer to Nosgoth but you are still so far away. You see a civil war. You see men of the north who fight for their god. You see dragons begin to wake from their slumber. You see their destroyer, their devourer, and their master. A land blanketed in snow, and mystery. Where nothing is as it seems. You see haughty elves plot behind the scenes. Their arrogance would be their undoing.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 13, 2018)

Burn the elves?


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - We Are Dark Gods (Jul 13, 2018)

Kain.

Your sire. Your master, and in a way your father.

You were called to the pillars of balance. Now broken because of Kain's refusal to sacrifice his own life. His throne was now there. As if to mock what they asked of him.

Nosgoth was dying. That was obvious but it did not matter to you.

You served your lord. You were loyal.

In this life that was all that mattered.

Your honor, and your duty.

"Raziel." Kain places a hand on your shoulder. "You were always the strangest one of my children." He smiles at you as he grabs the chalice. You could smell it. The life-blood of his enemies were fed to it. It did not matter who they were. You would bare your fangs against them. "Why do you hold onto such _archaic _sentiments?"

He speaks of your integrity. Your sense of right, and wrong.

"It is the best way I can serve you." You answer him truthfully. Your master granted you a second chance at life. It was with this new life that he granted you immortality. You were free of disease, and age. "I have a debt I must repay."

"I am flattered. Truly, I am." Kain chuckles. "However, you must not forget what you are. You are not a human being anymore." He takes a seat on his throne, and leans forward as his claws dig into the armrests. "You do not have to pretend that you are."

You frown, and wonder what your master wanted from you exactly. "I find it strange. If it were anyone else they would commend me for my loyalty." You speak your mind. "Instead you condemn me for it. I think there is a purpose in the way I act. If I were to throw away my honor I would be no better than an animal. I would be a rabid beast." You believe that more than anything else. It was the excuse you used as your hands became bloodied over the centuries.

"You would never be a rabid beast, Raziel. You would always be my child." He looks at you affectionately. You find it hard to meet his gaze. "When I first became a vampire I was much like you. I was confused, and did not know what to make of what I had become." Kain leans back into his throne, and reminiscences. "That was when I met Vorador. His lessons are what stayed with me."

"May I be so bold as to ask what they were?"

"You may, Raziel. He told me we were dark gods, and that it was our duty to thin the herd." Kain wears a monstrous smirk on his face. "It was when I refused the sacrifice that I learned that he was right." It was the turning point in his life.

You are at a loss for words. It was not for the first time that you wonder if Kain did not curse you by making you into a vampire. A dark god? No, you could never see yourself as such. You were not beyond the judgement of the people. You had to answer for your crimes one day. "I do not believe that." You speak out of turn. "I believe you are wrong." There was no _divinity _in this despite what your master may think.

Kain looks at you in amusement. You were the only one who had the courage to say such things to him. It was why he liked you. The rest of his children were terrified of him. "Well then, I wonder what the historians would make of this in the future. Do you think they would agree with you, or with me?"

"You know as well as I do that history is written by the victors." You could both live long enough to dictate what was right, and wrong. The only difference between you both was that you felt that no one should have that right. "Whatever may come my loyalty is to you first."

You kneel before your master.

It is not the first time you leave him curious.

***​You wake from your dream.

The sound of a carriage disturbing your slumber. After you had found your way to another world you became lost between the borders of two countries. You did not know their names, or the rules governing these lands. The only thing you did know was that you had angered this Imperial Legion.

You decided to humor them. Perhaps you would learn something by playing along.

"Hey, you. You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there." Ralof was a passionate rebel, and believe in what he fought for. When you probed his thoughts you discovered where his loyalties lie. It was to the other nord in this carriage. Whose mouth was gagged. Ulfric Stormcloak. The jarl of Windhelm. Who could speak the dragon tongue.

"Damn you Stormcloaks. Skyrim was fine until you came along. Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfell. You there. You and me -- we should be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants." Lokir was not as impressive by comparison. He was but a thief. You could not say that you hated him but you did find him distasteful.

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." It is not the first time Ralof impressed you.

"Shut up back there!" The Imperial soldier shouted back at all of you. You wear a wry smirk.

It would be so easy. You could twist the thoughts of all of these people, and make them take their own lives.

That wouldn't be _sporting _though. You would give them a fighting chance when the time came.

"And what's wrong with him?" Lokir gestures to Ulfric.

"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the true High King." Ralof would have made a fine member of your clan.

"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion. But if they captured you... Oh gods, where are they taking us?" Lokir was a coward. The sort of man who would fear his own shadow.

You scrunch your noise in disgust.

"I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits." Ralof felt no fear. He knew that his cause was just, and he would die for it.

If you were damned as you were before you would have already considered turning him by now. You always welcomed the brave, and honorable into your cabal.

"No, this can't be happening. This isn't happening." Lokir begins to grind on your nerves. Your hand twitches towards Alnaar. You had hidden your black sword from their sight. A powerful illusion which only the strongest Jedi Masters, and Sith Lords could dispel.

"Hey, what village are you from, horse thief?" Ralof reveals more of his virtues. It is not only bravery, and loyalty; it is compassion, and mercy as well.

"Why do you care?" Lokir sounds resigned, and heartbroken. He knew what was about to come.

"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home." Ralof has just sealed his fate. He would not die this day.

You would make sure of it.

"Rorikstead. I'm...I'm from Rorikstead." Lokir on the other hand...

"General Tullius, sir! The headsman is waiting!" An Imperial soldier calls out to the man leading the carriages.

"Good. Let's get this over with." General Tullius was stern, and rigid. His adherence to his code was unshakable. It wasn't a matter of right, or wrong to him. It was a matter of due procedure.

"Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynareth, Akatosh. Divines, please help me." You have to restrain yourself from breaking Lokir's nose.

"Look at him, General Tullius the Military Governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him. Damn elves. I bet they had something to do with this." Ralof looks around, and seem to relax. "This is Helgen. I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder if Vilod is still making that mead with juniper berries mixed in. Funny... when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe."

You make note of the names, ranks, and the terminology. It would come in handy later.

"Who are they, daddy? Where are they going?"

"You need to go inside, little cub."

"Why? I want to watch the soldiers."

"Inside the house. Now."

You hear the chatter in the village. That father was wiser than most.

No need for the boy to see bloodshed so early in his life.

"Well, here we are." You hear one of the soldiers speak.

The carriages begin to stop moving.

"Why are they stopping?" Cowardly, and stupid. Lokir would have to die soon, or you would strangle him yourself.

"Why do you think? End of the line. Let's go. Shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us." You smirk as you hear Ralof dismiss his execution as nothing more than a daily ritual. Yes, he would have been a child of yours.

"No! Wait! We're not rebels!" Lokir desperately tries to excuse himself from his impending death.

"Face your death with some courage, thief." Ralof speaks the words before you can.

"You've got to tell them! We weren't with you! This is a mistake!" Lokir becomes desperate, and you begin to lose your patience.

"Step toward the block when we call your name. One at a time!" The harlot who speaks is grating on your ears. You are surprised this Imperial Legion allowed women into its ranks.

"Empire loves their damn lists." Ralof grumbles more annoyed by the fact his execution would be treated as something so _mechanical _than the fact that his head would be removed from his shoulders soon. He wants glory in death. A way to die fighting.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Jarl of Windhelm." Your survey the surface thoughts of this Hadvar. He was reluctant about what he was doing. There was uncertainty, and regret. There was some of the prisoners he did not wish to see die.

"It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric!" Ralof is as brave as always.

"Ralof of Riverwood. Lokir of Rorikstead." Hadvar reads the list.

"No, I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!" Lokir finally reaches his limit. He could not contain his terror any longer. He makes a break for it. "You're not going to kill me!"

"Stop him!"

"Archers!"

Only to die when an arrow pierces his heart. You could have stopped it, or changed the course it would have flown. You could have saved that thief. However, as far as you were concerned the world was better without him in it.

"Anyone else feel like running?" The harlot speaks again, and you reminded of how much of shrew she was.

"Not at all, wench." You finally speak, and it is a crude insult.

"What did you just call me?"

"I called you a wench? I thought it was more polite than calling you a whore."

You smile at her. The captain reaches for her sword but Hadvar stops her.

"He is going to be executed anyway. There is no point in losing your temper." Hadvar sounds apprehensive. He would get into trouble for talking to a superior like that later.

The captain snorts before sheathing her sword again. You could already feel her frustration subsiding.

That won't do at all.

"Step forward. Who are you?" Hadvar doesn't even bother to meet your eyes. He is fixated on that list of his.

"Raziel of Nosgoth." You answer him honestly.

"Raziel of..." Hadvar looks up from his list, and actually looks at you. "You're not on the list but what are you exactly?" He looks perplexed. Your snow white skin, white hair, and red eyes were nothing like he had seen before. "An elf? No, your ears are like mine."

"I am the physical manifestation of a mythological hero who has reincarnated throughout time and space since before reality as we now know it ever came to be." Your deadpan delivery, and absolutely serious demeanor almost made them believe you for a second. It makes you inwardly chuckle. "Oh, and I could have escaped at any time I felt like it and have been humoring you all to learn more about this world. You see, I have been traveling across different realms for a while now."

When it came to you the best way to lie was by simply telling the truth.

"I could butcher the lot of you with my hands tied behind my back." You pause, and then realize your mistake. "Sorry, I meant with my hands tied behind my back *and *blindfolded."

There is a resounding silence for a few seconds. That is when one of the nords standing beside you begins to laugh.

"A sense of humor? I like you already." Ralof joins them in their mirth. "I thought it was strange how quiet you were before. Now I know why." He smiles at you. You smile back at him.

There was something about this that you positively enjoyed. What was the best part?

Oh yes, when they realize you are telling them the truth.

The tension deflates like a balloon, and the harlot from before becomes red faced.

The veins on her forehead threaten to implode.

"Forget the list! He is next!" The captain demands immediately.

"I am afraid there are others that have to go first captain--"

"I do not care! Now! Decapitation! Head from shoulders!"

You give the whore a leisurely glance. "Surely, you can be patient! It is as if you are in a hurry to impale sharp pointy things into me!" You give her a perverse grin. "How incredibly forward of you."

"That is not what I meant!"

"You could have fooled me."

Yet more laughter from the prisoners.

General Tullius is the one to speak next. "This farce has gone long enough. We are here for Ulfric Stormcloak! He goes to the block first. Now stop this before I collect your heads myself!"

"General Tullius! That bastard--"

"I do not care _captain_."

The difference in rank is made clear. The captain goes quiet.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." General Tullius approaches Jarl Ulfric.

Due to his gag Ulfric can only grunt in response.

"You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace." There was something about this that was strange. You could feel uncertainty, and suspicion in this General Tullius. The strangest thing was that it was not directed at Jarl Ulfric. No, it was directed at those Thalmor. These elves with fair complexions, and golden skin.

That is when you hear it. A roar in the distance.

You lose your jovial attitude. You knew that sound.

_Elric of Melniboné knew that sound.
_
Anyone who lived in the Dragon Isles did.

"We have to leave now!" There were no beasts that presented a threat to you. "That sound you just heard? It is a dragon!" However, dragons were an *exception*. They could hurt you.

"Oh, did you hear that? The hero knows about dragons." One of the nords mistakes your fear for another attempt at humor. "Have you slain any? Perhaps you have a necklace made out of their claws!" He begins to laugh.

"I am being serious this time!" You break out of your shackles. They crumble like paper under your strength. That's when the rest of the prisoners suddenly notice the look of genuine horror on your face.

"The prisoner has escaped!" The captain unsheathes her sword but before she can attack you? You backhand her, and force her into the ground.

You snap your fingers, and suddenly all of the soldiers find themselves unable to unsheathe their blades. The archers unable to draw their bows as some sort of invisible force holds them in place.

"None of you move. If you do I break you in half. _Now listen to me_. " You amplify your voice with the force. "A dragon is flying towards Helgen as we speak! I have seen, and fought dragons before! I only have this to say! They are some of the most fearsome, and ravenous beasts I have ever encountered! If you want to survive you must work together!" It just had to be now of all times.

"Dragons haven't been seen in centuries! You are just a mad man!" One of the nords refuses to believe you. Your glare could melt steel.

Alright then. You have no choice.

You grab a hold of the memories of the phoorn within your subconscious, and force them into the minds of everyone in Helgen.

That is when things only get worse. It does more than just convince them that you are telling the truth. Half of them start running for the gates, and other villagers begin grabbing whatever they can before fleeing.

They run to their deaths. You cannot escape a dragon on foot.

The rest start attacking each other, and begin looting stores.

"Of course." You grumble in frustration.

That is when General Tullius grabs you. "What do we do?" He is the only who manages to stay calm. After seeing those visions he didn't bother to wait. It had to be now, or they would die. "You said you fought them before!"

"Gather your wizards, and witches! Your battle mages! They must build a barrier around Helgen! Don't bother attacking it! You won't be able to hurt it! I will try to stop it!" He nods his head, and orders his men to set up a parameter around Helgen. You can only hope their magic is powerful enough.

There it is again. A roar in the distance.

You see the beast at last. It hovers above Helgen, and that is when it shouts.

The sky changes, and you see the void. You see shooting stars.

No, they are *planets*.

How is that even possible?

That is when meteorites begin to rain upon Helgen

You gather all of your strength. You thrust your hands into the air.

You submerge yourself in the force. You just barely manage to push them back. Normally, it would have been easy but the words you heard were strange. It was rewriting reality in order to achieve a desired effect. It was commanding reality itself to change.

"Vol toor shul!" Those were the words you heard. You won't forget them.

As you look deeper into the darkness that is when you realize it. Something about this realm was fundamentally wrong. The stars in the sky were holes in the fabric of reality. In the darkness between them you could hear the sounds of eldritch monstrosities devouring their own dead. You could see entire universes lost in their gaping maws. That is when you see a tower. A tower that goes on forever.

What exactly have you gotten yourself into? You were out of your depth, and you had yet to find your tanelorn.

Your fingers crackle with electricity, and you shoot lightning at the dragon. Your pour all of your strength into the attack. You become one with the force. It embraces you in its warmth. The light side, and dark side become as one. You became the very heart of it.

Nothing.

It did not even _notice _the attack. You can't beat it.

You could see every possible future with the force, and in every one you lost. You were not ready to face this beast as you were.

That is when you realize what you must do.

"General Tullius! I can get us out of here!"

In the anarchy you can sense that Ulfric Stormcloak, and his soldiers have escaped. Well, so much for nordic courage.

The battle mages begin to wane against the onslaught of meteors. Their barrier starting to break.

"Then do it already!" General Tullius roars back.

You nod your head. You remember the technique.

You grab a hold of everyone in Helgen, suddenly space and time folds around them.

You had yet to test the technique in battle but you had to use it.

You drag them all away.

[] After using fold space you end up transporting everyone to Riverwood.
[] After using fold space you end up transporting everyone to Whiterun.
[] After using fold space you end up transporting everyone to Windhelm.
[] After using fold space you end up transporting everyone to Solitude.


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## John Wayne (Jul 14, 2018)

[X] After using fold space you end up transporting everyone to Whiterun.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 14, 2018)

[x] After using fold space you end up transporting everyone to Whiterun.
This should be amusing


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Sanctuary (Jul 14, 2018)

It was strange.

You felt yourself being dragged across time, and space. You saw constellations do battle with each other. You flew through different realities. You saw worlds where you became a monster. You saw worlds where you became a saint.

You saw worlds where you had a family.

Where you had children.

They were just out of your reach. You could never grab hold of them.

Those worlds were not for you.

That's when reality takes shape again. You are in the middle of a market place. You hear the bustling feet of shopkeepers. Then the screams of villagers as people from Helgen begin to spontaneously appear.

The Imperial Legion appear afterwards. The harlot from before lands head first into the roof of someone's house. She finds herself stuck half-way in it.

General Tullius lands with a measure of grace, and only a few feet away from you. He wasn't shaken by what sorcery you conjured. He only breathes a sigh of relief now that the dragon was gone.

His men do not take it in stride like he does. There are some who become sick from the trip, and empty the contents of their stomach. The swordsmen, and bowmen checking themselves to make sure they weren't missing any important appendages. The battle mages practically collapse from exhaustion.

Hadvar was on his knees. He was just happy that he was alive.

"Well, I am surprised. That worked." You weren't exactly sure you would be able to do it in your first try. "It seems we survived."

"What do you mean by that?" The general looks at you strangely. 

"I didn't have the time to practice that spell before I used it." It wasn't exactly a spell but that's what the natives of this realm would understand. "In the worst case scenario I could have accidentally teleported us to the bottom of the ocean, or into an active volcano." You are blunt in addressing his concerns.

"Well, it is a good thing that didn't happen then." General Tullius isn't fazed by what you just told him. He only cares about the results. "We owe you our lives so consider this a pardon for whatever crimes you may or may not have done." 

"Not have done." You make it clear to him. "I was just making my way to Skyrim when your Imperial Legion absconded with me." It was annoying but something you could have gotten yourself out of if you wanted to.

"Then I apologize for the misunderstanding. We assumed you were with the Stormcloaks." He reaches out with his hand, and you grab it. You shake hands, and it was with that you accepted his "pardon."

"Where are we by the way?" You just looked for the closest city you could find.

"We are in Whiterun going by that castle over there. That's definitely Dragonsreach." Geneal Tullius frowns as he surveys his surroundings. "I need to speak with the jarl. He needs to be warned about the dragon--"

"I can take care of that." You decide to use this opportunity to learn more about this city. "I am sure you have to go back to your..." You probe the general's mind for an appropriate answer. "Solitude."

"Yes, I do. They are going to need me. Now especially since there is a _dragon _of all things on the loose. Who in the world could have conjured it?" General Tullius searches for answers, and you could already feel his thoughts drift towards the Thalmor.

"You don't suppose it was those elves I saw at Helgen?"

"I wouldn't put it past them." General Tullius tolerated them at best. You could feel that if he had his way he would have continued the war against them. "This could be some ploy."

"You mean, like Ulfric Stormcloak was?" You wear a mysterious smile. "How convenient it is that there is a rebellion in Skyrim now when the Imperial Legion is at its weakest after signing the White-Gold Concordat."

You sensed the general's suspicions, and decided to bring them up. He goes quiet, and then looks you in the eyes. "You're smarter than you look." He frowns again. "How exactly did you come across those dragons before?" He remembers the memories that you shared with him. He could almost feel as if he was there himself.

"I already told you the truth." You give the man a coy look. "I have lived many lives, and in one of them I was the pale prince of ruins. The Dragon Isles were referred to as such because it was a home for dragons, and their descendants. There wasn't a man, or woman who didn't inherit the blood of dragons on those islands. The mernii they were called." After everything you suspect the general would be open to such possibilities.

"If that is the case you probably know more than anyone else in Tamriel about them." You were quite sure that these weren't exactly the _same _dragons but the general wasn't wrong. "When you're done talking with the jarl you should find me again." He had no intention of leaving Whiterun without you now. You were an important asset.

You wonder if you should actually go with him, or not. It is not like he can force you.

"I will keep that in mind. Oh, and don't forget the wench." You point towards the captain who was lodged firmly into someone's roof.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"I did no such thing."

You did.

***​"How much would you say this is worth?" You had decided that before meeting with the jarl the best course of action was to get some local tender first. You doubt credits would be accepted here. You hand one of your light-sabers to Belethor.

"What exactly is it?" He eyes the strange contraption.

"It is a light-saber. A sort of sword. Now just press the switch on the side..."

The moment Belethor does the light-saber ignites, and the crimson beam of plasma is revealed. Mind you, it was a lot more than just plasma contained in an electromagnetic field. It was imbued with the force itself. This was due to the crystal within it.

Belethor nearly drops it in surprise.

"Now be careful with that! It can cut through nearly anything." Belethor gives it a swing, and it cuts straight through an iron ingot he had on display.

"I told you to be careful."

"Where in the world did you get this?" He sounds amazed. As if he has just been given a toy to play with.

"It was from an assassin who tried to take my life. I took his instead." It wasn't a lie. However, you did leave out some details.

"How much do you want for it?" Belethor is practically giddy. A part of him hopes you're easy to haggle with.

"Oh, I think we can come to an agreement." You give him a predatory smirk.

***​You count the number of gold coins in your satchel. About two-thousand give or take.

It was everything that Belethor had. He had tried to swindle you out of your light-saber by saying that he only had five-hundred gold coins but you saw through the lie immediately. At which point you pointed out the safe he kept hidden underneath his counter. He was desperate for the light-saber, and kept trying to make a bargain.

You wouldn't let him. Now it was all he had.

That is when your stomach growls.

"Brother, how long has it been since you had a meal? You should probably eat or drink something." Alnaar was right. You had not eaten in days.

You approach a tavern called _The Bannered Mare, _and abruptly enter through the front doors almost breaking them in the process. You hear the sounds of bards singing, and nords drinking mead.

They pay you no mind. They were used to people barging in unannounced.

You approach the innkeeper. You brush the force across her mind. Hulda was her name, and she was a nord. One thing you notice was her blithering hatred of elves.

"I would like some beef stew." You take a seat at the counter. A few minutes later, and your beef stew arrives. A dark skinned woman is the one who hands you the bowl, and she was strangely beautiful despite the scar on her cheek.

"You know, you need a lot more than just a meal..." Alnaar is predictable. Why was he even interested in this?

"You are an inanimate object. A black sword. A weapon. What do you even find _appealing _about women?"

"Oh, it's not me that is thinking about ravishing her. It is you." Alnaar gives you his answer. It leaves you perplexed.

"What do you mean?"

"I am part of you, brother. Your feelings are my own."

No, that can't be right. You didn't even care enough to learn that woman's name--

"Saadia, and she is a red-guard. I have to say they look exotic. You have an interesting taste in women. You should talk to her." Alnaar goads you on, and it starts to annoy you.

"I have no time for such things." You try to dismiss the notion but now you couldn't get her out of your mind.

"You know, you have never known the touch of a woman. Your whole life as Raziel? Nothing at all, and not even a chaste kiss. You were a vampire, and now you're not. You should take advantage of that to enjoy what life has to offer you." Alnaar starts to make a point. You couldn't find any flaws in his reasoning. "Now go--"

You quickly get up before Alnaar can even finish his sentence, rush behind Saadia before she returns to the kitchen, turn her around, grab hold of her shoulders, and lock your lips with hers. At first she is surprised but she finds that your kiss was surprisingly good, and begins to lean forward. Slowly but surely she returns the kiss. After a few more seconds you finish, and grin at her.

"I am sorry. I couldn't help myself." You plead your case. You do not know what came over you.

"No apologies needed." Saadia's voice was sultry, and more than a bit pleased. "You're not a bad kisser." Saadia grabs you by your robes, and kisses you again.

"Now that is what I am talking about!" You can feel pride coming from Alnaar. A strange sense of satisfaction emanates from him. 

"Hey, get a room you two! Some people are trying to eat here!" Hulda wasn't surprised. Saadia wasn't shy. Nor a pure maiden. The red-guard had her secrets.

"I will take the best room you have, and the red-guard woman for the night." You grab a bag of septims, and toss it over to Hulda. "I hope a thousand septims is enough."

Hulda looks surprised by the amount you give her but you don't bother to examine her thoughts to see if you gave her too much.

This fire inside of you had to be satisfied.

***​You fingers intertwine with hers as you feel Saadia's flesh against yours. You kiss at her neck, and playfully bite at her. Your hear her breath become husky in your ear as she embraces you tightly. You knead her breasts in your hands. You become as a babe as you suckle at them. Her fingers run through your hair, and you penetrate her deeply. You look into her eyes as you become one with her. 

Saadia draws blood as her nails sink deeply into your back.

You hear her sing like a bird. Her moans are like music.

It lasts for hours. You examine every part of each other. You leave nothing to the imagination. The sun sinks into the horizon, and rises once again by the time you are finished.

Saadia is exhausted, spent from the night, you cover her in a blanket, and look at her strangely. You sit beside your bed, and hear the caw of the morning.

[] You leave Saadia to her rest, and make your way to Dragonsreach.
[] You decide to look around Whiterun some more before going to Dragonsreach.
[] You heard of the companions. Perhaps they have things they could teach you.
[] You heard of Adrianne Avenicci. Perhaps you could learn to forge your own armor, and weapons.



​


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## John Wayne (Jul 14, 2018)

[X] You leave Saadia to her rest, and make your way to Dragonsreach.


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## Atem (Jul 14, 2018)

Also, expect a cameo from a certain werewolf from the Elric Saga if you join the companions. 

Mind you, you can also join them later.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 15, 2018)

[X] You decide to look around Whiterun some more before going to Dragonsreach.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 15, 2018)

Some sight seeing for a change wouldn't be too bad.
[x] You decide to look around Whiterun some more before going to Dragonsreach.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Remembrance (Jul 16, 2018)

Yggdrasil.

It was one of many names for the great tree. Now looking at this _gildergreen_ you are reminded of it.

It was dying you could feel it already. No, that wouldn't do. You place your hand against the tree, and let the force flow through you. You share your life with it, and the rotting bark is replaced by some that is freshly grown. The leaves bloom to life on the branches. You have given it another chance.

It would wither and die... that is inevitable. However, you have prolonged what life it had for several more centuries.

"Kynareth's breath!" You hear a priestess speak, and feel her surprise as she realizes what is going on. Her thoughts race. How did this miracle happen? Who could have done this?

"It won't live forever." There was nothing that does. Well, you were one _exception_ but that didn't disprove the rule. "I did give it what life I could but if I am right in the next four-hundred years it will die no matter what I do." Your smirk at the priestess. "It will outlive you at least."

"You did this?" You peer into her mind, and pluck her name from it. Danica Pure-Spring. A priestess of Kynareth. Who worked in the Temple of Kynareth. A healer, and a master of the art of restoration.

"Do you see anyone else here?" You answer her. "Yes, I did."

"Thank you!" Danica grabs your hands, and shakes them. You look surprised by the gesture. "How can I repay you?"

"You don't need to repay me. These things can be foreboding omens." You think back to the dragon who almost brought an end to your life. If it came to Whiterun as you were now? "It was done purely out of selfishness. It is better to be safe than sorry."

"I insist! You just made my day. Surely, I can't offer you something? Anything at all?"

"Yes, brother. _Anything at all_." Alnaar chuckles. "You know, maybe Saadia wasn't enough. You might need dessert."

"If you could point me in the direction of the nearest place I could start learning some more magic? I am quite proficient in several branches of wizardry and witchcraft but there are so many things I can learn." You decide to ignore your black sword this time. You were already happy with what time you spent with Saadia. Besides, you were already planning on paying her another visit tonight.

To say nothing of the fact you had to speak with the jarl. There was a dragon you couldn't defeat prowling the skies.

"Well..." Danica grabs her chin, and becomes lost in thought. "There is the College of Winterhold but that is a long way from here. You would find it north of the pale, and somewhere east of Dawnguard."

"I will keep that in mind." You nod your head, and then turn to make your way to Dragonsreach.

You had a jarl to meet.

***​You made your way past the guards, and opened the doors to Dragonsreach. They were heavy but not so much that you wouldn't be able to open them by yourself.

You practically glide into the castle, and tread with an unnatural grace. Your steps did not make noise, and you made your way past the servants without them even noticing. It catches the eyes of several guards, and one dark skinned woman in particular.

"Halt!" You hear her speak, and suddenly as you look at her you are reminded of the people you met long so ago. When you wore the face of Erekosë, and took his name as your own. The dark elves who you saved, and who you became enamored with. Your slew your own kind to save them, and you took the hand of one as your bride. Your Ermizhad. Your closest friend in a time when you were lost, and did not know who you were.

You remember the soft touch of her skin against yours. Her lips when they pressed against your face--

"Answer me! What is your name? What is your purpose here? Do it now before I strike you down!"

"My purpose here is to abscond with you, and make you mine." You speak without thinking. "Did I say that out loud? I _mean_ I am here to inform the jarl of what happened at Helgen. Yes, that is what I meant." You quickly correct yourself but it is too late. The _dunmer_, as you discover from reading her thoughts, is not impressed by your blatant attempt at flirtation.

"Wait, Irileth! This was the one that General Tullius told me about." It seems General Tullius got impatient, and decided to visit the jarl. You had to admit that you may have taken a few detours too many.

"Yes, but it seems General Tullius already told you what happened." You feel a surge of disappointment. This was a waste of time.

"No, he didn't tell me everything. He said you would give me the rest of the story." He leans forward in his throne. "He also said you were a mage, possibly insane, have experience with fighting dragons, and could have murdered everyone in Helgen if you felt like it. I find the last claim to be the most ridiculous of the four."

"True, in regards to all of those charges." You answer the jarl. "May I ask your name?"

"Balgruuf the Greater would be my name, and yours would be?"

"Raziel of Nosgoth. The Eternal Champion." You don't bother to explain the meaning of your title. They would learn in due time.

"Well, Raziel... what happened?"

"I was kidnapped by the Imperial Legion for crossing the border, and was to be executed alongside Ulfric Stormcloak. They did not bother to listen to reason, and they decided that I was one of his. We arrived by carriage to Helgen. Which is where we would have been summarily executed. That is when a dragon appeared, and attacked the village. I managed to save the people but I could not save the village. I used a spell to transport them here."

"Then you have my thanks for going out of your way to save my subjects, and my respect for showing enough mercy to forgive the Imperial Legion for their mistake. That you would even _save_ them when they planned to behead you."

"Oh, I was _tempted_ to leave them but I thought better of it. You could say I did it on a whim." There were many people who you would leave to die but you wouldn't abandon brave men, and women like them. You saw that they were more than capable of dying for the sake of the villagers when they chose to stay and defend Helgen. They gave you a poor first impression but a better second one. It is what saved them.

They were worth far more than that Lokir who would have left you to die if it meant saving himself. It is the same with most thieves like him. No courage, or sense of duty. Just selfishness.

"Whatever the reasons you had you did save them in the end, and that is something few would have done. If I was in your shoes I am not sure I would have." Balgruuf the Greater gives you his approval. "What worries me more is this talk of dragons. How large was it? How dangerous is it?"

"It is more dangerous than anything I have met in battle so far in my life, and all of my magic was useless against it." You explain, and then your face scrunches in frustration. "Just so you understand I could tear Skyrim itself from Tamriel just like Solstheim was so long ago. I could reduce your cities to ash. Yet, I could not even _scratch_ this dragon's hide. When I poured all of my might into one of my spells it did not even *notice* that I was attacking it."

"That is _troubling_ to say the least." Balgruuf the Greater sounds as if he just heard that Talos Stormcrown has returned from the dead, and wishes to destroy Skyrim. He looks like he is about to faint. "Surely, there was something you could do?"

"No, nothing. Why do you think I ran way?"

"Perhaps you exaggerate what you are capable of?"

There is a deadly silence. Alright then, he wants evidence?

"I will show you what I can do."

You pluck your memories from you fight with Darth Sidious, and shove them into Balgruuf the Greater's mind. He nearly chokes, and has to gather his bearings.

"What was that? What did I just see?"

"That was one of my memories. It was when I battled an archmage not unlike myself." You weave more half-truths. An archmage is something they would understand.

"Then what chance do we have?"

"None. You are doomed. If I do not find a way to stop it? It is not just Skyrim that would suffer. Nirn would be at this dragon's mercy."

Balgruuf the Greater looks like he is about to soil his garments. You resign yourself to what must come next.

"I have to find a way to stop this dragon. In order to do that I have to find out everything that I can about it." You have to find a way, or somehow find tanelorn. If you had access to everything you were once capable of this dragon would be no challenge. You could crush it. However, it was out of your grasp. The ever distant city is nowhere to be found.

However...

"I could look into something that might be of use against the dragon in the mean time." Elric of Melniboné knew magic. No, more than just magic. It was nothing like the force, or what magic these people used. He could rewrite reality according to his desires, and dreams. He could tap into the grey fees. He could summon, and bind the Elemental Lords; those archetypes who embody abstracts. He could create, and destroy entire realities. He was a sorcerer king. "If I am successful I may stand a chance against it."

You need to learn what Elric knows.

"Then you best get to it." Balgruuf the Greater looks exhausted. A threat this great had to come in his lifetime. It would be the death of him. He could feel it. "Irileth, give Raziel the key to Breezehome."

"What?" Irileth looks surprised. "Jarl Balgruuf that house is only for--"

"Raziel of Nosgoth. I name you thane of Whiterun. I only hope we all live long enough for it to even matter. You may do your research in Breezehome, and please speak to my court wizard. Farengar might be able to help you. At least I hope that he can." Balgruuf sounds unsure. After what he has just witnessed he does not know anymore.

No one does.

"I will make sure to do so." You decide to humor his request. You doubt the court wizard would be able to help you fight this dragon. If you couldn't? Who could?

"I need to speak with the jarl! There has been a sighting!" A guard rushes into Dragonsreach. He sprints past everyone in his way. "There is a dragon coming to Whiterun!"

Whatever hopes you had are dashed in but a moment. You reach out with the force, and look for that familiar presence--

No, it was wrong. It was not the same. It was weaker, and different. It was nowhere near as powerful.

"You need to tell me now!" You grab the guard. "What color was this dragon?"

"It was white!" The guard is shaken. What a beast it was. "I could see those horrible yellow eyes."

You wear a smirk on your face. Yes, there is _hope_.

"Then it's not the same dragon!" The one at Helgen was black. It had burning red eyes. "Balgruuf! I need what men you can spare! I will go meet this dragon! If my suspicions are correct it won't be as strong as the dragon in Helgen! I can beat it!"

"Is what you say true, Raziel?" Balgruuf looks worried. This could be the end.

"It is!" Yes, you could feel it clearly now. You could defeat this beast.

"I will grab what men I can!" Irileth moves quickly, already rushing towards the doors. You are close behind her.

_***
_​"The dragon has already destroyed four watchtowers. We won't let it get any closer to Whiterun." Irileth speaks to her men. They stand in formation in front of her. At least twelve nords, six red-guards, and two bretons. These were her best. They would have to be enough.

"Irileth, if I may?" You come up behind her.

The dark elf moves aside for you, and you take her place.

"I will the charge forward first, and what I require of you is that you cover my flank! I know not what to expect but if there is more than one dragon I need someone to keep me covered as I fight this one!"

"Yes, sir!" They answer you at once in almost perfect unison. You are reminded of the spartans who were practically as one when they fought. You read about them in many of your lives, and in several of those lives you even fought beside them. You were their brother, and their sister in battle. You shake your head to dispel the memories.

"Now let's go hunt a dragon!" You unsheathe Alnaar, and rush forward. Irileth, and her men have trouble keeping up with you. You wouldn't slow down for them. There was no time to waste.

It is when you make it to the watchtower that you see it. Its glimmering white skin that was like diamonds, and its yellow eyes that hungered for the flesh of mortals. It was the hunter here, and it would have its meal.

_Mirmulnir._

You hear the name echo in your mind. This was the beast you now face.

You use the force to jump hundreds of feet into the air, and meet the dragon on its perch upon the watchtower. It somehow grins, and that's when it opens its mouth.

When you feel the fire hit you? You are reminded of the desert where you first met Alnaar.

"Is that all?" You laugh, and use Alnaar as a shield against the flames. "Alnaar!" You command your black sword, and it ignites. The black flames from when you faced Darth Sidious enveloping the sword. It was not the same as the technique you used against him. It was a lesser variation of it that you could actually control. You cut through the dragon's fire-breath, and unleash a swathe of black flames that Mirmulnir narrowly dodges. The wisps of the black flames licking at the dragon's wings.

"Ved yol?" Alnaar fails to translate the dragon's tongue. You wonder why? "Nid!" You feel its fear once it saw Alnaar. It _knew_ the black sword. You do not question how.

You jump again, and use the force to propel yourself farther. You strike at one of its wings with Alnaar, and shear through it.

"Nii Nis Kos!" Mirmulnir seems to realize something, and the fear from before grows greater. "Unslaad Kaal! Bormah!"

Mirmulnir crashes into the ground, and you capitalize on it. You stab Alnaar into the beast's back as you land, and turn the blade drawing more blood from the dragon. That is when the black sword conjures more of the flames. The dragon screams as they devour it.

The flesh of the dragon begins to disappear, and soon from it energies try to escape only to be devoured by the flames as well. Whatever soul the beast has being consigned to oblivion by them.

Now there was only a skeleton in front of you. 

That is when Irileth, and her men catch up to you.

"It seems I overestimated my prey." You sound disappointed, and make a clicking noise with your tongue. It was nothing like the black dragon. It couldn't hold a candle to you.

"What exactly was that?"

"A dragon."

Irileth grabs you by the shoulder, and forces you to look her in the eyes. "I am talking about that black sword!" The dark elf reaches for it only to recoil once she touches it. Alnaar would not let anyone else touch him. "Why do you have it?"

"I have always had it. It is my right hand." You give her an enigmatic smile. "My brother, and my partner."

"Do you have any idea what it is?" Irileth gives you a scrutinizing look. "That black sword belonged to the Nerevarine!"

"Who?"

You have never heard of that name before. Irileth begins to twitch with unbridled fury.

"The greatest champion of Azura! The defender of Morrowind!"

"If I told you I have never heard of those things either would you get even angrier?"

The answer was yes.

***
​"I can't believe it! After so long you would reappear, and you don't even remember who you are!" Irileth begins to walk back and forth. Unsure of what she should say next. The dunmer had dragged you into the barracks outside Whiterun. They were abandoned at the moment. The guards having left to scout the surrounding area for any more dragons.

"I have a feeling I know where this is going." There is tinge of mockery in your voice. If you had to guess this Nerevarine was one of your reincarnations. "It could be possible that I was this person in another life but now I am just Raziel. You shouldn't become invested in what it _could_ mean." You try to ignore it yourself. Just trying to accept all of your personalities at once would be maddening. There were simply too many of them, and it would break you.

It would leave you in pieces.

"You have no idea how long we waited for you! When the Red Mountain erupted we thought you would come to save us, and you didn't!" Irileth grabs you by your robes. "Why did you leave us to our fate! Why didn't you save us?"

You suddenly see something strange in this dunmer. You could tell that Irileth wasn't the sort of woman to cry normally but you could already see tears running down her face.

What was this about?

"When this cataclysm happened what exactly did you lose?" You grab her hands, and squeeze her wrists. You could violate the privacy of her mind, and find out yourself but you wanted to hear her say it instead.

"What did I lose? What did I lose!" Irileth becomes hysterical, and tries to get out of your grip. You don't let her. "I lost my son! I lost my daughter!"

You never felt hatred this intense before. If you didn't have a hold of her she would have tried to kill you by now.

"I am not the Nerevarine!" You yell back at her. "I may have been once if what you say is true but I am no longer this hero you speak of! I am Raziel of Nosgoth! I was the servant of the man who destroyed my realm! I was a vampire, and I slaughtered people just like you! I left them to rot in mass graves! I was a monster! Now I am a man again! I intend to be better than I was, and see my former master dead! I would have my revenge! I would have justice!" You are hurting her now, and instead there is something akin to fear in her eyes. It has replaced the hate you saw in them before.

That is when Irileth collapses to her knees, and she starts openly sobbing before your eyes. You realize your mistake. This woman was not as strong as she first appeared. No, it was an *act*. This dark elf had duties she had to fulfill. Balgruuf the Greater needed her. Her friend needed her.

"I..." You grab hold her of her, and try to comfort her. You did not know how. This sort of weakness would have gotten you killed in your world. You caress her back, and say that it is not her fault. You are not sure if she even heard you. "What were their names?"

Irileth tightens her grip on you.

"Ulath was my son. Shalil was my daughter." You are almost afraid to ask your next question. However, you must.

"What about their father?" Irileth loosens her grip. You hope that is a good sign.

"He died before they were even born." Well, at least she didn't lose her whole family all at once.

"Yeah, she just lost them in increments!" Alnaar decides that sarcasm of all things was appropriate now. "That's much better!"

"Hold your tongue, lest I take it from you!" You couldn't risk Irileth seeing you talk to him. So, you decided to send the message to him with the force.

"Alright, I get it. Now is not the time." Alnaar seems disheartened by everything that has transpired. "Just... stay with her until she is done crying." You could actually hear some genuine concern in his voice.

"Why Alnaar, are you going soft on me?" 

"No! Just shut up, and stop talking to me!"

[] You report to Balgruuf the Greater, and inform him about the dragon's death. After which you speak to his court wizard about your next course of action.
[] You decide to visit the companions, and see if they have anything they could teach you. If not, maybe you could find some work instead. You need a steady flow of septims.
[] You decide to explore outside of Whiterun, and see if there is anything suspicious happening.
[] You decide to talk with Irileth again, and ask her more about what happened when the Red Mountain erupted. As well as about this Nerevarine she told you about.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 16, 2018)

[X] You decide to talk with Irileth again, and ask her more about what happened when the Red Mountain erupted. As well as about this Nerevarine she told you about.


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## John Wayne (Jul 16, 2018)

[X] You decide to talk with Irileth again, and ask her more about what happened when the Red Mountain erupted. As well as about this Nerevarine she told you about.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 16, 2018)

It's this or nerevarine
[x] You decide to explore outside of Whiterun, and see if there is anything suspicious happening.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Nerevarine (Jul 16, 2018)

Irileth. A dunmer, and a nightblade.

The housecarl of Balgruuf the Greater. The dark elf made you curious.

"Irileth, may I have a word?" You walk into her room in the barracks. It is where you left her after she finished crying. You don't bother to knock. You are thankful that you didn't.

You smirk as you catch her changing clothes. You see her breasts in the reflection of her mirror, and her rump as she bends to lift up a pair of underwear from her drawer.

You cough to get her attention. You are surprised when she continues unabated.

"Why are you here?" Irileth speaks after she finishes putting on her underwear. The dunmer reaches for a pair of paints. "You should be meeting with Balgruuf." It seems that she is back to normal.

That was good.

"I am curious about what you told me about. You spoke of the Nerevarine? Who exactly was he? You said he was the defender of Morrowind?" The questions run rampant in your mind. Perhaps he was another one of your reincarnations.

"You already know that he is, brother." Alnaar chooses to speak again. "You would know more if you allowed yourself that curtsy." It was difficult searching through your memories. There were so many, and if you looked through them for long periods of time you begin to lose what made you Raziel. You become the other eternal champions who you once were.

It was frightening. It was worse than death.

It was becoming another, and disappearing entirely. Your memories, your desires, your dreams, and your past is washed away. Just so a stranger can replace you. It is the same every time you are reincarnated. There is another person who takes your place.

"He was one of our greatest heroes." Irileth shakes her head. No, that wasn't right. "No, he was our greatest hero." How in the world did you know nothing about this? Those thoughts pervaded her mind.

"I am not from Tamriel. That is why I ask." You answer her unasked question. "I know little about this continent, and the countries within it. I came here on a journey to explore this land." You were not from Nirn either but you don't tell her that.

"That explains why you seem the fool." Irileth puts on a pair of pants, and doesn't bother to put on a shirt before taking a seat on her bed.

Her breasts were in plain view. Once more you realize that this woman no modesty. You see the scars that line her torso. The ones across her stomach that strangely suited her. You wonder how many assassination attempts she foiled in her life.

"Go ahead, and ask your questions." Irileth folds her arms over her chest, and crosses one leg over another.

"What was his name?"

"Indoril Nerevar was the name he used first. At least before he died for the first time." You look at her strangely when she says that.

"What do you mean when he died for the *first *time?" How can a man die more than once?

"You're asking that question, brother? You of all people?" Alnaar chimes in. He seems amused. You realize your folly. Of course you realize. You are not one to speak. You died as Raziel, and was reborn in this body.

"Indoril Nerevar lived more than one life--"

"He actually didn't." Alnaar interrupts Irileth. You try to ignore him but can't help but notice what he says.

"What do you know, Alnaar?" You transmit the thoughts back to him.

"You are not the only one who has been looking through your memories." Alnaar answers you. It is something you must ask him about later.

"After he died it was said that he would be reincarnated in order to avenge himself. You see, the tribunal... the living gods of Morrowind were once his comrades. Almalexia was even his wife. After he had died they went back on the promise they made to him. The promise that they would not use the Heart of Lorkhan to become as gods. They used Kagrenac's Tools, and siphoned energies from the heart. It was what made them into what they were. This infuriated Azura who saw Indoril Nerevar as her greatest champion. They betrayed her most beloved servant. So, Azura punished them. Not just them but all of the chimer. It was at that moment we became the dunmer. We would all be marked for the tribunal's sins. Our black skin, and our burning red eyes were both a curse placed upon us by the daedric prince."

You at least knew about that from what minds you could scan before arriving to Whiterun. "Lorkhan, he is the one responsible for creating Mundus?"

"It is what is said but I do not put faith in any myths or legends, Raziel. I do not believe in them. What I do believe was that the Heart of Lorkhan was a powerful magical artifact, and that the living gods were called as such because they might as well have been. Their power was simply that great. They even defeated Mehrunes Dagon when he invaded Morrowind. The daedric prince of destruction, and change." Irileth places her arms at her side, and against the frame of her bed. Your see her breasts again, and you are tempted to pounce on Irileth at that moment. You manage to contain your enthusiasm if only barely.

"They were not the problem when you returned." Irileth addresses you. "When the Nerevarine came back to Morrowind it was something else that plagued the land. Corprus... a disease that inflicted many, and its source was none other than Dagoth Ur. Who was once Voryn Dagoth one of Indoril Nerevar's retainers. The tribunal tried to contain him with the ghost fence but their power was waning now that Dagoth Ur had stolen the Heart of Lorkhan from them. Dagoth Ur would replace them as the only living god of Morrowind, and would have created his own Numidium if you did not stop him. What he called Akulakhan. Thankfully, you managed to do just that." Irileth leaves her bed, and begins to walk towards you.

"Why did you leave us?" Irileth's hand runs across your cheek. Yes, she could see it now. "I do not know why I didn't see it before. You have his pale skin, his white hair, and his red eyes. You look just like he did when he saved us from Dagoth Ur. You even have the black sword." Irileth's voice cracks. "Why did you leave my family to die?"

"I do not know." You grab her hand. "I do not remember that life you speak of. You say these things, and yet I feel as if you talk about a stranger I have never met." You wouldn't have known a feeling like this as Raziel. You couldn't even give it a name.

"When I was young I saw you walk among us. You never aged. You never got sick. When the tribunal was torn apart, and they started to die one after the other... we thought you were their replacement. A living god who would succeed them. You did for a time. You protected Morrowind from everything that would harm her. Then suddenly you disappeared. I remember the feeling of you ruffling my hair when I was but a girl before you sailed to Akaviri." Irileth was so young then but she already heard so many stories about the undying hero. The n'wah who found acceptance despite his strange appearance. Which would leave him an outcast wherever he went. The mysterious prisoner who became their only hope.

Irileth's fingers brush against your lips. There were feelings that were there after so long. It was a childish fancy. A young girl who dreamed of the Nerevarine becoming hers one day. However, she was but a child then. He wouldn't notice her. Now it was different. A grown woman, and a mother once upon a time. Irileth was no stranger when it came to pleasing men now.

"If I don't leave you may do something you may regret--"

You are not surprised when Irileth captures your lips in her own. You feel both her hatred for you, and her admiration of you. A whirlwind of conflicting emotions. A black abyss of anguish. Oh, just for a moment let her be happy again. Just let her be a woman. Just let her forget the Red Mountain, and the smell of burning flesh. Please just let her have this.

You relent once you feel her desperation. You let this dunmer take the lead, and bring you to her bed. Irileth's kisses begin to run down your body as she removes your robes. Irileth pushes you onto her bed, and begins to undo her pants. They drop to the ground, and so does her lace underwear. Irileth is impatient, and practically tears your pants away. The dunmer mounts you, and rides you into ecstasy. You can see her tears begin to run down her face again.

You do not know if this is the right thing to do but you can't stop yourself now. Your only hope is that there is more in those tears than just pain. Perhaps joy if you were lucky. You pray that it is.

Your hands run across her stomach, and her toned abs. You feel her scars. The dunmer does not stop to notice the warmth of your touch, and quickens her pace. You start to hear her moans. They are between choked sobs. You grab her hips tightly as she brings you both to the edge. You hear her cry your name. You can feel her twitch as she eases onto you one last time. Her body convulses and shudders as you are soaked. It was rough but it was not painful. You grit your teeth as you release, and plant your seed inside of her. You hope that this does not come to haunt you later.

"Raziel..." Irileth kisses you roughly. The dunmer leans into your chest, you feel her breasts press against you, and you run your fingers through her hair. Your lover closes her eyes, and in your exhaustion you do the same. You sleep through the night but your dreams are not pleasant. They never were. They do not comfort you. They warn you of things that are to be. You see the future. You feel a stabbing pain in your chest where your heart should be.

What had you done to this woman?

You feel regret. You feel shame.

You remember a past that was not your own.

Who was the Nerevarine? You wonder not for the first time.

***​"I suppose it is about time I told you about the rest of the story, brother." Alnaar had decided not to interrupt your moment with Irileth any more than he already had. "It did start with Indoril Nerevar but you were never him to begin with. You were the Nerevarine."

"They are supposed to be the same person, aren't they?" That was what you were told. The Nerevarine was his reincarnation.

"They are supposed to be but they are not. When you became the Nerevarine you were able to assume the aspect of Indoril Nerevar. You took upon his _mantle_, and in essence became him for a time. You became *another *Indoril Nerevar." Alnaar spent most of his time looking into the past, present, and future. Yours in particular.

"So, I was masquerading as him and saved these dunmer from Dagoth Ur?"

"In layman's terms, yes. However, it is more complicated than that. When you assumed his aspect? You absorbed him into yourself. He became a part of you." Alnaar begins to lecture you. "It is not as strange as Indoril Nerevar's death. You see, he died in more than one way."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that all accounts of his death are true. There is not just one of them that is true."

You look at your black sword like it has just told you that the clouds in the sky are actually made out of cotton candy. "How is that even possible?"

"Indoril Nerevar's death was never supposed to happen. It was a dragon break. A fracture in space-time. Simply put, all diverging time-lines became realized no matter how ridiculous during that one instance. Which is why there are so many different stories about how he died. There was one instance where the tribunal are responsible, and betray him. Vivec stabs him from behind with Muatra. There is another instance where Indoril Nerevar died due to skidding on a banana peel, and diving head first into the mouth of the Red Mountain as it gushed scalding hot lava. Some of them are _peculiar_." Alnaar has to try and hide his amusement. He finds it hilarious more than anything else.

"Is there anything else you have been keeping from me?" You wonder what other secrets your black sword has been hiding. "Why couldn't I understand that dragon?"

"We are not exactly on good terms with Kynareth, and Akatosh. The dragon tongue, the voice, or thu'um as it is also called has connections to them both. They have put a lot of effort into obstructing us." Alnaar decides that it was about time you knew. "When we traveled across Nirn as the Nerevarine we did some things that garnered their ire. I won't go into details."

You already had a feeling what it probably was. You were never the type to enjoy the company of gods, or devils.

"Well, is there anything I can do about that?"

"You can speak to the Grey Beards of High Hrothgar but they will probably attack you on sight."

"Why?" You look at your black sword with suspicion again.

"As I said before you are known as the enemy of many aedra, and daedra. You would not be welcome by anyone who recognizes you, and who have faith in their respective deities." You are at a loss. What would you do now?

"Then how can I learn it?"

"You can't."

Well, that doesn't bode well. It doesn't bode well at all.

[] You decide to report to Balgruuf the Greater, and reveal that you have slain the dragon. Then discuss your next course of action with his court wizard, Farengar.
[] You decide to make a stop at the mead hall of the companions, and see if you can get some work there.
[] You return to _The Bannered Mare_ to see how Saadia is doing. You are curious about what brought her to Skyrim.
[] You decide to ignore Alnaar's warnings, and head to High Hrothgar to try and learn how to use the thu'um.


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## trexalfa (Jul 16, 2018)

[X] You decide to ignore Alnaar's warnings, and head to High Hrothgar to try and learn how to use the thu'um.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 16, 2018)

[x] You decide to make a stop at the mead hall of the companions, and see if you can get some work there.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 16, 2018)

[X] You decide to report to Balgruuf the Greater, and reveal that you have slain the dragon. Then discuss your next course of action with his court wizard, Farengar.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 16, 2018)

[x] You decide to ignore Alnaar's warnings, and head to High Hrothgar to try and learn how to use the thu'um.


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## Atem (Jul 16, 2018)

Oh boy, this is going to be fun.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Wrinkly Old Men Who Hate You (Jul 17, 2018)

Alnaar learned something at this very moment.

His master was a stubborn fool.

"I hate stairs!" You climb the seven-thousand steps of High Hrothgar. Your feet are already sore from the last thousand steps. Why were there so many? Why were stairs allowed to exist? Who invented stairs? Did he live around here? Perhaps you could butcher him like a pig? "Why isn't there an elevator?"

"They don't have elevators around here, brother." Alnaar whistles a particular tune. It reminds you of a boxer you used to know. The man didn't know how to quit. It inspired you. It gave you the strength to keep climbing. "You should know that by now."

"M'aiq thinks that the black sword has a point." You carry a khajit on your back. He had asked you to help him make a pilgrimage to the Throat of the World. "You seem to be a stubborn fool."

"Don't make me throw you back down those stairs! I am only doing this because you have something I want!" It was knowledge in particular. It seems that M'aiq the Liar knew his share of wizardry and witchcraft.

"M'aiq means nothing by it. It means a lot to M'aiq... what you are doing." The khajit absentmindedly picks at his noise. No, he meant something by it. He _definitely _did. "Khajit appreciates your gesture. Now continue!"

You almost wish you were a vampire again. Just so you could drain this fur-ball.

***​"Stop right there!" Wait just a _fucking _second. What the hell was this?

"Drop the khajit, and gives us all of your valuables! Otherwise, you get a taste of our cold steel!" You have never felt annoyance this great before. Why on a mountain would there be bandits? It makes no sense.

You eyes flash yellow for a second. The dark side of the force beckons you.

"M'aiq agrees with the bandits. You should give them what you have."

"Another word from you, and you are a dead cat do you understand?"

You turn your attention back to the bandits, and unsheathe Alnaar.

"Oh boy, do I finally get to murder something?" The black sword approves of the carnage that is to follow.

"Khajit thinks you have problems."

This time M'aiq the Liar wasn't wrong.

***​No way, trolls live in caves and under bridges! That was a fact. So why was there one prowling this mountain?

"You know, I am beginning to find this as annoying as you are right now." Alnaar starts to share your sentiments.

You dodge a swipe from the troll, and cut it in half with Alnaar.

"M'aiq thinks that was unnecessary. M'aiq thinks it was just hungry."

"So am I! You know what I feel like? Khajit, medium rare, and with a side of roasted troll marrow. That sounds delicious!"

M'aiq the Liar goes quiet as he hears your stomach growling. He is not sure if you were joking or not.

You were not sure either.

***​"Sir, if you could give me a moment of your time!" A stranger rushes to meet you at step 4,683 of High Hrothgar. "I have a message for you. It's for your eyes only." The courier is somehow not tired despite the fact he climbed over four-thousand steps in less time than you did.

You look at this stranger, and then back to M'aiq who was now sleeping soundly on your back. He was even *purring*. It made you want to hurt him more.

"What is it?" You stop trying to question the logic of this realm. It was beginning to grow on you.

Somehow.

"Apparently the jarl of Windhelm wants to talk with you. He was asking about something involving dragons?"

"What is his name?" You didn't know anyone from Windhelm. You have never even been there.

The courier looks surprised.

"Why it is Ulfric Stormcloak of course!"

Oh, it was _him_. You wondered what happened to him.

"That makes sense. Alright, tell him I will see him as soon as I can." You grab some septims from a satchel tied around your belt. You hand them to the courier. "Also, make it fast."

The moment those words leave your mouth the courier proceeds to back-flip back down the mountain with an unnatural grace. You see some moves that indicate that he was once a trapeze artist.

"What in god's name?"

You look at the empty bottle of whatever that strange purple liquid was. M'aiq the Liar was hiding several bottles of it in his robes.

Maybe you should have saved that for later.

***​"I feel strange..." You look at your hands You had grown several more. Now there was four. "This is normal, right?"

"I am tripping balls right now!" Alnaar seems to be afflicted by it as much as you are. "Oh my god! Am I alive? Am I dead? What is going on?" The black sword could see the stars in the sky become constellations he has never seen before. He could see the finest whores whispering sweet nothings to each other as they devoured each other. He could see the death and rebirth of his brothers and sisters. The ever distant city just out of their reach, and there was hookers everywhere. In every building, and on every street. It was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. "It is right over there, Raziel! Go towards the light!"

"No, the light lies Alnaar! You can't trust it! Stay away from the light Alnaar! Don't go into the light!" You grab your black sword, and dig your feet into the steps as it tries to fly away.

"We are almost there! It is so close! Just look at it brother! There are hookers everywhere! They don't even ask for money for the first time!" Alnaar would cry if he could. His dreams were finally coming true.

A world of sleazy sluts, and nothing more. They don't even ask you to wear a condom!

"You can go in raw, brother! It is what we always dreamed of!"

"No, Alnaar! We already go in raw anyway!"

Oh, Alnaar realizes that his master is right. He stops trying to fly away.

"Why do you have four hands?" Alnaar suddenly realizes that something is wrong with you.

"I do not know." You look at your hands, and they grow mouths.

"Don't look at us. It is not our fault." Your hands give you sass. It makes you angrier.

"I don't believe you!" You grab Alnaar, and aim to sever these limbs.

"No, wait!" M'aiq the Liar grabs you. "M'aiq thinks you drank something you shouldn't have!" The khajit had woken up to the sounds of violence, and death. Only to see his friend going insane. That's when he checked his robes for the bottle. He knew he should have hidden it elsewhere. "This stubborn fool has had his first taste of skooma!" It was always the strangest after the first time.

"I know you! This is your fault!" You change targets, and chase after the source of your misery.

"No, wait! You are hallucinating!"

M'aiq the Liar starts running. You give chase up the stairs.

***​"M'aiq the Liar is sorry!" The khajits dodges a lightning bolt, and a boulder that suddenly flies towards him. "Khajit does not want to die!" This was the end.

You were disoriented. You were confused. You were hungry. Yet, this piece of fresh beef was talking to you for some reason.

"Stop talking, and get in my stomach! You are my dinner!" You breathe fire. You realize that it must be something leftover from the phoorn. No wait, you realize. The fog of confusion in your mind begins to settle.

Where were you?

That's when you see it. You have finally made it to the top.

You see the home of the Grey Beards. You see High Hrothgar.

Their monastery.

"Yes!" You collapse to your knees, and kiss the ground. You did not care about how freezing cold it was, or the fact that you have gotten snow all over your face.

It was the end of your journey!

"Stay back! M'aiq is not afraid to use this!" The khajit had grabbed an icicle. He was brandishing it as a spear to use against you.

You throw Alnaar at him, and the pommel of the black sword hits him in the head knocking him out.

"I still think you should eat him." Alnaar was suddenly feeling famished himself.

"No, no more words. We are here." You make your way to the doors.

What should you do next?

[] You should politely knock on the front door, and ask for the Grey Beards to meet with you. You have much to ask them. Perhaps you can convince them to teach you. If you are really, _really _lucky.
[] M'aiq the Liar was just laying there. Why waste the protein? While he is unconscious start a campfire, and throw him in it. You are famished, and you need the energy.
[] There is a chest up ahead. You should probably open it, and see what is in there. Maybe it is food? You would like food. Yes, you really would.
[] You decide that it is better to be safe than sorry. You pick up M'aiq the Liar, and use him as a battering ram to force open the doors of High Hrothgar.


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## John Wayne (Jul 17, 2018)

[X] You decide that it is better to be safe than sorry. You pick up M'aiq the Liar, and use him as battering ram to force open the doors of High Hrothgar.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 17, 2018)

[X] You decide that it is better to be safe than sorry. You pick up M'aiq the Liar, and use him as battering ram to force open the doors of High Hrothgar.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Ysmir, the Dragon of the North (Jul 17, 2018)

Dovahkiin.

The man with the blood and soul of a dragon.

The ultimate dragon slayer. The one who the dragons feared.

There were legends that when Alduin returned the Dovahkiin would appear to challenge him. However, there was another legend lost to time...

That when the Dovahkiin arrived he would be delivered to the Grey Beards by someone who was once an enemy of Kynareth and Akatosh. A man who wore many faces, and had many names. A man who had the blood of dragons flowing in his veins. Who spurned the aedra, and the daedra!

This man was the Nerevarine. The greatest hero of Morrowind!

A man shouldering the burden of a thousand lives.

Godslayer, and the breaker of fate! The red dragon! The great serpent! He would find redemption by the side of the dragon born!

In the dragon tongue he was called Unslaad Kaal!

Eternal Champion!

He who burned down the Tower of Amaranth! He who fought the Godhead!

"We're getting in there no matter what happens!" You grab M'aiq the Liar, and charge at the door. There was some sort of enchantment you couldn't break through.

You only hope that the khajit was enough to break through it.

"This is the best idea you have ever had!" Alnaar cheers you on, and you charge forth using the force to propel. You break past the laws of physics, and leave light in the dust!

You hit the doors with your battering ram. It gives, and breaks!

You push through, and make you way inside the monastery. One of the Grey Beards prepares his thu'um, and you throw M'aiq the Liar at him. The khajit crashes into the monk before he has a chance to speak.

You draw Alnaar. You knew they would not teach you. So, you would simply force the knowledge from their minds. You would battle them, and you would learn that way.

_Arngeir._

You hear the name. The force whispers it to you. You turn around, and you see the Grey Beard. You raise Alnaar to shield yourself. You know what must come next.

"Fus Ro Dah!" You hear the shout, and it nearly takes you away from your feet. You dig them into the floor of the monastery, and push forward. You roar back, and use the force to amplify the sound of your voice. It was not as powerful as this shout but you needed all of the help you can get. You place one foot in front of the other, and begin walking forward through the shout.

You see another Grey Beard approach Arngeir, and stand by beside him.

"Fus Ro Dah!" Now it was two against one. It did not matter. You push even harder, and submerge yourself deeper into the force. Tamriel begins to shake, and the shout reverberates across the world. You could even hear it in the Summerset Isles. No, you could even _feel _it there.

Then two more stand besides Arngeir.

"Fus Ro Dah!" Now you would face the voice of all of the Grey Beards! You could feel every atom of your being be torn asunder by the force of their shout. No, you could not give up. You had to learn! You had to stop that black dragon!

Nirn begins to shake, and their combined shout echoes into Mundus. It even reaches the depths of Oblivion.

"Do not stop pushing back, brother!" Alnaar speaks to you once more. He gives you encouragement. "If you do then there's no going back!"

That is when you are on Korriban again. How is this even possible?

"You know what you did was reckless." That voice... it didn't sound like Darth Plagueis. "You remind me of myself at your age." You turn around, and you see him. You are struck by nostalgia.

Then by regret, and shame.

"Father..." Why did you say that? You knew that it wasn't true--

"It is." What? He could hear your thoughts?

"When you become one with the force your power begins to know no bounds." He removes his hood. What scars were gone, and his hair has grown back. He was Anakin Skywalker once more. "You are Raziel, and you are Luke."

"That is not true! I am just an impostor!" Your regret, and shame is brought to bare. "I am not your son! I lied to you!"

"Yes, and by doing so you saved me." Anakin Skywalker has a wry smirk. "My son, it may have been a lie to you but it was true in every way that mattered." He grabs hold of you, and hugs you. "Now stop being so hard on yourself, and show these amateurs what a Je'daii Master can do!"

You feel hot tears run down your face.

You are back in the monastery, and you realize it now. There was someplace that was deeper in the force. A dangerous place. You could reach it now.


M̷̨̧̹̺̙̦̪̗̱̝͖̈͌͋̉͗ơ̷̢̻̘͓̼͇̥̻̘̜̳͎̿̿̄͜͜ͅr̴͕̩͇͍͚̔̑́́ṭ̴̘̫͓̞͇͖͔̐̆̀͐͊̎̕i̶̪͂̋̀͛̄s̶̢̛̙̝͖͒͆̓̈́̽̍̏̐̍̉́̑̚.̴̛̫̟̜͓̋̈̔̐̅̄͗͘̚​

You submerge yourself in the pool, and you drink from the font.

You are changed but not in the same way as Abeloth before you. They could not corrupt your soul.


Ỷ̶̞̔͗o̶̡̡͕̱̞̟̩̖͛̉̽͂̓́̾̈́̐̕͝ͅử̸̧̱̣̹̦̤̻̟̰͑́̐ ̴̡̗̙̜͖͙̣̼͔̖̫̻̥̲́́a̷̢̨͖̫͖̟̭̍̈ͅr̵̖̥̼̩̼̀͗̀̍̒̂̚͝e̶̛̫̜̜͎͇̟̱͙̯̦̻͙̽̅̀̓́̍͊̑̌̚͝ͅ ̸̧̨̡͓̰̱͍͉̳͍̲̆̿̎͐͗͗͛ţ̴̻͚̣̺̰̜̼͙̈́̉̂̃̈́͠ͅh̸̨͔̰́̀̉̅͌̆͗e̴̮͎̯̘̠͙̺͈̳̫͊͑̈́̕͝ͅ ̸͚̞̻̞͈͍̊̅͐̕f̵͕̖͓̂̒͆͘ö̷̡̤͈͇̲̼͛̀́͑͛̕͜͝͝ͅr̸̲̳̜̭̼͊̽͒̐͐͝c̴̢̫̠̥͓̖̯̟̭͙̫̙͂͒͑ͅȩ̷̨͓̟̱͚͚͈͍̼̈́̾̓̃̃͂̋̒͗̈́̐͝.̵̨̜̦͇̻̟̗̳̻̦̀͒​
You shout back, and this time Nirn nearly breaks under the force of your shout. The Grey Beards are pushed back, and Mundus reels from your shout.

Your shout reaches Aetherius.

The Magna Ge hear your song. It was furious, it was driven, it was maddening, it was the song of tragedy! It was the song of heroes! It was the song of villains! It was the song of life!

"I won't lose!" No, never again. You would not be cast into the Lake of the Dead again. You would defeat this black dragon. You would have your rematch. "Now yield before I snatch the life from you!"

You bring the monks to their knees.

That is when you notice something strange. Arngeir is happy.

"The prophecy has come to pass, Nerevarine! You have brought us the Dovahkiin!" They were talking to you. You were the Nerevarine. What about the Dovahkiin? The only person you brought with you was--

"Khajit does not understand." M'aiq the Liar had awoken from his slumber, and was strangely unharmed by the thu'um. "What is going on?"

"No way. It is him?" Alnaar bursts into hysterical laughter. If he could cry he would. "Ahahahahahaha, I can't stop laughing! This is perfect!"

M'aiq the Liar was the Dovahkiin.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

***​It was true. That's right... every word of it.

"It was said that when you arrived you would do battle with us, and that the only way we would know it was you is if you managed to defeat us." Arngeir repeats his explanation to you. You find it hard to believe. "You brought the Dovahkiin to us, and we thank for you that. You are welcome into our monastery as a Grey Beard, and you may learn what you can. I warn you, Nerevarine. The thu'um will not come as easily to you as it does to M'aiq the Liar."

You were gaping at everything that was happening in front of you.

"M'aiq the Liar! You are now Ysmir, the Dragon of the North!"

The khajit gives you a cheerful grin. You could already feel the headache coming.

You were his sword, and his shield.

[] You return to Whiterun, and inform Balgruuf the Greater that you have found the Dovahkiin. You explain that the black dragon was Alduin the World Eater, and that you were destined to help the Dovahkiin defeat him before he brought about the end of this kalpa.
[] You decide that you should ditch M'aiq the Liar for as long as possible. Besides, he has training he needs to do now in High Hrothgar. The companions must have some sort of work for you to do instead.
[] You decide to explore around High Hrothgar, and see if you can't manage to make your way past the blizzard behind the monastery. There is another Grey Beard. You can feel his presence somewhere at the top of the mountain.
[] You meditate on the force, and look into the future. Perhaps it can help you. You could trust these visions at least. Whatever they may be.

Reactions: Like 1


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## John Wayne (Jul 17, 2018)

[X] You decide to explore around High Hrothgar, and see if you can't manage to make your way past the blizzard behind the monastery. There is another Grey Beard. You can feel his presence somewhere at the top of the mountain.


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 17, 2018)

[X] You return to Whiterun, and inform Balgruuf the Greater that you have found the Dovahkiin. You explain that the black dragon was Alduin the World Eater, and that you were destined to help the Dovahkiin defeat him before he brought about the end of this kalpa.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 17, 2018)

[x] You decide to explore around High Hrothgar, and see if you can't manage to make your way past the blizzard behind the monastery. There is another Grey Beard. You can feel his presence somewhere at the top of the mountain.


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## trexalfa (Jul 17, 2018)

[X] You decide to explore around High Hrothgar, and see if you can't manage to make your way past the blizzard behind the monastery. There is another Grey Beard. You can feel his presence somewhere at the top of the mountain.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Paarthurnax (Jul 17, 2018)

Change.

You could feel it already. Your body was rippling with power that it didn't have before before. When you submerged yourself in the pool of knowledge, and drank from the font of power.

You were starting to become something else. It didn't hold a candle to the sorcery of the dreaming city. However, it might just be enough to defeat the black dragon.

No, Alduin the World Eater. That was his name.

You know your enemy now.

A son of Akatosh, and perhaps an aspect of Aka just like his father before him.

A veritable god in every sense of the word. Your greatest challenge. The beast who made Mehrunes Dagon into what he is. A creature that could match even the likes of the Daedric Princes.

He sought to devour this realm? You wouldn't let him.

"Do you even need M'aiq the Liar? I would say as you are now you stand a chance of defeating Alduin by yourself." That was true, and you start to realize it. Alduin the World Eater was not as powerful as he should be. Your senses have expanded. You could see further into the past, deeper into the present, and farther into the future. You were an aberration now. Purified in spirit unlike Abeloth but an aberration regardless. Alduin the World Eater being as he is could be defeated by you.

You have a feeling it would not stay that way.

"Yes, you are right." Alnaar murmurs. He saw the future just as you did. In some visions you saw Alduin the World Eater achieve his desires, and then become Alduin the Time Eater. You could not defeat him if that happens. "Then don't let it happen!"

Your black sword was right. You should capitalize on your enemy's weakness. Darth Plagueis would have lectured you in the same way.

"Yes, he would have." You hear a familiar voice. Of course... they could reach you no matter where you were now. You were the force.

You see your teacher appear as a ghostly figure. Yes, it has been long enough. How many decades did it take you to reach this realm? He couldn't live forever.

Obiwan Kenobi.

"You have certainly grown." The smile he has practically radiates warmth. "I must say I am surprised you are not the leading man this time."

"I am still the leading man. I have no idea what you are talking about." You swiftly ignore what he said. It does not matter that M'aiq the Liar was the Dovahkiin. You would be the one to finish this.

"Yet, your pride and hubris stays with you!" Obiwan Kenobi is not disappointed. If anything he is happy you haven't changed. "You know that there is another."

"Yes, I do." You answer your teacher. That is when you exit the monastery from the back door. You see the blizzard barricading the way to the top of the mountain. "He is older, and stronger than the rest."

You would take him as your master.

"Are your sure that is wise? You do not know who he is." Your teacher reminds you. It was true. There was something obscuring your vision. You couldn't see the whole picture.

It did not matter.

You raise your hand, and the blizzard disperses. Whatever magical energies behind it being torn asunder by the force.

You make your way to the peak.

"Wise or not, I would have him teach me."

***​"You have arrived, Nerevarine." You hear the beast speak in a tongue you can understand. It wasn't possible. Why would there be a--

"A dragon?" Paarthurnax wears what you can only assume is a smirk. It is hard to tell with his snout. "Yes, a dragon is the one who leads the Grey Beards."

It makes a lot of sense.

"Why betray your own kind, and teach these mortals?" Paarthurnax chuckles. It is a dry rattle at his age.

"Why did Elric of Melniboné wage war against his own people?" How did he even know about that?

"It was because the mernii were corrupt, and decadent. They thought nothing of the Young Kingdoms. They saw mortals as slaves, and livestock. They raped, and murdered them. It wasn't always in that order." The mernii were monsters. You knew that. That is why you brought an end to them. Your brothers, and sisters died by your hand.

"It is for that same reason I betrayed the dov, and began to teach the mun." When you look at this dragon you feel as if you should know him.

"This isn't the first time you have been to Skyrim." Alnaar answers your question. He knew so many things about you that you didn't.

"The ved zahkrii speaks truly." Paarthurnax grumbles. "Nerevarine, I have met you before. You made a pilgrimage to the Throat of the World. When you found me we did battle, and you gave me these scars." You look closely at the dragon. Yes, he was in shambles. It seems that time has not been kind to him.

"Why then do you live?"

"It was a mistake, and you realized that just in time to stay your black sword. You nursed me back to health, and told me stories of where you came from."

Where you were going.

"You spoke of your beyrovin. Your guilt." Paarthurnax looks at you sadly. He knew you carried the burden of countless lives.

"Yes, I would do that..." You chuckle, and then turn your attention back to the dragon. "You know why I am here."

"I do." Paarthurnax unfurled his wings, and that is when he prepares his thu'um.

You stand fast, and ready to meet it.

"Yol Toor Shul!"

You feel fire, burning brightly envelop you, you do not run, and you do not scream in pain. You grit your teeth. Slowly but surely it begins to die down.

Your black robes are singed, and you would need something to replace them in the future.

"You have heard my thu'um, and survived. You are ready to learn." You can hear the approval in the dragon's voice. Yes, it was time.

***​You learn quickly, and soon find yourself mastering what Paarthurnax has to teach you. The force guides you, and makes it easier. It would have taken anyone else a lifetime to learn what you know.

You do so in mere days.

"It is frightening in a way. I do not think that even the Dovahkiin can learn as fast as you do."

"Do you suppose it is because of the phoorn?"

Paarthurnax shakes his head.

"No, Uslaad Kaal. The phoorn are not the children of Akatosh. They belong to another. You know of who I speak."

Ouroboros.

The great dragon who has coiled itself around Yggdrasil.

"He is my brother." You realize, and that was the most frightening thing of all.

"Yes." Paarthurnax looks at you strangely. "I wish Alduin was as he." A feud between brothers.

It reminds you of so many different faces, and names. A life where you were Elric of Melniboné.

Your Cymoril, and your sweet Zarozinia.

That is when you see another. Oone the Dreamthief.

Her bravery, and her courage that drove you towards her.

​The mother of your two children. Onric von Bek, and Oona von Bek.

Oh, how you missed them.

"Somehow you will find them again." Paarthurnax looks down at you from his perch. "You are Uslaad Kaal, and you do not accept defeat." The dragon was right.

"It does not matter how long it takes. I will find them."

Once again you see it. The ever distant city.

Your Tanelorn, and it is just out of reach.

[] You make your way to Whiterun, and inform Balgruuf the Greater about what you have learned so far.
[] You decide that can wait, and decide to visit Windhelm. Ulfric Stormcloak asked for an audience. It would be rude not to give him one.
[] The mead hall of the companions is overflowing with work. You see something in the distant future. A man you once knew. His spirit no longer in chains, and set free by his sacrifice.
[] You decide to see what is happening in the College of Winterhold. You heard that it teaches people wizardry, and witchcraft. It may help you in the battle against Alduin the World Eater.


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## trexalfa (Jul 17, 2018)

[X] You decide to see what is happening in the College of Winterhold. You heard that it teaches people wizardry, and witchcraft. It may help you in the battle against Alduin the World Eater.


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## John Wayne (Jul 17, 2018)

[X] You decide to see what is happening in the College of Winterhold. You heard that it teaches people wizardry, and witchcraft. It may help you in the battle against Alduin the World Eater.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 17, 2018)

[x] You decide that can wait, and decide to visit Windhelm. Ulfric Stormcloak asked for an audience. It would be rude not to give him one.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 18, 2018)

[x] You decide that can wait, and decide to visit Windhelm. Ulfric Stormcloak asked for an audience. It would be rude not to give him one.


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## Atem (Jul 18, 2018)

Need a tie-breaker.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A Father's Pride (Jul 18, 2018)

Resignation.

You could feel it in the air as you walked the streets of Windhelm. You could feel the downtrodden as they were banished to their ghettos. The dunmer who kept away from the nords, and the nords who spat curses at them behind their backs.

The argonians just outside, and in the docks.

You clench your fists as you remember a time like this. When you were Erekosë. Truly, it was far worse then. King Rigenos. That man was a beast. When you fought for humanity and sought to eradicate the eldren only to realize that they were the ones you should have been protecting!

It was humanity that had become corrupt and decadent. Just like the mernii. When you saw what King Rigenos did to those eldren children?

How he violated them? How he took their innocence from them?

No child should suffer such a fate. It drove you into the depths of madness.

That was when you met Ermizhad. Oh, how beautiful she was.

In ways that Iolanda could never be.

That eldren showed you forgiveness, and love. You were a monster. Your hands soaked in the blood of the eldren. Yet, when she ran her fingers across your skin and caught your lips in your own? You knew love for the first time. At least... as Erekosë.

You would make amends for what you did to them. You would save Ermizhad from Iolanda.

It came to pass, and when it did? You gave humanity a choice.

"Surrender, and leave." You spoke those words. "If you do not I will slay you down to every last man, woman, and child."

_I will spare none! None! I want it to be over. And the only way I can finish it is to kill them all!
_
Your fervor, and your madness. It was devouring you whole.

You gave humanity the choice that they did not give the eldren when they slaughtered them like pigs. You gave them the chance to go back home. There could have been peace.

They chose not to. They chose war.

Erekosë.

The man who slew the human race.

You remember the looks of horror on Ermizhad, and Arjavh. The eldren themselves were terrified of you. You saved them, and they looked at you as if you were a monster.

However, in time that would change. They forgave you, and you forgave yourself.

It did not wash away the blood on your hands, and the nightmares never stopped. You just had to learn to live with them.

You wonder if it was the war that drove you into such ruthlessness, and monstrosity. If all of the bloodshed ate away at your reason.

Then again, it was probably fate orchestrating another tragedy. How it enjoyed tormenting you.

"It is in the past, brother. You must look towards the future." Alnaar speaks with the same melancholy. He could feel your anguish. You were Raziel now. You were not Erekosë.

"I am here to meet Ulfric Stormcloak."

He was no King Rigenos. He was just blind to his own weakness.

***​"So, you have arrived." Ulfric Stormcloak was on his throne. He looked down at you.

That is when he notices it. The robes you used to replace the ones burned by Paarthurnax.

"You have met the Grey Beards." He frowns, and you feel his frustration. He was one of them once. They told you before you left High Hrothgar. However, he did not seek to use his thu'um for anyone but himself.

"Yes, and I have learned much." You allow yourself to speak, and the castle rumbles.

"Perhaps not enough." Ulfric Stormcloak did not want the Palace of the Kings to fall because of someone who could not control their own voice. "Do you know who the black dragon is supposed to be?"

"You know the answer to that question already." You wonder why he was so hesitant to believe the truth. This was a world of swords, and sorcery. A land of legend and myth made real.

"You say it is Alduin?" Ulfric Stormcloak shakes his head. "The World Eater?"

"Yes, the very same." It was the end times. The kalpa would end soon if someone did not stop Alduin.

You could feel Ulfric Stormcloak's fear and trepidation.

"What do we do?" Now it was intermingled with desperation. He knew how powerful the beast was.

"Well, first we must find the dragon. Then we must slay it." You nonchalantly explain, and proceed to remove your hood. "It is the same as with any dragon. It must be fought and brought to heel."

"You say that like it is supposed to be easy!" The castle rumbles but this time because of Ulfric Stormcloak. "We cannot defeat a god!"

"Trust me, Ulfric Stormcloak. We were always meant to face them." It was the mortals of the tree that gave substance to their desires and dreams. It was the mortals of the tree that gave life to gods, and demons.

It would have to be them.

"You speak, and yet you make no sense!"

"Only because you do not listen!"

"If I may speak?" Alnaar decides that it was time for an intervention. "What my brother means to say is that you are stronger than you know. You mortals restrain and constrain yourselves with your fears and insecurities. It is your doubt that would defeat you, Ulfric Stormcloak. It is not Alduin the World Eater who is your greatest foe. You need only look in a mirror to understand what I mean." Yes, it was that disbelief. That rejection of anything except what they were predisposed to believe.

It was why the Lords of the Higher Worlds could hold so much influence over them. The Lords of Law, and the Lords of Chaos? They did not hold a candle to what wrought them in the first place.

"Your black sword speaks?" Ulfric Stormcloak looks confused.

"Yes, and that black sword has a name. Alnaar, of the Sighing Desert." Your black sword was behaving strangely. You wonder if it was because of that skooma you had a month ago.

"Well, Alnaar of the Sighing Desert can your brother defeat this black dragon?"

"I believe that he can. It would be difficult but within his capabilities as he is now. He has grown much stronger since he first fought Alduin in Helgen. Now there is a chance."

Ulfric Stormcloak almost seems to consider what your black sword has to say.

"Then what can I do to help?"

"You can keep us informed. Whatever information you find about Alduin would be most helpful."

You decide it was time to get back into the conversation.

"That is not the only thing I would ask." You knew that the moment that you felt them you could not leave them here. "The dunmer and the argonians are ostracized. It is clear no one wants them in Windhelm. I would take them with us, and bring them to another home."

Ulfric Stormcloak begins to chuckle.

"What are they to you?"

"Nothing but I have a use for them. I would bring them to Whiterun."

It would be solving several problems at once. Whiterun needs more people defending it.

Balgruuf the Greater would welcome them. They would have work as guards, and the respect of the people.

"Very well, you may take them where you must. However, allow my men to give you some supplies for your journey. It is a long way to Whiterun, and they will need food and water."

You nod your head, and prepare yourself for what must come next.

***​The bites your hand. Out of all the children you saw she was the most energetic. You lift her up to your face, and give her a wry smirk. "You know I am not food?"

The dunmer girl growls like an animal, and bites you even harder.

"This one has spirit, brother!" Alnaar seems amused as well. "Do you think Irileth would like to adopt her?"

The rest of the dunmer were behind you, and closely followed by the argonians.

"Wait, Raziel!" Of all the people in Windhelm? You knew Ralof would come to your assistance. You are part of the reason why he was able to escape. "I need to prepare the horses, and carriages."

You were surprised that Ulfric Stormcloak was going to spare one of his soldiers, and even more surprised he was going to give you horses and carriages for the journey.

Did he truly want them gone that badly, or perhaps he did feel a measure of empathy for them? You could not tell. The man was in conflict, and he did not know who he was.

So, how could you? You could not judge him.

You ruffle the hair of the dunmer girl, and try to think of a name. It would come to you once you reach Whiterun.

If not perhaps Irileth could think of one.

***​"When Irileth told me you slew the dragon I believed her." Balgruuf the Greater seems bemused. "When she told me that you were bringing us hundreds of dunmer and argonian refuges I did not."

"They need a home, and I know that you need as many people as you can spare. You lost four watchtowers in the last attack, and they have yet to be rebuilt." You wear the garbs of a Grey Beard. It makes the nords around you nervous. They have heard the stories. That but a whisper from you could kill.

They were right.

"Raziel... you may be my thane but that does not mean you can make decisions for me."

"So, you would turn these people away in their time of need?

Balgruuf the Greater leans back into his chair. "I did not say that. Yes, they may stay but next time at least try to discuss your plans with me first. These things take time. I am sure you know this."

You are reminded of when you served Kain, and asked for land so that your clan could settle on it.

"Yes, my jarl. I understand." You bow, and take your leave.

There were preparations you had to make.

***​"I need your help with something." When you enter Irileth's room you find yourself revealed to see that she is dressed this time. It would have been difficult to explain otherwise.

"You have been gone for over a month, and the first thing you do is ask for a favor?" Irileth is sitting behind a desk near her drawer, and writing on a piece of parchment. The dunmer does not turn to meet you.

"I have someone you need to meet." Irileth sighs, and puts down her quill. That is when she turns to look at you.

"What is it?"

Irileth practically falls out of her chair. The nightblade could hardly believe what she was seeing.

"Shalil?" The dunmer girl looked exactly like her. The daughter she had lost when the Red Mountain erupted, and ravaged Morrowind.

You knew the moment you found the girl in Windhelm. There was something strange about her. That is when you searched her memories, and found images of Irileth.

This dunmer girl had Shalil's soul. You did not forget that you were not the only one who refused to stay in limbo.

"Why does she--" Irileth slowly approaches the both of you.

"I told you about how I lived many lives? Well, I am not the only one. This dunmer girl was once your daughter." It was not strange to see a soul reincarnate, and take on a visage from a life before. "I believe she can be your daughter again."

Irileth crouches down to meet the dunmer girl who is hugging your leg. Her hands reach the girl's face. How could this be real?

Irileth saw her die.

"I..." Irileth shakes her head. The disbelief written on her face. "_Thank you._"

Irileth grabs you tightly.

Yes, you truly were the Nerevarine.

The hero she remembered.

Alnaar is on your hip, and there is a glimmer in the red ruby within his guard.

He remembered this feeling. Your black sword knew it once.

_Peace.
_
It was with that realization that the black sword began to fear. The balance was broken but he knew what always came next.

It would be taken from them.

"No, it won't be." You answer your black sword. "I won't let it happen this time."

[] The mead hall of the companions is buried under mountains of work. At this rate the amount of paperwork is likely to drown the companions. You best go see if you can lighten their load.
[] You decide to investigate the College of Winterhold. You heard that you could learn wizardry, and witchcraft there. It may help when you fight Alduin the World Eater.
[] There is a strange person in _The Bannered Mare_. You best investigate, and see what is happening.
[] Your hear rumors about something strange happening in Markarth. The Forsworn are running rampant, and there are tales of something involving a king in rags.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 19, 2018)

[x] The mead hall of the companions is buried under mountains of work. At this rate the amount of paperwork is likely to drown the companions. You best go see if you can lighten their load.

Only because the description if making me sorry for them by now.


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## John Wayne (Jul 19, 2018)

[X] Your hear rumors about something strange happening in Markarth. The Forsworn are running rampant, and there are tales of something involving a king in rags. 


Let them drown.


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## Atem (Jul 19, 2018)

FYI, there are consequences to putting off something for a long time. Things proceed even if you are not there.

Which means quests happen without you.

At the moment the companions are in shit condition, and are basically deep in their necks in werewolf hunters like the Silver Hand.


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## John Wayne (Jul 19, 2018)

Wouldn't that make the college our top priority?


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## Atem (Jul 19, 2018)

John Wayne said:


> Wouldn't that make the college our top priority?



It's up to you.

Just gonna note you can change votes too.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 19, 2018)

I think Companions then College. Sidequest sidetracking.


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## Atem (Jul 19, 2018)

I could flip a coin between the two choices so far but a tie-breaker would be nice.


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## Atem (Jul 19, 2018)

@trexalfa 

@Unlosing Ranger 

@Crimson Dragoon


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 19, 2018)

[x] The mead hall of the companions is buried under mountains of work. At this rate the amount of paperwork is likely to drown the companions. You best go see if you can lighten their load.
I would say there are quite a few quests mounted up.


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## trexalfa (Jul 19, 2018)

[X] The mead hall of the companions is buried under mountains of work. At this rate the amount of paperwork is likely to drown the companions. You best go see if you can lighten their load.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Carry Them On Their Shields (Jul 19, 2018)

Jorrvaskr.

It was in shambles. You could see corpses strewn across the front entrance. There were some of them that were from the Silver Hand. There were others from the Dark Brotherhood.

The shield-brothers and shield-sisters of the companions were bandaged, and disheveled. There were companions who had died, and who were being carried back to Jorrvaskr on their shields.

Jorrvaskr was threatening to crumble into pieces, and there were holes where mages had blown holes in it.

"Well, this place has seen better days." Alnaar gives a voice to your thoughts before you do.

"I probably should have payed more attention to them before I left for High Hrothgar." You shake your head, and you make your way to the front entrance.

"Do not take another step! Who are you, and why are you here?" You see a nord woman meet you before you enter. Her red hair, and eyes reminded you of another. A woman whose power was so great she could not control it. You loved her once. Then after everything that abominable phoenix took her from you.

"I am Raziel of Nosgoth. A thane of Balgruuf the Greater, and a Grey Beard of High Hrothgar." You were amassing many titles now. You were sure that by the end of this journey you would have even more.

"A Grey Beard?" Aela... that was her name. You could feel it at the edge of her thoughts. "Why have you left High Hrothgar?" The companion unsheathes her sword. The woman was ready for a fight.

You raise your hands in mock surrender.

"I am here to help you. Balgruuf the Greater told me how you were having problems with some troublemakers. As for why I left High Hrothgar? Well, there are dragons in Skyrim now. Which is something of interest to my order." That wasn't the entire truth, and you had decided to add some disarming lies in there. You did not want another fight to break out.

Aela the Huntress does not speak for a long time. You can see that she was not sure. Then after a while she finally sheathes her sword. You can see that she is no longer tense. Her guard was down.

_Good._

"Kodlak Whitemane needs to speak with you then." You remember that name. He was the harbinger of the companions. While he was not quite their leader? He was their adviser. The one who was respected the most in Jorrvaskr.

"Is that so?" Are they that desperate now? You could already feel the intentions behind this. They need as many companions as they can get. A Grey Beard would be something of a boon.

Now especially during their time of need.

"The companions are in dire straits. Skjor is dead. The Silver Hand caught him without a shield-brother. We are disheartened. I--" Aela the Huntress seems exhausted."--am doing my best."

"It is not enough?"

"No, it isn't."

This woman seems hard on herself, or perhaps it was because of the recently deceased. You did not simply get over the death of a comrade.

You walk past the servants in the mead hall, and more wounded companions. You make your way to the back, and downstairs into the barracks.

Aela the Huntress guides you further down.

"What is it, Aela?" You hear a voice. Whoever he was he was ancient.

"I have a visitor from High Hrothgar."

"A Grey Beard?"

When she opens the doors you see him. Kodlak Whitemane. You see his armor, and suddenly you are reminded of Esbern Snare. The werewolf who was once your comrade.

"What brings you here?" The harbinger is fairing better than the rest of the companions. He only has a few scraps, and bruises.

"I am here to help the companions. You seem like you need it."

"That we do but I am confused. Why would a Grey Beard offer us aid?"

You think on what you should say next.

"I am sort of an honorary member of the Grey Beards. It allows me some leeway. Which means I can leave High Hrothgar. I have just finished my training, and I have learned how to use the thu'um." You allow your control to ease, and Whiterun shakes under the echo of your thu'um.

"It seems you are no liar then." Kodlak Whitemane is not surprised. He has seen people who could use the thu'um before. Aela the Huntress on the other hand found herself backing away in surprise, and nearly tripped over herself. "I will be blunt then. Now that I can see you with my own eyes it is clear. You should join the companions. If you would have us."

"I would welcome you." So, these companions were that desperate. That they would allow you into their fold without knowing who you were exactly.

"However, there is something I must ask. We have been looking for the pieces of Wuuthrad. The battleaxe of Ysgramor. It is of great importance to us."

"Ysgramor? The leader of the five-hundred companions?"

Kodlak Whitemane nods his head. "Yes, Jorrvaskr is built upon the boat he used to sail here."

Interesting, and you wonder why that would be?

You peer into their minds, and it becomes clear to you.

"You wouldn't happen to be looking for it because you seek a cure for your lycanthropy?" You enjoy it when you see the look of surprise on his face.

"How did you know?"

"A Grey Beard knows many things Kodlak Whitemane."

You became an expert at lying at this point. It came to you as naturally as does breathing.

"Yes, I seek a cure for lycanthropy. There are many who see the beast blood as a gift. However, I wish to go to Sovngarde when I die. Where I might meet my forefathers. I do not wish to be an animal prowling in Hircine's hunting grounds." It was the same story with these Daedric Princes.

They would grant you so much only to take it all away in death.

"What else do you need?" You could feel that Wuuthrad is not the only prerequisite for this.

"I need the heads of the Glenmoril Witches. They were the ones who gave the companions this "gift" of beast blood from Hircine." Kodlak Whitemane bares everything to you. The truth could not be hidden from you. "Once we have their heads, and the pieces of the Wuuthrad? Well, it depends on whether the battleaxe can be reforged--"

"It can be. The Skyforge is not for show, Kodlak." Eorlund Gray-Mane was a blacksmith unmatched by any other in Skyrim. He enters Kodlak Whitemane's room the moment he hears the commotion.

"Ah yes, this is Eorlund Gray-Mane. He tends to the Skyforge next to Jorrvaskr. He makes our armor, and our weapons." Kodlak Whitemane gestures towards the blacksmith. Eorlund Gray-Mane turns to look at you.

"Those robes do not suit a member of the companions." Eorlund Gray-Mane almost seems to snort in disgust. "No, come to the Skyforge later. I will have armor for you."

You nod your head. You were starting to tire of these robes, and they would draw attention to you.

A Grey Beard walking alongside the people of Skyrim? No, you would find enemies that way.

"Normally, The Circle would require more of you before you became a member of the companions but considering the desperate times we are in? Well, Aela shall be your shield-sister for the time being." Kodlak Whitemane looks like he is unsure himself of what he is about to do.

Aela the Huntress looks aghast. "We do not even know what the whelp can do in a fight, harbinger!"

"Then do what you must. Go to the courtyard, and give him a challenge."

Oh, they would be in for a surprise.

***​"You know, I suggest you have some of your shield-brothers and shield-sisters join you." You raise a brow as Aela the Huntress drags you behind Jorrvaskr. "You were ordered to give me a challenge."

"What? You think a member of The Circle is not enough? We are the most experienced in Jorrvaskr. The ones the others look to for guidance." Aela the Huntress readies her sword, and her shield.

"Yes, be that as it may I may surprise you."

"There is no magic in this fight, whelp. There is nothing you can do I haven't seen before."

There was a stipulation. You could not use anything that would be construed as magic. This was a battle to determine your prowess in close combat.

You unsheathe Alnaar, and take a stance. It was one you were familiar with.

Shien.

It combines both offense, and defense. It was also known as The Way of the Krayt Dragon. Your teacher Obiwan Kenobi had a preference for both it, and the defensive form Soresu. Which was known as The Way of the Mynock.

"I have never see that stance before. Where did you learn it?"

"It was from a man named Obiwan Kenobi. He was my first teacher."

You unraveled the destiny of an entire galaxy for him. Obiwan Kenobi met his end the way most people do. It was time that beat him in the end. You wonder how Luke Skywalker was doing now.

Did he resurrect the Jedi Order, or did he choose another path?

"You need only look inside yourself to know that answer." Alnaar relays his thoughts to you. It is best that Aela the Huntress did not hear this.

That is when you move. It happens so quickly that Aela barely has enough time to defend herself. Alnaar clangs against her shield, and your shield-sister is pushed back from the force of the blow. The woman skidding backwards on her feet. You capitalize on it before she can regain her balance. You swing Alnaar the opposite direction, aiming for her sword hand, and you quickly disarm her. Her swords flying across the courtyard, and embedding itself into a nearby table.

Aela ducks, and begins to improvise using her shield as her weapon instead. You glide past the edge of it as she swings it towards you. It barely manages to catch a few of your hairs. That is when you squat, and take Aela's footing from her with a sweeping kick.

Your shield-sister falling onto her back, and hitting the ground with a hard thump.

You catch her throat with Alnaar, the edge of your black sword drawing blood from her neck, and you wonder what she would do next. If you dragged your brother across her throat now she would die.

"You are not bad." Aela the Huntress admits as you pin her down.

"I can't say the same about you." The dueling in this world paled in comparison to what you were used to. "You need more practice."

Aela the Huntress punches you in the face, grabs hold of you, and forces you into the ground with a grapple. Now she was on top of you. "Oh, really?"

"Perhaps I underestimated you." You wear a perverse grin. "Oh, whatever shall I do? I am at the mercy of my shield-sister!" Aela the Huntress grimaces in disgust as she realizes what you mean, and looks at the position she is in. She was straddling your hips. If anyone saw her now--

"Oh, I am sorry! I will leave the both of you to your _training_." Ria looks sheepish. The woman had gone to practice her archery in the courtyard when she came across you both. "Just make sure not to make a mess. You know no one likes to clean that up."

"It is not what it looks like!"

"It is exactly what it looks like!"

You do your best to make things worse for Aela the Huntress. Your shield-sister looks like she is about to murder you.

You could see the fury in her eyes.

"This is no game! Do not treat it like one!"

"Oh, I disagree. It is the best game."

You wear a cheeky grin. Aela the Huntress grabs you by your robes, and brings your face to hers.

"Whelp, you should learn some respect."

Yes, this was going to be a long-term project of yours.
​You had proven your worth in combat. Now it was time to decide what your next course of action would be.

[] The Glenmoril Witches await you. You best collect their heads.
[] You could feel the pieces of Wuuthrad. They were lost but brought together in a single place. The Silver Hand? So, they were the ones who had them.
[] You decide to look around Jorrvaskr some more. You see two brothers. Vilkas, and Farkas. They may have something for you to do.
[] You heard about the beast blood. Perhaps Aela the Huntress can grant you this gift, or curse as it were.
[] You decide to inform Balgruuf the Greater of the dire straits the companions are in. Perhaps he can spare some guards for Jorrvaskr, and have some craftsman begin repairs. 
[] You decide to investigate the corpses in front of Jorrvaskr. The Silver Hand were there for obvious reasons. Why was the Dark Brotherhood sending assassins?


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## John Wayne (Jul 19, 2018)

I find it a bit unbelievable that Jarl Balgruuf does not know that Jorrvaskr has been attacked, it lies within the walls of Whiterun and is one of the important places.


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## Atem (Jul 19, 2018)

John Wayne said:


> I find it a bit unbelievable that Jarl Balgruuf does not know that Jorrvaskr has been attacked, it lies within the walls of Whiterun and is one of the important places.



The attack was fairly recent, and included a siege by both the Silver Hand and Dark Brotherhood. Which is why the corpses are still there.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 19, 2018)

Hmm to the heart of the Silver hand or following up on the dark brotherhood?


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 19, 2018)

[x] You decide to investigate the corpses in front of Jorrvaskr. The Silver Hand were there for obvious reasons. Why was the Dark Brotherhood sending assassins?


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Night Mother (Jul 20, 2018)

Unease.

That is what you felt as you examined the corpse of the assassin. He was obviously from the Dark Brotherhood. You check his pockets, and his clothes.

No, there was nothing. They were not foolish enough to leave evidence behind.

"No, brother." Alnaar notices it. It was not on the assassin.

It was _inside _of him.

You turn the assassin over, and shove your hand into his chest. You search his insides, and you manage to find _something_. You grab onto it, and then rip it out of his chest. There is blood that spurts out of his chest. A large hole where his sternum should have been.

It was a piece of paper. You open it up, and try to wipe away the blood.

"What does it say, Alnaar?"

"It mentions who their target was. It wasn't anyone in Jorrvaskr. " Alnaar sounds confused. "It was... you. It seems someone told them that you would be here today, and they said attacking Jorrvaskr would draw your attention." It seems the companions took care of your assassins for you.

"Why would their liaison say I would be here? I haven't even been to Jorrvaskr before." This did not make sense. The best place to reach you would have been Breezehome. When you were sleeping, or by poisoning your food.

"It does not say. It just says they were paid ten-thousand septims, and that the one who employed them was someone named Vel." The name doesn't ring any bells. You have never met someone by that name before.

"You may not have..." Alnaar murmurs. "However, another one of your lives might have."

"What do you mean?"

"I am not sure, brother. I have my suspicions."

You grumble in annoyance. Yet another mystery to decipher.

"That is from Indoril Nerevar's sigil. The V, or Vel." Alnaar answers you. "At least that is what I believe it to be." The black sword goes quiet again.

"Are you trying to say I was their employer?" It wasn't impossible. You have fought yourself in the past. When as Eric Beck you fought Grayson Beck. They were both the Eternal Champion.

"I wouldn't rule it out. You may have had reason to send them, or it could have another meaning entirely." Why would you have sent assassins to Jorrvaskr in order to draw your attention?

"We need to find the Dark Brotherhood." The only way to know for sure was to meet this Vel. You grab the assassin, and allow the force to show you the way.

Ah, so that is where they have been hiding in Skyrim. Near Falkreath. You could take care of several things at once then. You would take the truth from them, and then burn their sanctuary to the ground.

If they were so brazen as to attack Jorrvaskr in the open there would be no reason to show them clemency.

Alnaar particularly salivates at the thought. "Yes, let us go have ourselves a massacre!"

***​You look strangely at the door. It had a large skull, a bloody hand-print on it, another skeleton holding a dagger, and yet more skulls at the bottom. It was about as subtle as a trebuchet. Why had no one found the Dark Brotherhood?

"I wager someone is protecting them." You muse as you knock on the glaringly obvious symbol of the Dark Brotherhood. Whose idea was this exactly?

"What is the music of life?"

You had taken what memories you could from the corpses. You remembered once phrase in particular.

"Silence, my brother."

The door opens and the slaughter would begin. You unsheathe Alnaar, and make your way inside.

You see a nord first, and he quickly abandons his war hammer. That is when he starts transforming into a werewolf. You stab him through the heart with Alnaar before he can even finish. He drops to the ground, and breaths his last breath.

You see a red-guard, and he unsheathes his scimitar. He runs towards you but as you snap your fingers, and propel him into the ceiling with the force? There is a sickening crunch as his skull collapses on itself.

That is when you sense an argonian behind you. You quickly turn around, and grab a hold of his face. You allow the force to flow through you, and electricity arcs across your fingers. He spasms and convulses for a few seconds before he stops moving. You drop his corpse, and head deeper inside the sanctuary.

A dunmer rushes your flank, and you shove your hand through her. You tear out her heart as she drops to the ground gasping for air. A frostbite spider pounces at you, and you allow yourself a smirk.

"Fus Ro Dah!" Your thu'um sends the arachnid flying into solid rock, and there is a squishing noise as the creature's thorax implodes. That was but a taste. If you wanted to you could have erased this sanctuary from Skyrim's map, and along with Falkreath it would disappear. However, you were only here for the Dark Brotherhood.

You meet an elderly mage next. He throws bolts of lightning, and fireballs your way.  You raise your hand, and shield yourself with the force. When he is spent you begin your counterattack. You grasp at his neck with the force, and clench your hand. He suffocates to death trying desperately to get air as he claws at his throat.

You see the jester next, and he back-flips towards you with a pair of daggers in each hand. As he makes his last jump you grab him in mid-air with the force. He floats there, and tries to get back down. You don't let him as you squeeze, and his body crumples upon itself. He is reduced to a sphere of meat, and bone. Which you then throw at the nord woman who tries to attack you from above. It sends her careening across the sanctuary before she crashes into some bookshelves.

Oh, but she wasn't dead. You need her alive.

At least for the moment.

"Now I want you to answer a question." You raise her into the air, and drag her towards you with the force. "Who hired the Dark Brotherhood to target Jorrvaskr?" Your thu'um, and the force cause strange ripples in the matter surrounding you.

Astrid could feel her mind, and her soul being invaded. It was like she was being dissected. "It was a dunmer. No, a chimer." The woman was _compelled _to reveal her secrets.

"Which is it?"

"It was... both!"

It was both? How could that be? There was a familiar presence beside you. A creature of the night. The vampire leaps at you. Her fangs ready to sink into your jugular. It was a child. You pause for only a second as you gaze into her mind.

No, not a child.

Alnaar cuts through the air, and takes the vampire's head from her shoulders. There was only ash to be seen now.

"He calls himself Vel. However, I have a feeling that is not his name." You begin to speak once more. You could feel this woman's desperation, and confusion. Just what in the world are you? "What was his name? The one he gave you first?"

You would tear her mind apart, and shred her soul if need be.

"V--" Astrid, that was her name. "V--" The assassin had difficulty saying it. There was another taking her voice from her. "V-Vehk."

"Impossible!" Alnaar could not believe it. "He is dead!"

"Not anymore." Astrid says those words, and then suddenly you could feel fire. Her body bursting into flames. Spontaneous combustion? Who could do that? The woman screams as she dies.

You drop her charred body to the ground.

"Who is Vehk?" You ask your black sword.

"Vehk, and Vehk!" Alnaar answers back, and that is when you begin to feel sick.

You are hit by a sudden feeling of deja vu.

"Vivec?"

Things just became a lot more complicated.

[] The Glenmoril Witches await you. You best collect their heads.
[] You could feel the pieces of Wuuthrad. They were lost but brought together in a single place. The Silver Hand? So, they were the ones who had them.
[] You heard about the beast blood. Perhaps Aela the Huntress can grant you this gift, or curse as it were.
[] You decide to do some research on the living gods of Morrowind. The tribunal were unmatched by any save the divine, and the demonic. Vivec was the most dangerous. He did not need the Heart of Lorkhan like Sotha Sil and Almalexia did. He gazed upon the Tower of Amaranth, and did not disappear. Perhaps that was how he returned?
[] You see a sarcophagus in the sanctuary. It was giving you a strange feeling. You feel as if you should leave it be. However, there is something else drawing you towards it.
[] You decide to visit Solitude, and report that you have slain the Dark Brotherhood to the Imperial Legion. General Tullius would be there by now. Perhaps you could tell him, and he could give you more information about Alduin the World Eater.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 20, 2018)

[x] You decide to do some research on the living gods of Morrowind. The tribunal were unmatched by any save the divine, and the demonic. Vivec was the most dangerous. He did not need the Heart of Lorkhan like Sotha Sil and Almalexia did. He gazed upon the Tower of Amaranth, and did not disappear. Perhaps that was how he returned?

How could I pick ANY choice but the one with the Vehk?


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The 36 Lessons of Vivec (Jul 21, 2018)

Farengar.

He was your only lead, and probably the only real mage in Whiterun. When you approached him for information regarding the tribunal he looked at you as if you were mad.

"What makes you think I would know anything about them?"

"Well, you are a mage."

Farengar Secret-Fire rolls his eyes. "Just because I am a mage does not make me all knowing!" He reaches for his bookshelves, and grabs a worn book. "I have something written by the warrior poet but that is all I have."

"The warrior poet?" You look at the wizard strangely. You weren't familiar with the title.

"Vivec of the ALMSIVI." The court wizard was annoyed already.

"That's actually who I am trying to learn more about?" You are surprised. This was oddly convenient. "What is the name of the book?"

"The 36 Lessons of Vivec." Your are hit by that familiar sense of nostalgia. You knew about it. Somehow in a remote corner of your soul? The part of you that was the Nerevarine was whispering warnings to you. You ignore them. You were not one for caution.

"You should listen to him." Alnaar sounds concerned. "You may not like what you find."

"I will be the judge of that." Whatever secrets there were? You would unravel them.

***​"These lessons make no sense." You scratch at your chin. They were a bunch of gibberish, and the ramblings of a lunatic. However, there were words and phrases that was were eerily familiar. What was this tower? What was CHIM? Three in One?

You grab your head, and growl. There was a stabbing pain.

Yes, when you were Ulric von Bek. You took upon yourself both the aspects of Elric of Melnibone, and White Crow. You became the Three in One.

Did Vivec, Sotha Sil, and Almalexia do something similar?

"There were some people who said the tribunal were as one being. The ALMSIVI, and other strange names." Yes, they were the tribunal but they were the ALMSIVI.

AYEM AE SEHTI AE VEHK.
​Your mind grapples with the idea. It was like molten lead seeping into your brain. You focus on Hortator. Yes, Indoril Nerevar. When you fought Dagoth Ur you assumed his aspect. His mantle. However, instead of becoming him? He became you.​
The Eternal Champion devoured the Nerevarine, and in doing so became him. At least for a time before you abandoned that part of yourself. You did not stay the Nerevarine forever. You had to become Raziel.

"Are you alright, brother?"

"Just struggling with the fact that I am an abstract amalgamation."

You dismiss your black sword's worries. This was just something that was a part of being the Unslaad Kaal.

Your were surprised the most by all of the references to sex and murder. "Honestly, what in the world is a milk finger?" You try not to dwell on it.

"Vivec was always the promiscuous sort. In a way not unlike Arioch he 'loved' you." Alnaar decides to shed some light on it. "You see, he was both a man and a woman. Mind you, in both cases he desired you regardless."

Yes, a hermaphrodite. His nature was one of duality. Which is why he assumed both the aspects of chimer, and dunmer. Unlike Sotha Sil, and Almalexia? He sought balance between them.

"Ayem... that has to be Almalexia. In this lesson she is my mother?"

"A figure of speech, brother. Almalexia was a mother to the velothi."

You dodge a bullet there. You remember the Iron Orchid.

How Jherek Carnelian loved her. However, not in the same way as Amelia Underwood.

"As revolting as some of your dalliances are? Do not be so quick to assume all Eternal Champions are as depraved as him."

"What of Prince Flamadin?"

You did not forget that he loved his sister.

"When you live as many lives as you do you are bound towards eventually committing every crime, and taboo. Do not dwell on the indiscretions of your past lives. It is an inevitability in a reality where anything is possible." It is not the first time you curse what you are. In truth, you were no better than Kain.

If anything you were _worse _than him. You shiver in disgust. You were glad you repressed your memories of those lives. You did not want to experience them for yourself.

"Wait a second, there are more than thirty-six lessons." You made your way to the end of the book. You were reading the thirty-seventh lesson. Why wasn't it listed?

"It is because it is meant for no other." Alnaar reveals. "You are the only one allowed to read it."

_The light bent, and Vivec awoke and grew fangs, unwilling to make of herself a folding thing. This was a new and lunar promise. And in her Biting she tunneled up and then downward, while her brother and sister smeared across heaven, thin ruptures of dissent, food for scarabs and the Worm. She took her people and made them safe, and sat with Azura drawing her own husband's likeness in the dirt.

"For I have removed my left hand and my right, he will say," she said, "for that is how I shall win against them. Love alone and you shall know only mistakes of salt."

The worlding of the words is Ä̶̧̳͈̹̭̙̬̱̞̱̤̻́̃̃͊̾͛͛̾̋͜͠ͅM̷̡̻̘̘̫̙͈̞̱̲̠͓̀̔̅̓͐̕̚͝ͅÁ̶̢͙̮͚̍͋̽͑̓͊̃̂̕R̷̩̪̺̥͉̲̜̙̝͕͕̰͚̀͂͊̈́͛̊͐̇̃̑̃͝ͅA̵͚̗̤̬͚̓̓̕N̷̛͙͔̝̝͙͕͇̾͂͛̌͗̀̿̅̔̚ͅŤ̶̘͔̭̩̺̤̘͍̬̤̂̈́͒͗͑̅̾̌͛̈́̽͊͘͘͜H̵̛̛̘̔̌̏͗́̌͗͘͝͝.̷̨̨̛̥̬͉͔͙̼͗̈̏̍̀̎̂̔̍͊͆̾̔͜_

You try to shake the sudden nausea you feel. Yes, the Tower of Amaranth.

If you gazed upon it? Only two things could happen.

You would either disappear completely, or...

"You become as Vehk, and Vehk." The man, and the woman. Vivec.

The warrior poet.

CHIM was somewhere there.

Not in selflessness but in selfishness.

"Does it have ties to the Grey Fees?" You ask your black sword.

"Yes, most likely. That state of lucid dreaming. Just as you are living in your dream right now. However, you have practically no control over it." Alnaar reminisces. He remembers when he was the black swords of the lives that preceded yours. "Those dreams make up reality. Do you understand what a Godhead is?"

"Not really." This was something you have never encountered before. At least that is what you believe.

"In this realm the Godhead is the dreamer. This world is his dream. However, do not mistake the two. The Godhead makes a sacrifice of himself to make this realm. You do the exact opposite, and it is reflected against more than just this realm." Your black sword speaks of what you are. The greatest disaster if left unchecked.

If you were not careful Yggdrasil would be destroyed by your dream.

"Is that why Vivec desires to bring an end to my life?"

"No, he would never do that *again*. He learned the first time. He loves you, Raziel. If he does this it is because he wants to help you." Alnaar seems distracted, and his thoughts seem to be wandering towards different possibilities.

"I can let the matter lay where it is for now. If you are right he will appear before us eventually."

No matter how hard you tried you could not feel Vehk and Vehk in the force. Vivec was hidden someplace beyond your sight.

***​"Wait, my thane!" It was when you were about to leave Dragonsreach with _The 36 Lessons of Vivec_. A nord woman approaches you just as you open the gates. "Balgruuf the Greater has ordered me to serve as your housecarl."

"What is your name?" You turn to face her. Her raven hair, and blue eyes reminding you of another.

"Lydia, at your service." Lydia gives you a courteous nod.

You raise a brow at her. The way she carried herself was familiar.

"Who taught you?" Yes, of course she would. Irileth wouldn't allow just anyone to be your housecarl.

"I think you know the answer to that already." Lydia gives you a strange look. Yes, she was a Morag Tong alright.

"You're a student of Irileth's of course." You scrunch your nose in distaste. You did not need _protection_. "Go to your mistress, and tell her I have a surprise for her later."

Oh, you would hear her scream your name tonight. Provided that Shalil was not in hearing distance. Now how could you distract the dunmer girl? Maybe you could send her over to that boy Lars Battle-Born. Shalil had grown to like him.

"I am afraid I can't do that. Irileth would probably have my head." Lydia is blunt. Irileth could be an intimidating woman.

"Very well." You grab your keys, and toss them to Lydia. "Watch over Breezehome. I have kept some delicate artifacts there." They were things that you had "borrowed" from M'aiq the Liar.

You would return them eventually.

***​"This one can't find his skooma." M'aiq the Liar was training with the wrinkly old men of High Hrothgar. So far, he hasn't fought a single dragon. It was boring. "M'aiq wishes to know when he gets to kill the giant lizards!"​
"In due time, dragon born." Argenir gives him a courteous nod. In truth he hopes the dovahkiin would use his thu'um for the sake of worshiping Kynareth. It wasn't meant to be a weapon. It was a tool for something greater.

"Yes, yes, yes! You have told me this before." The khajit is frustrated. Surely, there must be a faster way? "I wish to fight dragons! That is the point of being this dragon born, yes?"

"Hey, yeah you." A Grey Beard unlike the rest gestures to the khajit. He was wearing different robes than the others. They were a deep, and unnatural ebony. "I hear you like to hurt things. Just how badly do you want to fight dragons?"

"This one dreams of it every night!" M'aiq the Lair could already feel the soul of the dragon within him. It desired to do battle, and devour the children of Akatosh. Yes, it wants to _cannibalize _those that would be his brothers and sisters.

"Oh, I like those feelings. You should hold onto them. They would make you strong! You see that _passion _can help you break your chains..."





***​You try to ignore the disturbance in the force you just felt. No, it was probably just nothing. You make your way to Breezehome, and lock the door behind you. You need to read over the lessons, and see if you missed anything. There were so many metaphors, and figures of speech it was hard to figure out what exactly the intent behind the writing even was.

You wonder if those delicate artifacts you borrowed from M'aiq the Liar would help.

"Oh please, you know the real reason you stole his skooma is because you haven't gotten that blazed since you were the white wolf!" You hush your black sword, and open a bottle of skooma. You need your medicinal drinks to help you focus.

Ah yeah, that's right. Now let everything go into plaid.



[] You allow yourself to become as blazed as humanly possible. You dream of Hortator.
[] You allow yourself to become as blazed as humanly possible. You dream of Ayem.
[] You allow yourself to become as blazed as humanly possible. You dream of Sehti.
[] You allow yourself to become as blazed as humanly possible. You dream of Vehk.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 21, 2018)

[x] You allow yourself to become as blazed as humanly possible. You dream of Sehti.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 21, 2018)

[x] You allow yourself to become as blazed as humanly possible. You dream of Hortator.


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 21, 2018)

[X] You allow yourself to become as blazed as humanly possible. You dream of Sehti.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Clockwork City (Jul 22, 2018)

You are thrust into the whirlpool again. Your skin, and your muscles burn as the waters tear your flesh from your body. It was fire unlike any other.

It was threatening to steal away your sanity. You lose sight of yourself.

You are on the moonbeam roads.

Those bridges forged of desire, and dream.

The past, the present, and the future were meaningless. They were a fabrication.

A lie mortals told themselves. In order to retain any semblance of reason.

That is when you hit the ground. Your sight becomes clear again.

You were Raziel of Nosgoth once more. Where were you?

"You should have been more careful." Alnaar scolds you. "You were driven from you body, and now your soul wanders this place." The black sword surveys his surroundings.

A mechanistic workshop. A mechanical city.

"It looks dwemer." The gears, and the pipes. The steam powered machines.

"It seems that way doesn't it?" Alnaar is hiding something again.

You feel yourself being drawn deeper inside. You make your way past turning gears, and wheels. You ignore the steam, and comes across a door. You try to find a switch, or a lever. There is nothing.

You frown, and with a wave of your hand the doors are forced open.

You make your way inside. That is when the presence grows stronger.

_"_Greetings, I am Aios. Please be advised: the sacred Cogitum Centralis is currently sealed._" _You see a ghostly figure. No, it was a _hologram_. Strange, you did not expect to find technology this advanced in this realm. _"_I kindly encourage you to exit the Cogitum immediately. Thank you for your compliance."

"I am afraid I can't do that." You answer this Aios. It was obviously an artificial intelligence. "What are you, and what is this place?"

"I am Aios, the Automata Incarnum Overseer System. Master Sil created me to maintain and supervise the substrata operations of Clockwork City. This partition can provide answers to class-seven queries only. Thank you for your understanding." This machine gives you more to ponder on.

The Clockwork City? Class-seven queries? More importantly, that creator she mentions. The name was familiar to you.

"Do you mean Sotha Sil?"

"Yes, Sotha Sil created me."

"Where is Sotha Sil, right now?" What a surprise. This might help you find the warrior poet. If Sotha Sil was alive then there might be a chance you could speak with him.

"Sotha Sil died in 3E 427. He was in the process of uploading his consciousness into the Clockwork City when Almalexia disturbed his corpse." Well, there goes that lead. Another waste of time.

"Then there is nothing here that you can tell me--"

"Does the Nerevarine wish to speak with Sotha Sil?"

Your eyes narrow, and you give Aios a suspicious look. "What do you mean? I thought you said he was dead." You ignore the fact that Aios somehow knew who you were once were. If you had to guess Sotha Sil probably knew about the Nerevarine.

"Affirmative. However, Sotha Sil succeeded in uploading 76% of his consciousness into the Clockwork City before Almalexia disturbed his corpse." Aios flickers in, and out of existence. The Clockwork City wasn't exactly in the best condition as it was. "If the Nerevarine wishes to speak with creator Sotha Sil it is possible. Requesting permission to access data banks?"

"Yes, permission granted." You frown, and wonder what exactly was going on. Why would Aios be asking for your permission? It was not like you held any authority over this Clockwork City. Yet, Aios was acting as if you had direct access to whatever systems within it.

Aios disappears, and the artificial intelligence is replaced by a dunmer. A face you have seen before. You notice that parts of his body were mechanical. Does that mean he had cybernetics before he died?

"So, you have arrived. I have been waiting for you." Sotha Sil looks at you strangely. As if he was looking at a friend. No, not just a friend. A student.

"You knew that I was going to come here?" You wonder who else has seen you in their futures.

"Yes, it was part of the reason I was uploading my mind into the Clockwork City. I knew that with my connection to the Heart of Lorkhan severed I did not have long to live." Sotha Sil tilts his head to the side. "You look the same as I remember you."

"I was supposed to be a chimer the last I checked." No, it was more accurate to say Indoril Nerevar was supposed to be a chimer.

"You already know how fragile the time can be. When the Eternal Champion, and the Nerevarine became the Two in One... you became a part of each other. You are him. He is you. In doing so a dragon break occurred. Your white hair, and your red eyes? Your ivory skin, and your nedic physiology? I do not remember another Indoril Nerevar." If there was another Indoril Nerevar he was gone. You took his place. When you bore his mantle, and absorbed his aspect.

You can only imagine how greatly you eschewed history by doing that. A nede is the hero of the dunmer now? You weren't even an elf. Didn't anyone find it strange?

"If that is the case then you already know what I am here for. Where is Vehk, and Vehk? Where is Vivec, the warrior poet? He has been involving himself in my affairs, and I would know why." You fold your arms over your chest, and glare at the hologram.

"You know the answer as to why. Did I not teach you, Indoril Nerevar?" Sotha Sil looks bemused. You snort, and then give him a sharp look.

"Then it is about his infatuation with Indoril Nerevar?" You distant yourself from him. You were Raziel of Nosgoth before you were anyone else.

"Yes, and no. Vivec knows as I do that you are only one who can stop what is coming." Sotha Sil does not bother to be specific.

"What exactly is coming?" You clench your hands into fists, and begin to feel that nausea again.

"The Brass Tower." You knew immediately that he wasn't referring to the Tower of Amaranth.

"You speak of the Numidium?" You chuckle, and allow yourself some measure of mirth. That was impossible. "It is gone."

"What was destroyed can be built again." Sotha Sil avoids the answering the question again. You loathe cryptics.

"You mean like Dagoth Ur, and his Akulakhan?" You stopped you former comrade, and displaced the Heart of Lorkhan. There was nothing anyone could use as another power-source. "I banished the Heart of Lorkhan. There is no other way to bring life to such an abomination."

"Do not be so sure of that." Sotha Sil shakes his head. "There are ways that it can be done, and the reason is before your eyes. You just don't understand it."

"Alduin the World Eater is the problem! If I do not stop him he would destroy this kalpa!" You had more pressing matters to deal with. You did not know if there was any truth in what Sotha Sil speaks of.

"Yes, he is a problem but do not be distracted by him. There are others behind the scenes, and they are closely approaching their goals." You grind your teeth, and glare at your murderer.

"Why should I trust you? When I was Indoril Nerevar the tribunal betrayed me, and butchered me without any remorse. My own wife severed my feet, and you ripped my face away from my head as Vivec stabbed me in the back with Muatra!" The hatred you felt was genuine. You made them promise not to abuse Kagrenac's Tools. However, instead of upholding their vow they took your life from you and became these living gods.

"I regret many things in my life, Indoril Nerevar. That was the biggest mistake I ever made but it was inevitable." Sotha Sil seems distraught upon seeing your fury. "I shouldn't have done it but I won't apologize for it. There is nothing that I can do to give back what I stole from you."

Your fingers crackle with electricity, and you fire lightning at the hologram only for it to pass through it. It destroys gears, and pipes behind Sotha Sil.

"I am already dead, Nerevarine."

"I am tempted to find a way to bring you back just so I can strangle you to death with my own hands!"

You sigh, and take a deep breath. "It was a long time ago but I suppose you are right. When I am involved it is _inevitable_. I am always bound to be betrayed. I have not forgotten Kain. He did the same as you." It goes unspoken but it is clear. Kain would suffer for what he did to you.

He would not escape your wrath like Sotha Sil did.

At least Almalexia died by your hands. Now only Vivec remains.

"Do not let your hatred be the chain that binds you. If you do, and you succeed in your revenge? There are many who would suffer for it! Vivec can help you--"

"I do not care!"

You would destroy them. Alduin the World Eater. Vivec, the warrior poet. And yes, this Brass Tower. This Numidium. You would not compromise yourself. You would not forgive them.

You are Raziel of Nosgoth, and your revenge would be horrifying to behold.

Sotha Sil is strangely quiet. He looks sadly at you.

"So, this is what we made you into..." Now more than ever Sotha Sil feels the weight of centuries. He could not escape his sins. "What have we wrought?"

"I remember now! You were always fatalistic! You believed nothing was within your control! That everything you did was already meant to happen! That it was your _nature _to be as you were! Just like Almalexia was a deceitful sow! You, my teacher, betrayed me because you felt you had no control over your life!" Your thu'um echoes across the Clockwork City, and brings with it your fury. "You were so sure that *certainty *dictated your actions! That you were locked in time! It meant more to you than anything else in the world!"

The worst part was that Sotha Sil wasn't entirely wrong. There was fate once. It controlled, and dictated every aspect of life. It brought order, and repetition. That _draconian _regulation was unnatural. No life should be so bereft of the unpredictable.

Then you destroyed it because more than anything else you sought freedom.

Sotha Sil accepted his chains. You broke yours.

"Do not speak to me as if I am the problem! You are the oath breaker!" You turn around, and begin to leave.

"Do not forget that there are more than just the Eight Divines, and that there is another!" Sotha Sil begins to disappear with those parting words. "Do not forget what Talos Stormcrown used to be, and what he is now!"

"Wait, brother! We need to learn more!" Alnaar tries to stop you. The black sword was right but you were not in the mood.

"I have heard enough!" It is not Alnaar who opens the way to the moonbeam roads this time. You were growing more powerful.

The ever distant city did not seem as far away now.

[] The Glenmoril Witches await you. You best collect their heads.
[] You could feel the pieces of Wuuthrad. They were lost but brought together in a single place. The Silver Hand? So, they were the ones who had them.
[] You heard about the beast blood. Perhaps Aela the Huntress can grant you this gift, or curse as it were.
[] You decide to visit Solitude, and report that you have slain the Dark Brotherhood to the Imperial Legion. General Tullius would be there by now. Perhaps you could tell him, and he could give you more information about Alduin the World Eater.
[] Sotha Sil's parting words have an impact on you. What does the Numidium have to do with Talos Stormcrown? What connection does he have to the Heart of Lorkhan? Who exactly would want to create another Numidium?
[] You venture towards Riften. You hear rumors of the Thieves Guild. Perhaps you can alleviate some of your outrage by dismantling their faction? You were bored, and you despised thieves.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 22, 2018)

[X] You venture towards Riften. You hear rumors of the Thieves Guild. Perhaps you can alleviate some of your outrage by dismantling their faction? You were bored, and you despised thieves.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 22, 2018)

[x] You decide to visit Solitude, and report that you have slain the Dark Brotherhood to the Imperial Legion. General Tullius would be there by now. Perhaps you could tell him, and he could give you more information about Alduin the World Eater.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 22, 2018)

[x] Sotha Sil's parting words have an impact on you. What does the Numidium have to do with Talos Stormcrown? What connection does he have to the Heart of Lorkhan? Who exactly would want to create another Numidium?


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## Atem (Jul 22, 2018)

Anyone up for a tie-breaker?


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 22, 2018)

[x] You decide to visit Solitude, and report that you have slain the Dark Brotherhood to the Imperial Legion. General Tullius would be there by now. Perhaps you could tell him, and he could give you more information about Alduin the World Eater.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A Wrench in the Works (Jul 23, 2018)

You could do nothing. Yes, you could let this execution proceed as it was meant to.

However, when you search through Roggvir's thoughts you can only see someone who would have had the chance of being part of your clan. Provided that his sense of duty, and honor would serve you.

"There was no murder! Ulfric challenged Torygg. He beat the High King in fair combat." You can hear Roggvir's words, and while you cannot save you particularly like Ulfric Stormcloak you can respect that dedication.

You are just another face in the crowd. Just another spectator.

"Brother, this is none of your business--" Alnaar tries to stop you.

You jump dozens of feet into the air, and land in front of Roggvir. You catch the axe in your hand as it was but inches away from his neck.

You allow electricity to crackle across your fingers, and through the axe. The executioner shakes, and begins to scream. You pour more of the force through the weapon and executioner begins to bloat. It was with a sickening noise that he bursts open.

His viscera splashes against the spectators, and one of his eyes flies into the mouth of one spectator who gags as he swallows it. You see intestines, and organs strewn across the chopping block.

Roggvir looks at you in shock.

Captain Aldis. The one preceding over the execution tries to draw his sword but he finds that he can't. It is stuck in its scabbard. There was _something _keeping the sword in place.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, captain." You wear a mischievous smirk. "Well, unless the Imperial Legion's mages can reattach severed limbs." You glare at the soldier. "I am _curious _about what they can do."

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Captain Aldis did not want to see Roggvir die. However, this had to happen. He helped that murderer escape justice. They had to set an example.

"I am Raziel of Nosgoth, and I wish to see General Tullius. I come bearing gifts." You snap your fingers, and suddenly the corpses of the Dark Brotherhood drop from the sky.

You have gotten the hang of fold space. The technique was safe to use now.

"Ysmir's beard!" Captain Aldis covers his face in an attempt to ward away the stench of rotting corpses. It was a potent aroma.

"You see, I have brought an end to the Dark Brotherhood." The blood that had splashed against your face, and your maniac grin would give everyone there nightmares. "Now what do you say?"

It was at this point that many of the spectators have fainted in fright. The rest have made the decision to run away with what dignity they have left.

***​General Tullius was livid.

"What in Oblivion made you think that was a good idea!" The paperwork he would have to deal with now would take him days to finish.

You lean back in your chair, and place your legs atop the general's desk.

"Why I thought you would appreciate the present I brought you. The Dark Brotherhood is no more." You tilt your head to the side. You washed your face, and you almost looked presentable now.

"You couldn't have told me in private, and not in the middle of an execution!" He roars back at you. You could feel the spittle.

"Oh, that? Well, I felt like interrupting it. It didn't sit right with me. Just murdering a man like that in cold blood because he opened a door." You say that without a single trace of irony.

"This coming from the psychopath who did just that!"

"I was defending myself! What is wrong with that?"

You loved self defense.

"You were defending Roggvir!"

"No, I happened to be right next to Roggvir as the executioner missed! He was trying to murder me! I felt threatened! I had to defend myself!" You frown, and feel indignant. Honestly, people these days. "I am the victim here! Where are my reparations for the trauma this caused me?"

"Oh, what a load of horseshit!" The general slams his fists against his desk, and gets up from his chair. "Don't play innocent here!"

"I am innocent!" You wear a cheeky grin. You can hear Alnaar's laughter in the back of your mind.

General Tullius almost rips out what was left of his hair. "Alright! Fine! It was self defense! Have it your way!" At least he could explain that better to his superiors. "Now why are you _really _here?"

"Well, besides the fact I slaughtered the Dark Brotherhood and came here to collect the bounty that was on their heads--"

"Which you will not be getting! Those septims will be given to the widow of the executioner you just decided to brutally murder!"

He was married? Oh well.

"Alright, I get it. I made a scene." You wave your hand, and nonchalantly dismiss your theatrical entrance. "You are right. Those septims should go to the widow."

General Tullius glares at you before grumbling about something involving knives and poison. You ignore his idle threats.

"Anyway, after I left Whiterun I went to the Grey Beards. They taught me how to use the thu'um, and gave me vital information about the black dragon. Apparently, the beast is Alduin the World Eater." You decide that now was as good a time as any. General Tullius needed to know.

"That explains why I couldn't find you. You were supposed to come with me to Solitude."

"Oh please, it is not like you can force me to go anywhere I don't want to."

The general scrunches his nose, and gives you a positively scathing look of disgust.

"Just because you saved my life, and the lives of my men does not mean you can do whatever you want."

"Of course not. It is the fact that besides a handful of people no one in Skyrim can actually stand a chance against me. You could have your entire army breathing down my neck, and I could reduce them to subatomic particles before they could even blink. That is *why *I can do whatever I want." Now that was no idle threat. There were so many ways you could wipe Solitude from Skyrim's map, and bring death to everyone in it.

However, you are no Sith Lord. You are a Je'daii Master. General Tullius begins to understand who exactly he is speaking to.

"You wouldn't do that." The general sounds unsure, and maybe even afraid.

"No, I would not. You should thank whatever gods you believe in that I am not that sort of person." Your red eyes glow menacingly. "However, with the right _motivation _I can be."

"We have received reports that the black dragon is somewhere around Kynesgrove. Besides that, it has been seen around burial mounds." General Tullius sits back down, and ignores the suffocating miasma that was there but moments before.

"Thank you." That would be useful. You could start looking around there for any traces of the black dragon. "That helps me more than you know." Something was obscuring your vision. It was probably Alduin the World Eater. If not the beast? Then Vivec was behind it.

***​"Are you sure this is alright?" Roggvir did not know you. He had no reason to trust you.

"It is fine, Roggvir. After I am done you are free to join Ulfric Stormcloak." You grab the prisoner, and he disappears. He would be safe in Windhelm.

Now what else did Solitude have that you needed? You could feel something strange in the air. A presence not unlike Alduin the World Eater, and in certain ways greater than him.

Perhaps it was who you were looking for.

"No, brother. That is definitely not Vivec." Alnaar would know immediately. "It is like a strange itch in your mind. A parasite eating away at it."

That is when a beggar approaches you.

"You! You'll help me! You help people, right? That's what you do?" The beggar was strange. His eyes in particular. They were like a pair of black holes staring right into your soul.

You were not sure if you should pay him any mind or not. He could just be a mad man.

[] You decide to listen to what this beggar has to say. He seems to be in great need of something.
[] You decide to investigate the Thalmor that are patrolling around Solitude. There is something about them you don't trust. They were planning something. You just don't know what.
[] You decide to visit _The Winking Skeever_. It was both a tavern, and an inn. You could eat, and drink. However, that is not what interested you. You feel a strange presence there. A person not of this sphere. You see flashes of ashen hair, and green eyes. A lady of the worlds.
[] You decide to investigate Kynesgrove. If you find Alduin the World Eater? Then you can finally put an end to this farce. Your rematch is at hand, and this time you are ready.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 23, 2018)

[X] You decide to listen to what this beggar has to say. He seems to be in great need of something.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 23, 2018)

[x] You decide to listen to what this beggar has to say. He seems to be in great need of something.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords -  Dreaming of Distant Stars (Jul 23, 2018)

Dervenin.

That is what the beggar called himself. He seemed a bosmer. There was something fundamentally wrong about him. He was not part of the force. No, he _belonged _to another. In body, mind, and soul he was enveloped completely in the *random*. The distraught. The demented.

The mad.

"My master has abandoned me! Abandoned his people. And nothing I say can change his mind. Now he refuses to even see me. He says I interrupt his vacation! It's been so many years... won't you please help?" Dervenin is desperate. You could hear it in his voice. There was a tingling sensation crawling down your spine. An instinct ingrained into your soul when you walked as Indoril Nerevar among the chimer. Then again, as the Nerevarine when you walked among the dunmer.

"Where is this master you speak of?" You give the stranger a curious look. You were not sure how sane he was. "Where can I find him?"

"Last I saw him, he was visiting a friend in the Blue Palace. But no one as mundane as the Jarl. No, no... such people are below him. No, he went into the forbidden wing of the palace, to speak with an old friend. He said it had been ages since they had last had tea." Dervenin almost seems confused for a second. Then he remembers what he forgot. "Oh and you'll need the hip bone... it's very important. No entering Pelagius' Wing without that."

The bosmer hands you the hip bone, and you give him another strange look. Why would you even need this?

"What is your master's name?" You had to know. You could not simply do this without any information. It could be a trap. You could be walking into a den of wolves.

"He is a great man, but one rarely praised! He rules twin empires that span the length and breadth of our minds! All know him, but few can name him!" Dervenin begins to struggle with his next words. "He has forbidden me from saying his name. He says it distracts him, and woe to those who draw his ire. You will know him when you see him. He's the one who made me like this!" It seems _something _has control over him.

"Curious." You murmur, and now more than ever you wish to see this master.

"This may not be a good idea, brother." Alnaar speaks his mind, and you could feel his concern.

"I know but it can be a learning experience!" You wear a wry smirk. "If it is a trap I will know more about those who hunt the Unslaad Kaal." You couldn't help your hunger for knowledge.

***​"No one is allowed in the Blue Palace at this time--"

You wave your hand in front of the guard's face.

"I am allowed into the Blue Palace any time that I desire. Elisif the Fair has need of me." You distort the man's thoughts with the force.

"You are allowed into the Blue Palace any time that you desire. Elisif the Fair has need of you." The guard seems confused for a few seconds before shaking his head. "You may enter. The jarl wishes to see you."

Oh, you had to thank Obiwan Kenobi for teaching you that trick.

When you enter the Blue Palace you could already notice the distant aroma in the air. There were fragrances, colognes, and incense that gave it a pleasant scent. It was not like in other castles you have been to. These people were wealthy. They were aristocrats.

They were nobles, and blue bloods.

You see the door to Pelagius' Wing. You decide that can wait.

You want to see Elisif the Fair first.

You make your way up the stairs, and see the throne. Elisif the Fair is there. You approach her. You could see her attendants. Her housecarls, and her thanes--

"Do you feel that, brother?"

"Yes, I am surprised that Elisif the Fair is reckless enough to allow a vampire into her home." You approach the robed woman, and that's when you notice her eyes. Yes, she was no mortal.

"Who are you to the jarl, mistress of the night?" You do not hesitate for even a second. "You must have done something to earn her trust."

The vampire recognizes you.

"Oh, if isn't the one who murdered Ahtar. You know he has a wife?"

You shrug. It doesn't bother you in the least. You did what you had to in order to save Roggvir. You would do it again.

"Yes, so do many of the men and woman I kill. I do not have the luxury of sympathizing with my victims." You wear a predatory smile. "However, I wonder how many men and woman in the prison have met their untimely demise when meeting you for the first time. You must get _hungry _every so often." If it wasn't clear before it is now.

"I have a name. It is Sybille Stentor." The breton woman folds her arms over her chest. "A woman has needs. I take what I can."

"Yes, you most certainly do." You undress her with your eyes. "I wonder what would happen if I decided to share this with the people of Solitude? Elisif the Fair who cavorts with the undead."

"I have been the court wizard for much longer than that. I can assure you." The vampire is not fazed. How many centuries has she seen? "I remember when I nursed Torygg as a boy, how he suckled at my breasts when his mother was busy engaging in adultery with every thane in Solitude, and how he grew into such a fine king despite that. Istlod would be proud." There is something wistful in her eyes. A primal lust, and love. You knew already that her relationship with the deceased monarch was a strange one. "I would have Ulfric Stormcloak at my mercy, and flayed alive if I could."

Elisif the Fair was not the only one who shared the bed of the king.

"Is that what it was, or did you raise him to be your thrall?"

"No, never. He was mine but he was not mine to control."

A pet vampire? You wish you could meet this Torygg now.

If he could inspire such loyalty in the sort of monster you used to be.

"What of Elisif the Fair? Did she know her husband was breaking the sanctity of their marriage?" Your curiosity begins to grow. Just what exactly was the relationship between them?

"Elisif may seem _innocent _but she is far from it. I have lost count how many times she has put me in chains, and ravished me when the mood came to her. The jarl knows how to use her tongue. It is always the shy ones." The vampire snorts, and speaks of such infidelities as one does the weather. "Trust me, Elisif knew. She even enjoyed watching us and she did a lot more than just that. Elisif partakes in both men and women... whether they accept her advances or not."

You raise your brow in surprise. You did not think the jarl was a nymphomaniac.

"That would cause quite the scandal."

"Yes, it would. I suggest you keep it to yourself."

You decide you have spent enough time with the court.

It was time to see Dervenin's master.

***​The door was locked but that did not stop you. You break it down with a kick, and you find yourself pushing your way through cobwebs. This part of the castle hasn't been attended to in decades.

That is when you start to feel it. A strange drowsiness as you make your way deeper into Pelagius' Wing.

That is when the darkness takes you. It lasts for several moments before you open your eyes again.

You see fog, and you are outside again. The Blue Palace was nowhere to be seen, and a forest has replaced it.

"I knew this was a bad idea." Your black sword sounds sour.

"Oh, do not worry. I am sure it is nothing." You start to travel the woods. You come across a dinner table. That is when you see them. A man dressed strangely, and sitting on a throne. His white hair, and his white eyes sticking out like a sore thumb. He was talking to another man sitting across from him. He was blonde, wearing formal wear, and was practically oozing with depression.

"More tea, Pelly my dear?"

"Oh, I couldn't. Goes right through me. Besides, I have so many things to do... So many undesirables to contend with. Naysayers. Buffoons. Detractors. Why, my headsman hasn't slept in three days!"

"You are far too hard on yourself, my dear, sweet, homicidally insane Pelagius. What would the people do without you? Dance? Sing? Smile? Grow old? You are the best Septim that's ever ruled. Well, except for that Martin fellow, but he turned into a dragon god and that's hardly sporting... You know, I was there for that whole sordid affair. Marvelous time! Butterflies, blood, a Fox, a severed head... Oh, and the cheese! To die for."

"Yes, yes, as you've said, countless times before..."

"Hafrumph! Well then, if you're going to be like that... Perhaps it's best if I take my leave. A good day to you sir. I said good day!"

"Yes, yes, go. Leave me to my ceaseless responsibilities and burdens..."

It is as you approach that the blonde haired man disappears before your eyes. That was strange it sounded like the other man was going to leave.

"Ah yes, excuse me but you wouldn't happen to be Dervenin's master would you?" You take a seat where Pelagius was sitting before.

"Dervenin? Oh, that bosmer fellow. Yes, I know him! He really needs to work on his etiquette. He is always just walking up to people, and asking them for favors! Oh, Sheogorath please don't pluck out my eyes! Sheogorath I need my legs! Sheogorath I have eaten nothing but cheese for years can I have something else instead? Oh, the complaints. Wonderful person! He needs to learn how to levitate like a normal person though. You see, walking is for people who need stairs!"

"Yes..." You eye the man strangely. You question if he was ever sane to begin with. "He said that you need to return home. Your people need you."

"There he goes again! He certainly enjoys complaining. What is it this time? Did Haskell end up making a mess of things again? The last time I left him in charge Nocturnal decided to make herself at home in the Shivering Isles. Getting her out wasn't easy. All those poor mudcrabs. They will never see their parents again!" Sheogorath... now where did you hear that name before?

"Sheogorath is the Daedric Prince of Madness. You have gotten yourself in trouble now." Alnaar grumbles. "Whatever you do? Do not accept anything that he gives you."

"Wait a second! I remember now. I _know _you. Oh, it has been ages!" Sheogorath disappears, and reappears right next to you. He lifts you up, and hugs you. "How have you been? Have you eaten anyone else lately? You know you really should cook them first."

"You know I am on a diet. They would just go right to my thighs!" You decide to play along. "What exactly would it take for you to go back?"

"Well, that is a _strange _question but one I am inclined to answer." Sheogorath smirks, and then he slaps you on the back. "Why exactly brings you here? What do you really want? I have been a part of you for the longest time and I can't even figure it out! You see, I am the shadow in every mind. That voice you hear when no one is looking. I know you intimately. We have been friends ever since we first met!"

You try to ignore the non-sequitur.

"What would you like me to do here?"

"Why you have to find us a way out! That's all."

There was more to it than that. You could feel it.

"I just have to find us a way out?" Your eyes narrow, and that is when you try to look at your surroundings with the force.

You couldn't see anything.

"What have done to me?" You grab the Daedric Prince by his shirt. "Why can't I use the force?"

"Care to take a look around? This is not, I dare say, the Solitude botanical gardens. Have you any idea where you are? Where you truly are? Welcome to the deceptively verdant mind of Emperor Pelagius III. That's right! You're in the head of a dead, homicidally insane monarch. Now, I know what you're thinking. Can I still rely on my black sword, and the force? Sure, sure. Or... you could use... The Wabbajack! Huh? Huh? Didn't see that coming, did you?" Sheogorath snaps his fingers, and a strange staff suddenly appears in your hands.

"No thank you." You shove the staff back into Sheogorath's hands. "Alnaar is enough."

"I insist!" He gives you the staff again.

"So do I! I appreciate the gesture but I do not need it!"

So, begins the tug of war.

"No really, I don't want it! I have dozens of them!"

"One man's garbage isn't always another man's treasure!"

"Oh, don't be like that! It is a gift!"

"I don't like gifts! I am allergic to presents!"

"There is no such thing as an allergy to presents!"

"Do you want me to die of anaphylactic shock?"

"Yes! I mean... well, yes!"

"You're not convincing me!"

You glare at Sheogorath. The staff was in your hands.

"Now don't be like that." Sheogorath shakes his head. "I am definitely not manipulating you."

"Why did you just wink at me?"

"I am saying that this is not a part of some _mysterious _plan."

"You did it again!"

***​"You've headed down the path of dreams. Unfortunately for you, Pelagius suffered night terrors from a young age. All you need to do is find something to wake our poor Pelagius up. You'll find his terrors easy to repel...but persistent."

You do not bother with the night terrors at all. You approach the bed Pelagius is sleeping in, and with one hand flip it over. You proceed to stomp on the tyrant after he rolls out of his bed.

"Hey, that hurts! That hurts! Ouch, I think you broke one of my ribs! You bastard! I will have your head for this! Guards!"

It is enough to wake him up.

"That wasn't exactly what I _meant _by dealing with his night terrors but that works I suppose." Sheogorath seems bemused more than anything else.

***​"Ah, now this is a sad path. Pelagius hated and feared many things. Assassins, wild dogs, the undead, pumpernickel... But the deepest, keenest hatred was for himself. The attacks he makes on himself can be seen here fully. They are always carried out on the weakest part of his fragile self. The self-loathing enhances Pelagius' anger! Ah, but his confidence will shrink with every hit. You must bring the two into balance."

The moment you seem them both you sprint towards them, jump into the air, and attack them both. You knee Pelagius' anger in the crotch, and backhand Pelagius' confidence.

"You think I care about your feelings?" You punch Pelagius' anger in the kidneys. "I will show you what I think about your feelings!" He hits the ground, and you slam your heel against his head. His skull breaks open, and he dies.

"No, wait! Mommy!" Pelagius confidence begs for mercy as you take him out with a flying kick. Afterwards you pick him up, and force him down against your knee. You break him in half. His viscera soaking your robes.

"You know, I am _beginning _to think you have problems with anger management yourself. Oh well, this works. Now with both of them dead the two are in balance."

***​"Oh, good choice. Well, good for me. I find everyone being out to get you so terribly entertaining. You might find it...less so. You see, Pelagius' mother was...well...let us say "unique." Although, I suppose in the grand scheme of things, she was fairly average for a Septim. That woman wielded fear like a cleaver. Or did she wield a cleaver and make people afraid? I never get that part right... Oh, but she taught her son well. Pelagius learned at a very young age that danger could come from anywhere. At any time. Delivered... by anyone."

When you make your way into the arena. You see atronachs fighting each other down below.

"The objective here is simple! Use your Wabbajack to--"

You jump across the arena, and pounce on Pelagius.

"You thought you could run away?" You beat the tyrant with your fists, and break his nose. "You can't run away from me!" You pick him up by his legs, and swing him against his throne. He hits it so hard that it breaks in half.

You hear his cries of pain.

You kick him one last time for good measure. "I think I am done."

"Well, that's the exact opposite of what I hoped you would have done but it has solved the problem. Pelagius only fears you now."

You wear a sadistic smirk. Yes, you were the only one he needed to fear.

***​"Well, I am disappointed!" Sheogorath folds his arms over his chest. "You solved all of Pelgius' problems but you didn't use the Wabbajack once!"

"I told you that I didn't need it." You scrunch your face, and pick at your fingernails. "You should have listened to me."

"I don't want it back now! You can keep it!" Sheogorath acts like a spurned child.

"Very well." You accept his gift.

"What? Just like that?"

"Yes, why not?"

That's when he realizes it.

"You planned this since the beginning! You wanted the Wabbajack!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"You just winked at me!"

"No I didn't."

Sheogorath bursts into laughter. "You haven't changed at all. You know, just for that I think I will tell you a secret. The ones you are looking for? Well, they are closer than you know."

You tilt your head, and look at him strangely.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that those elves certainly are in for a surprise. They don't even know who is behind it all. They're being used, and I am afraid a friend of mine is doing something he shouldn't!" You see something approaching _reason _in Sheogorath's eyes. He is lucid for once. Perhaps it was a spark of something he once was?

"Who is your friend?"

"I can't say that is one secret I refuse to share."

You are reminded again of what Sotha Sil told you.

"Does it have anything to do with the Numidium?"

There is an ominous silence.

"You will be fine! You are the Eternal Champion!" Sheogorath doesn't sound so sure of himself this time. He didn't know what would happen.

"What exactly is going on?"

"Goodbye, and don't forget! The fish stick is a delicate state of mind!"

You find yourself being enveloped in darkness again.

You open your eyes, and you are back in the Blue Palace.

"What should I do?" You ask your black sword.

"I do not know, brother."

There was a mystery, and one that threatened more than just this kalpa.

[] You decide to investigate the Thalmor that are patrolling around Solitude. There is something about them you don't trust. They were planning something. You just don't know what.
[] You decide to visit _The Winking Skeever_. It was both a tavern, and an inn. You could eat, and drink. However, that is not what interested you. You feel a strange presence there. A person not of this sphere. You see flashes of ashen hair, and green eyes. A lady of the worlds.
[] You decide to investigate Kynesgrove. If you find Alduin the World Eater? Then you can finally put an end to this farce. Your rematch is at hand, and this time you are ready.
[] You decide to collect the pieces of Wuuthrad, and the heads of the Glenmoril Witches. You should give Kodlak Whitemane his cure.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 23, 2018)

[x] You decide to collect the pieces of Wuuthrad, and the heads of the Glenmoril Witches. You should give Kodlak Whitemane his cure.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 23, 2018)

[x] You decide to investigate Kynesgrove. If you find Alduin the World Eater? Then you can finally put an end to this farce. Your rematch is at hand, and this time you are ready.


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 25, 2018)

[X] You decide to collect the pieces of Wuuthrad, and the heads of the Glenmoril Witches. You should give Kodlak Whitemane his cure.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Hunting Grounds (Jul 25, 2018)

You carry the heads of the Glenmoril Witches. They were Hagravens the whole lot of them.

A nuisance at best.

It was the Silver Hand that proved a problem. There were werewolves they had kept trapped, and bound. They unleashed them once you arrived at their fort. You could not reason with the beasts so you brought their lives to a quick end. You could feel it. They were tortured to the point of insanity. They were themselves no longer. Just rabid dogs.

"Who are you? Why are you attacking us--"

You silence the leader of the Silver Hand, and in that same moment point towards him. He is sent flying through the fort, and his bones break. You lift him with the force, and slam him against the ground again. You then send him careening into the air, and onto a bed of spikes.

You approach the chest he was guarding. When you open it you see them.

The pieces of Wuuthrad. You could feel it already.

This weapon hungered for the blood of elves.

"Well, partner. It is about time." Alnaar could not hide it. He was feeling something strange in the horizon. This was easier than it should have been. Why exactly was that?

"A question for another day."

***​"You are back." Aela the Huntress is there to greet you. The lycanthrope was fairing better than before. "Where have you been?"

"I have been doing as Kodlak Whitemane requested." You show her the satchels with the heads of the Glemoril Witches, and another with the pieces of Wuuthrad.

"You have them! I am surprised I did not expect for it to happen so quickly." Aela seems strangely pleased. "We must bring them to the harbinger."

You follow her down to the barracks of Jorrvaskr, and make your way to Kodlak's room. What scrapes, and bruises he had before are gone. Now the aging veteran was as healthy as an ox.

"What brings you here, new blood?" Kodlak Whitemane leans forward expectantly.

"I have what you wanted. The heads of the witches, and the pieces of Wuuthrad." You drop the satchels in front of Kodlak Whitemane, and he inspects them.

"You were fast. I had expected it to take longer than this." The harbinger examines them. He nods his head. "Yes, we have what we need now. Now Eorlund Gray-Mane needs to reforge Wuuthrad. Go to the Skyfroge, and bring the pieces to him."

***​When you make your way up the steps you begin to notice it. There was something otherworldly about this forge. What armors, and weapons forged here are not normal. It could be magic, or maybe something else entirely.

"Ah, Raziel! You are finally here." Eorlund Gray-Mane greets you. "I have your armor. Now try it on."

He hands you a suit of armor. No, that's not quite right. They were armored robes. They were obsidian, and inscribed with runes. You could see your reflection in the chest plate.

"What material did you use?" You haven't seen anything like this.

"That would be ebony." Eorlund Gray-Mane continues to hammer at an anvil. He is working on another sword. "I don't have anymore so make good use of it. That is more than just armor. It is a work of art. It took me a long time to finish it."

Your raise your brow. Ebony was exceedingly rare. At least from what you have heard. Some people say it has connections to the aedra, and daedra.

"I do not know what to say."

"Just put them on."

You remove the robes you got from the Grey Beards, and put on the ebony robes. The armored robes feel like a second skin, and they suit your black sword. It was almost as if they were meant for each other. The chain mail on your arms, and the cauldrons on your shoulders fit you snugly. The robes providing comfort, and ensuring a tight fit. The chest plate was the most impressive. You don't even think that Alnaar could pierce it without some effort on your part. The boots would keep your feet safe from anything whether it was rain, snow, burning coal, or even magma. Considering how much ebony was in their design no enchanted swords or spells were getting through them either.

"Why the robes?"

"A Grey Beard without robes is like a nord without mead."

The blacksmith had you there, and you were a Je'daii Master. You could not think of more appropriate armor.

"Thank you. I owe you a debt." You grab the blacksmith's shoulder, and shake his hand.

"You owe me nothing, whelp. I work for the companions. You are one of them now. Which means that I am going to be taking care of you." He gives you something of a fatherly gesture when he pats you on the back.

"Which reminds me I have the pieces of Wuuthrad. Kodlak Whitemane said you would want them." You hand the blacksmith the satchel.

"Yes, I will start working on them now. Wuuthrad should be done by tonight." Eorlund examines the pieces of Wuuthrad, and gives them a once over. "Oh, and ask your shield-sister to bring you to the Underforge. The Circle is going to be meeting there when I am done."

***​"I want to thank you." Aela the Huntress guides you towards the Underforge. "When you retrieved the pieces of Wuuthrad you avenged Skjor."

The Silver Hand was no more. They were dead by your hands.

"You do not need to thank me. I was going to slaughter them anyway. They were hunting werewolves for sport, and that included the ones that were just trying to live their lives." You remember Esbern Snare. "I knew another werewolf once. He was loyal, and honorable. He was my friend. He died trying to protect me."

You remember how Esbern Snare bared his claws and his fangs against Arioch himself. He could face any of his fears with the courage in his heart, and in the end he won against the Lord of the Seven Darks at the cost of his own life. It was a battle few would ever witness. It was one you would never forget.

You learned that the Lords of the Higher Worlds could be beaten.

"What was his name?"

"Esbern Snare. He was one of the strongest men I knew."

You enter the Underforge. You see Kodlak Whitemane. You see Vilkas, and Farkas. Now it was just Aela the Huntress left to meet with the others.

"Why is he here?" Vilkas is the first one to question why you are here. "Are we inviting whelps into the cabal now?"

"He has proven his worth by slaying the Glenmoril Witches, and the Silver Hand. He has a place here." Kodlak Whitemane is the next one to speak. "If we succeed he may even have a place in the Circle."

"You can't be serious?" Vilkas looks offended. "He hasn't even been here for a season, and you are already thinking of promoting him?"

"The old man is right." Farkas was different. While he may be the brother of Vilkas he was not as high strung as him. "Besides, he is a Grey Beard. He can handle himself."

"I do not have any problems with it, and I have seen what he is capable of." Aela the Huntress decides to come to your defense. "He had me at the edge of his black sword when I tested him, and he could have defeated me if it wasn't for the fact that it wasn't a fight to the death. He did not even have to rely on his voice, or his magic. He is dangerous enough without them."

"I have made up my mind, and since Skjor has passed we need another to take his place. Raziel of Nosgoth will become a member of the Circle, and what happens next will be his initiation. Provided that he survives he will become one of us." Kodlak Whitemane was the harbinger in the end. The others would listen to him.

"If I may speak." You decide now was the time to ask. "What will this initiation entail?"

"We are going to Ysgramor's Tomb. It is there where we shall open the way with Wuuthrad, and then use the heads of the Glenmoril Witches to free us from this curse." Kodlak Whitemane turns to face you. "The spirits of the five-hundred companions are sleeping there, and we must fight them to make our way inside the burial chamber. After that, he we must burn the heads of the witches in the pyre that is there." Kodlak Whiteman frowns, and then struggles to say the next words. "After that, I am not sure. I hope that is all there is to it. There must be a head for every one of us who wishes to break the curse, and since you collected them all there is enough for us all--"

"I won't be needing one." Aela the Huntress interrupts the harbinger. "I do not see it as a curse. I wish to remain as I am. I have told you this already." It was a gift in many ways. She did not have to worry about any disease, or poison. The beast blood makes her stronger and faster even when she doesn't transform into an animal. There were not many who would say no to that.

"Very well, I can't force you." Kodlak Whitemane grimaces. He wishes that he could change her mind but he knows that he can't. "As for the rest of us we seek Sovngarde once we die."

Vilkas and Farkas both nod their heads.

"Where is it Ysgramor's Tomb?"

"Near Winterhold, and on an island northwest of it."

You reach out with the force, and see it. Yes, you could feel the spirits within. They were restless. They were waiting for the harbinger.

"I can bring us there we just need Wuuthrad before I--"

"I have it!" Eorlund Gray-Mane enters the Underforge just at that moment. "It was harder than I thought it would be but it should suffice. Well, so long as you don't use it in a fight."

You could see the battleaxe now, and you could see that he was right. On a mantle, or a statue it would be fine but it wouldn't last long if you started swinging it around. You grab the battleaxe, and then turn towards The Circle.

"Well, now is the time. Are you all ready?"

They nod, and prepare themselves. You snap your fingers, and with a cracking noise you all suddenly disappear.

***​Farkas was vomiting into the bushes nearby. It seems fold space took some getting used to.

"I feel sick." Vilkas speaks next, and he looks a bit under the weather.

Aela the Huntress, and Kodlak Whitemane are not fazed in the slightest. They have felt worse.

You see the entrance to Ysgramor's Tomb. The spirits were waiting.

You are the first to gather you bearings, and enter. The rest of your comrades follow closely behind you.

You see the statue of Ysgramor, and his hands are empty. They were waiting for something.

You take Wuuthrad, and place the battleaxe in Ysgramor's hands. The statue seems to almost clique as you hear the turn of gears, and the unlocking of passages.

You enter the one right behind Ysgramor.

You see skeletons line the walls, and coffins in every room. That is when the spirits start to appear, and attack you. You cut through them as your shield-brothers, and shield-sisters defend your flank. Alnaar bursts into hysterical laughter as you bring these ghosts to rest. You cleave through the ones ahead of you as your comrades defeat the ones behind you. You keep together, and cover each other's blind spots. You circle around, and make your way deeper. The burial chamber was close. You could feel it.

"Are those spiders?" Farkas was shivering. You didn't need the force to know that he was scared.

You grunt, and gather the energy around you. You lift every spider you can find into the air, and crush them with the force. There is a squishing noise as what is left of them splatters against the floor.

"Not anymore." You answer back. Now they were just cadavers.

Farkas exhales. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Just watch my back, and you can call us even."

You finally make it to the burial chamber. You see Ysgramor's sarcophagus ahead of you but before that you saw the pyre. You had arrived.

"Well, I believe you should be the one to do it." You hand the satchel to the harbinger. He nods his head, and approaches the pyre.

When he tosses the heads inside the pyre there is a rumbling in the distance.

"Something is wrong." The harbinger notices it immediately. The blue fires of the pyre begin to grow before going out, and the lights in the burial chamber are extinguished.

That is when everything goes dark, and the shadows devour you.

***​You were falling. You did not know for how long.

It could have been days, months, or even years.

"Wake up!" You hear a voice. "You need to wake up, brother! We are not safe here!" Your black sword brings you back to your senses.

You open your eyes, and you are in a forest. No, this was more than just a forest.

It was another realm.

"These are Hircine's hunting grounds!" Alnaar could recognize them. The memories of another life bombarding him. "We have to escape before--"

"If it isn't the Nerevarine." You hear a voice that seems to come from all of your surroundings. It seems to be coming from everywhere, and nowhere. "It has been such a long time, and you have only returned to take my gift away from the companions?"

"Your gift? It is a curse, and you would have their souls!" You shout back. "You can't play me for a fool. I know what you want."

"You make it sound as if it is so horrible. What is wrong with becoming one of my children?" Hircine appears before you. He takes the shape of a man with the head of goat. No, the _skull _of a goat.

"They are not your children! They are your prey, and your pets!"

"Now don't be so harsh. You were like them once."

Your memories of the Nerevarine begin to assault you. You smirk as you remember one in particular. "It must have _frustrated _you so much when you found out you couldn't have my soul! I got what I wanted, and you got nothing!"

An invisible force sends you flying across the universe, you smash into the barriers between dimensions, and find yourself in another universe in the hunting grounds. You are scraped and bruised but you are not defeated.

"You may have defeated my aspects but you cannot defeat me. No, especially not in one of my realms." Hircine kneels down, and then picks you up by the neck. He was strangling you.

You gather all of the force within yourself, the dark side and light side become as one inside of you, you focus them both, and let it explode outwards.

Hircine laughs in your face. It did not even scratch him.

"You may have become one with the force but I am beyond such things." This is not like fighting Alduin the World Eater. The black dragon was but a fraction of what he could be as the eater of time.

Hircine was at his strongest. This was no aspect.

This was the Father of Man Beasts. The Huntsman of the Princes.

You were going to die. The trap should have been obvious.

Hircine would not let you steal those souls back from him.

There was no future you could see where you did not die. In all of them the force showed you how Hircine would torture, and mutilate you.

There was no hope.

You vision grows dim. The life was leaving your body. It would all be over. Your vengeance would end here.

Vivec would escape your revenge. Kain would escape your justice.

You would die, and Alduin the World Eater would devour Nirn. This was how the story would 
end.


T̵̢̞͇̘͓̅͒̓͂̈́̑̀̐͊̒͐͑̇͘ḧ̶͈̯́̆̍̊̐̆͊̍̅͗̓̕̕͝ė̸̮͔̻̰͓̙̝̟̕͝͝ͅř̸̛̻̝̋̌̅́́̆̊̔̐͗͌̚͝ẽ̵̙͉̙̫͙͍̩̭̯̻̽͌͆͊̾͊̌̓̂̒̍͘͝͠ͅ ̸̢̧̛̛͎̫̫̘̱̘͓͋̐̏̆̃͂̀͌̀̇͝i̴͕̺̤̣̔͊̾̍̆͌͊̄̀̄͐̈́̕͠ṣ̷͎̠̪̬̋̃̎͛̿͒͠ ̸̧̢̝̣̳̺͙̹̈́̆͒a̸̧̤̬̩͓͇̗̻̻̭͈̿͂͐l̷̤̠̙͚̹̜̞̹͗̎̇̈̈́̾ŵ̸̛͖̦͔̣̏̓͛̉͊͘ạ̶̛̛̍͗̉̈̈̏̉̀̍͠y̷̢͚̮͔̻̥̒̕ş̸̛̣̳̬̖̰̦̫̖̘̯̜͉̍̎́́͐͜͠ ̷̢̣̪͍̦͔̹̈́͆͌̃̀ĺ̴̪̻̮̝͍̅͌̊̑̀͗͜ì̸̮̥͙̂̀͋͐̌͌̌̓̃̾̕͠ğ̸̨͎͖̘͎̻̗̲̖̎͜ͅȟ̸̨̛̤̝̳̲͉̮͉͛̀̉t̸̢͕̮͉̖͇̗̐̔̀̎̓̾̎̇̀̚ͅ ̸̢̯̰͖̊̽̐͒̽̈̈́̊̓̇͑̔͑̚ę̷̻̙̱͙͔̞͎͇̲̣͂̌̀̈́͐͘v̵̪̟̄ȅ̶̟̼̻̄͌̌̀̌̍͘ñ̸͔͙̯͈̭͈̯͋͆́͒̈́̽̂́̎̀͐͝ ̵̛͇̰̼͎̒̀̇̈́̈́̒̔͆̌ͅį̷̗̜̘̱̤͇͙̭̰͊̈́̌̓͆͆̀̚͜ͅṋ̸̛̼̩̎̅͗̃͑̉̀̌̈̆͐͜͝ ̸̘̣̥̰̲̩̞̮̪͎͍̙̮̠̂́̀͑̓̈͠͝͠ͅt̷̡͓̤̦̝̺̖̼̩͕͗̈́̃͗͘ͅḩ̴̛̙̙̇̈́́̆͊̃́̐̕ȩ̴̱̠͙͎͚̙̬̦̣̗̭̔̈́̍̉̏̍̕͠ ̶̢̻̼͚̫͍͉̭͔̲̣̼̗̥͑b̵̛̠͋͊́̚l̵̼̗͍͇̖̜̜͇̤̥͈͈͍̼̈́́̿̀̐̋͘͝a̶̛̗̺̭̳̰̳͇̪̓c̵̨̢̺̠͎̱̠̖͙͓̤̭͐̆̆͌͗̒̈́͑͝ḱ̸͇͉̰̘̺̠̞́̃̓̓̐̊̿̈́͗͜e̵̟̘̯̹̱̝̟͙̟̲̮̜̤̣͍͒̋͋̐̐ș̴̼̠̺̩̞̯̜̈́͂̓̇̿̾̎ͅͅt̴͚̘̤̲̦̪̩̲̼͋̀͆̓̈́͗̌̆͘͜ ̸̛̱̠͙̀̀̄̔͛̇̍͊̋̑̂̕ḑ̵̧̣͈̆̈́̃̃̅̆͗͊ȧ̴̧̛̛̩͖͙̠̬̖̬̹̃͆͊̂̑̈́́͠͠ŕ̴̼̹̦̲̲̫̺̭̘͂̇̒̇̀͘̕ͅḵ̷̢͇̬̲̤̗͊̊͒͆̚͜͝n̴̥̣̺̤̥̞͚͕̫͚̭͇̱͍͌͐̅̂́͛̄͝ę̶̡͚̯̞̳̘̝̖̘̠̺͚́̚͜s̵̡̡̩͍̘̩̰̳̪̳͕̩̞͓̑̃̉̓͆̂̉͌̄́́̉̕͜͠͝ş̷̨̦̫͖͚̱͎̞̺̞̆̅̒̔̇̅͌̈́̚ͅͅ.̶͍̟̗̤̪̮͙͆̿̈́̇̈̀̋̚ ̵̨̧̰̘̠̪͖̐̄͌͛́Y̷̨͔̥̬̙̒͛̑̏ơ̶̡̢̫̠̭̹̳̮̬̳̪͓̗̊̎̏̐̋̎̄̇̆͗͘̕͜͜u̷̡̳͎̬͎̒̆̅͗̅̂̇̾̓̎̓̚̚͝ ̵̢̨̠͓͓͕̖͉̜̘͚͓̺̝̿͊̐̑̈́͂̂́̽́̉̾̎t̶̨̡̘̯̙̜̍̀̚͘͝a̴̳͇͒̏̈̿̍͛̕͠ȗ̴̠͇̓̑̒͊͗́̓͛̄̔̚͝g̸̛̱̟͖͖͜h̶̯̲̹͖̖̹͔̤̤̯̥̹̗͊̎̂̉̅́ͅt̷̥̹̮̹̏̓ͅ ̵̢̦̥̰̙̯͎͇̰̘͙̩̺̜̺̿̐͗̆̅̓͊̓̇̓͒̿̚m̵̧̛̙̬̥̭͕̣͚̞͔̆̑͆̉͑̈́̋͗͠ê̵̮̣͇̥̬̣̹͚̬̈́͝͝ ̸͓̞̺̣̲̟̩̗̝̘̦̤͔̯̈́̈́̃̄̐t̶̝̱́̅ḣ̶͔̻̲̦̱͔̻̌͘a̷̛̦̪̝͉̖͍͗͐͜ẗ̶̨̪͍̼̥̺͚͖̠̩̰̝͍͚̻́̃̏̚͝.̸͎̅
̶̢̩͖̤̟̯͍̞͈̘͇̘͙̟͑͜͠͝​You hear a voice. It is like crackling static. Your brain could not understand the words. It was in a language that pierced your soul.


Ĭ̷̟̦͖̱̟̻͈̝̊̏͗̓̀̃̿̎͒̎ ̴̧̛̣̥̦̮̙̜̓̉͑m̴̰͚̰͙̺̎̐̔͗͛͋͛̏̃̐̊͠ͅa̵͈̖̤̝͖̰̰͚͉̠̓͒̀͠d̸͚̩̙̼̳̰͔̼̣̥͊̒͗͘e̷͎̲̙͔͈͎͋̍́͆͒͌̃͑̿͋͠͝ ̸̠͍̮͈͔̣̫̻̹̻̩̫͑̂̈́͗͂̇̐̈̊̿̋̐͂y̶̛͕̳̟̣͍̤͈̘̰͙̰̐̈̃͆̏̓́̂̚̚̕͠͝ơ̷̡͍͚̬͙̯͒̓̐̄̋̈́͘ȕ̴̯̙̻̮͒̎͆͒́͐̊̾̈̽̂͆͝ ̵̭̆̑̀́͂̔̈̈́͆̆ä̸̛̪͖͐̑ ̶̰̀̏͌͘p̵̧̥͉͕̳͖̥̩̲̱̘̜͇͊̚ͅr̴̡̛̩̳̄͋͛̍͠ŏ̷̤̣̦̤̹͉̤̣̰̊̃͆͠m̸̡̗̥͙͚̬̗̹̱̺̫̖̩̳̿̀͊̎̕i̷̡̧̡̥̥͎̭̻̠͍͕͎͑̽̓̀̽́̑́̔̀̌̚͜͠͝͠s̶̢͕̩̩̍̂̈́̿̽͗̆͒̋̊͑̈e̵̫̟͈͇͔͇͌̐͌,̴̡͉̣̺͇͈̯̽̀̈́̔̌̃͑́͘͠ ̸̺̼͔͓̖̾̊̿͆͑̄̾̓͒͌̌̀ȧ̶̛̩͙̓̍͋̒̃̄n̷̯̿̏ḑ̴̩̖̜̼̹̘͇̘̬͈͖̒̔͊̋̏̑͂͐̽̕ ̶̡̣͙̳̥̠̬͈̜͕͓̏͊͆ͅI̵̧̙̺̺̪͓̥̖̙̮̞̞͍̥̊̀̒͒̈́̃̍͗͌̀̑̀̕͜͝͝ ̴͉̼͔̺͍͍̪̽͌̄̊͒͝ͅa̴̯͙̙͈̺̤͚͗m̵͍̪͒͌̀͛̋̄̉͒́ ̴͈̱̣̗͖̹͗̑̑̄͘͝h̶̯̞̺̔̏͆̏̅̿͠ẹ̶̢͇͙͇̖̜͓͖͚̪̞̹͔̦̀̀̈́̂̋̒̑͗̀̀̈́̕͘r̷̜͖̖̭̫͎̐ë̵̢̨̨̛͓̟͕̣͕̹̼̰̟̠͎́͗̓͑̂̈́̔̑̇̂̏̕͠ ̸̨̦͇̦͕̔͌͝ẗ̸̨̛͎̳̫̲̲̟͉̮͉̻͈̱͍́̌̇̀̒̔̃͗͝ọ̴̖̗̀͋̂͆͊̃̋̌̍̿̒͋͝ ̵̛̰͕͈̗̦̼̮̼̻̥̝̦̆̔͛̕ͅk̴̛͓̆̈́̄͂͛̂͛̚̕̕͝ę̵̠̗̱̫̊͊ȩ̴̻͔̖̥̻͖̪̋̇̇̒̔͠p̵̢̛̺̲̫̦̱̰͇̗̆̈͒́̾͛͛͋́̕͠ ̴͇͆̓͛̐͂̂̽̊̃͝ì̶̡̢̫̜̥͇̓̿̉͒t̸̼̜̗͔̥̻̣̟͚̼̻̫͑̓̓͛̊̔̀́͒̎̇̚.̵̨̨̑̅̓̽̔̕​
Those sharp claws. Those ravenous fangs.

His righteous fury, and his steadfast loyalty.

Arioch learned something that day. He learned what it was like to *fear *something.

The wolf who stood beside you. The beast who would sacrifice everything to protect you.

_Your friend._

Hircine doesn't see it coming. When the fist hits him he feels a strange sensation.

A sensation no daedric prince should be able to feel.

If he was mortal he would know what it was. You see, they have a word for it.

Pain.

The daedric prince is launched out of the hunting grounds. He is torn away from his own flesh, and blood. A thousand dimensions break. A thousand universes shatter and burst.

"Who are you--"

Hircine does not get the chance to say his next words. The werewolf crosses an insurmountable distance. What remains of those universes are blown away.

His claws dig into Hircine's stomach, and his fangs tear out his throat.

Hircine grabs at his neck. The wound was not healing.

How?

"What are you?" Hircine begins to choke on his own blood. The wounds in his stomach, and his neck were not closing. This was impossible. A daedric prince could not die!


I̸̙̗̖͔̊̓̀t̶͎͖̲́̑͐̃̐́ ̴̢̡̺̳͗d̵͓͉̲̯̗̺̦̘͍̜̒̊ŏ̴̙̥̖̭̱͉̗̺̺̖̙̩̹̭͙̉e̸̢̥̥̗̬̟̳͉̭͖̜̹̪̱̊͑̾̉̋̊͗͊͒́ş̷̡͓̰̯̠͎̬̫͖͙͓̗̆̌̽̌̌̓̓̕ ̷̧̢͙͕͔̤̰̰̳͉̗́͑̓̆̐̑͜͝ͅņ̷̡̤̾͊̒̇́͆̀̋ǫ̸̛͔͓̳̥̦̹̖̅́̾̿̆́̓̈́͑̇͛̋̏̽t̴̢̞̣̥͉̻̥͓͈̺͒̏͋ ̴̨̨̨̢̠̥̻̮͖̳͓͙̼̆̄͆̊͛̌́̋̈́̐̎͠m̷̛͙̟̲͔̪̜̙̩̽̈́̿̿ͅa̴͍̹̱̭͖̬̱̓ţ̶͔̦͇͙͖̯̝̠̿̇̄͛́̚̕͝t̷̛̝̲͙̜͍̲͚͖͖̲̏̽̈̌̋̅̔͜͝e̵̛͙̥̜͉͉̩̓̒̀̎̽̔̂͘͝r̶͚̅̽̐ ̴̢̨̥͓̝̳̫̬̭̤̼́͊w̵̪͕̪̬͈̭̬̙̮̞̍̎̆̆͗̐̈́̊͑͜͝͠ͅḧ̵̠̖͉́̍͒̓̏͝ạ̷̢̹̪̻͔͎̳̯̲̜̩̥̿ţ̴̛͉̻̝͙͖̟͇͕̞̭͖̞̥͛͋̍̈́̌̑̔̈̄̈͗͠ͅ ̵̼̟̳̗̗͓̤̲̒̇͛̏̾̆͜ỷ̸̛̬̦̦̫̤͛͛̏̓͆͆͒̒̑̓̂͘o̴̢̪̹̬̳̮̘̭̩̣͇̣̱͂͒̈́̌̍͐ͅǘ̸͕̙͙̘́ ̴̩̟̯̺͇͇̜̗̼͍̝̊͛͆̂͆̅̓͆͗̈͗͝͝a̴̧̗͕̜̬̯̼̗̓̃̽͒̕̕͘͜͝ŗ̸̟̯̬̥̝̩̫͖͈̎̊̎̆͒̚̚ę̴͎̫̩͍̱̪̩̭͓͍͔̳́̓̀̈́̉̽͘.̸̧̛̩̗̫̤͇͉̦̰͓̣̭̰̇͝ ̸͖̬̜̦̱̻͈͉̞̦̹̘̫̙̕Y̴̛̹͓̱̳̳̰͚̪̞̗̆̊̾̒́͐̔͛ǫ̸̝͍̳͙̥̟̰̝̣̱͙̰̾͐̿̈́̃͐̿͛̂͜u̸͉͙̦̙̰̙͚͉̿̉̈́́͐͆̀̑ ̵̼̞̙̮̱̠̲͓̯̤̩̼̣͙̼̍̓̏́̎́̿̐̓̿͘ĥ̴̥̙̝̣̘̜͙͈̼̩̃̍̒̎͆̈́̽ͅu̶̗̞̝͉̦̳̗̖̝̯̘͇̥͈̔̓̉͒̽̔̃̽͑͜͝͠r̴̢̪͒͂͗t̷͕͛̽͆̽͗̽͑͑̓̏͐̆̑̚͠ ̶̼̝̱̖̣͖̦̪̥̥̮͆̆̎̏͆͑͋̈́̈́̏̕͝m̷̨̡̟̭͕̫͈͉͋͂̋̌y̷̼͕̦̜̆͛̔̆͛͂̊̀̊̑̉̀͘ ̸̢̢̲̩̣̫̞͊̾͆̈́̈́͘f̴̺̜͇͎͎͗͌̊ͅr̴̢̢̫͎̤̤̺̾̐̃̐̏̈́̃͌̃̕͜͜ͅî̴̡̬̤̺͐́̒͌̄̅̉͘͝ȇ̴͍n̴̢̨̙͍̙̝̹̣͔̪̮̈͜d̸͎̪͕̠̺̽̍̈́̋͂̋̇͋͂͆̀͜.̴̧̥͔̜̩̮̦̠̻̲̹̳͉̹̈́̓̍̃̐͒͂̓͂̃̚͝͠​
Hircine could feel that same crackling static piercing his brain. He couldn't make out the words but he could feel the intent behind them.

This beast meant to take his life.

Hircine pours everything into his next attack. His realms come together, and replace the parts of his body that were missing. There were hundreds of thousands of universes that now made up his manifestation. He grows to sizes that cannot, and must not be measured. He eclipses universes, and becomes a giant.

The werewolf licks its lips, and practically salivates in excitement. This was going to be interesting.

Hircine raises his foot to stomp the werewolf.

"Now die!" The daedric prince brings the weight of countless universes upon the beast. Hircine smirks as he crushes the werewolf beneath his heel. That was one problem taken care of.

That's when his foot begins to move.

Something was lifting it.

"That is impossible!" A werewolf could not be this strong! They drew their strength from him!


Ì̵̬̤͚͙͙̍̃ ̸̩̮͖̮̱̏̌͝d̶̛̛͎̦̍̋́͂͋̆̑͘ǫ̴̬̬͂̿̃̆̄̏͠͝ ̷̹̙̋͛͝n̸̹̗̘̯̜̭̊̓̌̈́̈́̈́̓̿̃͝͠o̴̬͑̔͐̈̓̓̓͝ṭ̷̼̤͖̮̖͈̟̝̀́̌͒̂̓̅͐̾͝ͅ ̴̜̉̊b̶̨̠̟͔͈̺͖̬͇̈́ë̴̺̘̦͖͕̟̘́̄̉́̋͑̾l̸̡̗̘̩̭̭̙̠̞̱̞̝̲͂́̇̌̏͊̌͘͜ͅǫ̴̦̲͔͈̙̐̓͊̑͐͗̈́́̐͂͘̕͠n̵̡̫̤͎̈́̀́͆̎̈́g̸͕̽̽̎̽̆̽͛̿̃̕͠ ̸͎̼̤̘͉͙̄̈́͋͒t̸̨̳͔̬̲́̈́̀̈́̃̍̈́͆͛̃͘͝͝o̷̠̹̒̌̅͆̀͋̈́̈͗̽̐ ̴̹͕̯̣̰̦͙̜̲͈̮̣̋̓̌̌͊̐̈́̐̂̆̈͋̈́̚͝ȧ̵̗̬̪̖͍̠̲̘̳̜̼̮͜ͅ ̷̢̧̘̖͇̮̘͉̫̮̯̪̝͓͒̏͊̍͋̄͌͝f̵̡̢̛̠̮̺̞̭̠͚̩̂̒̍̈́͗͑͋̓̃͝ͅͅa̵̻̺̤̬̹͖͕͔͎̻͔͓̠͊̒͛̀l̷̨̛̙͚̞͙͉͓̩̝̣̞̯̬̻͊͋͒̌̓̌̍̍͝͠s̷͎̺̖̻̥̺̜̳̀̎̓̄̋͑̈́̊͐̕͜͠͝͠ͅë̵̡̛̲͉͓̯̲͐̌̂̈́̋̊̒̑́̓̕͜͜͝ ̶̡̛̞͓̼̗̜͆̎̔̍͌̃͂̅̀̓͐̊̂͝g̶̡̛͒̒̑̾̍̂͊̎̃̔̑̉͝o̸͚̱̫͉͐̿̇͒ḑ̸̛̗̠̭̹͖̜̼̻͈̻̪̬̫̆̓̑̓̾́̐ͅ ̸̡̢̩̣̯͓̤̗̦̣̒̅́̅̓͑͊̎͠͝ļ̴̩͉̻͔̱͔̄̅i̴̡̓̄͐̈́͑͋͐͋̊̈̎̍͋̆͛ḱ̷̼̩̟̼̥͇͎̬͙͖̹̣͔͔͖̈̇́́̑̔̒͛͘̕͠͝e̴̡͓̘̲̩͕̞͇̹͓͙̭͊̅̋̑͘ ̷̞̣̱͔͇̹̄͐̇͐͝ỷ̵̡̩̬͇̺̤̦̔̄̐̈́̈́͐̕͘͜͠ŏ̷͔̮̘͉̤̬͕͈̦͓̳̲ͅu̵̙̿͗̎.̶̧̯͓͎͐͑̋̅̕̚͠ͅ


Hircine expands his senses, and looks down at the werewolf. No, he was not one of his. He belonged to another. Who else would grant someone the beast blood? Perhaps another daedric prince?

Hircine screams as the beast's claws tear through his foot, and sever his toes. It leaps, and pounces into his chest. It pierces through the universes making up his body, and digs its way through.

There was a hole where Hircine's chest was meant to be. His heart was torn to shreds, and his lungs were perforated.

He was dying! He was in own realm, and he was dying!

The beast tears through time, and space before reaching Hircine's face. The daedric prince sees the beast in all of its glory.

​"Esbern Snare." You reach out with the force, and you could not mistake his presence. How was this possible?

"A remnant, perhaps." Alnaar muses. "When a person dies, and does so when expressing a great deal of emotion they leave behind a sort of shade. Whether it is regret, anger, sadness, or in this case... love. It is an echo that remains within Yggdrasil. The last sentiment of the dearly departed. When he desired to protect his friends he left one behind, and in that moment it captured the feelings he bared against Arioch. The hatred he felt towards your patron deity, and the camaraderie he felt for his brother in everything but blood." The black sword goes quiet. He was watching the fight unfold.

You were but a spectator. You could not involve yourself in a fight of this scale.

No, you would need to find Tanelorn before you could fight as Esbern Snare does.

The werewolf rakes his claws across Hircine's throat, and cleaves through the closest thing the daedric prince had to a spine. His head rolls away but his body continues to fight.

That is when Esbern Snare roars, and it shakes the foundations of Oblivion. It is heard across every universe within. The rest of the daedric princes can only observe, and what they see worries them.

There was more to reality than they understood. There were things beyond the Aurbis.

There were dreams besides this one.

Where there was no Tower of Amaranth, or Godhead. Where Anu and Padomay were but stories.

"I beg you!" Hircine is hysterical. The daedra could not die. It was impossible. There was a terror griping his heart. In the first time in his existence he was but a babe. No different than a mortal. "Please stop!"


Ṅ̵̢̮͈͚̹̪̞͉ͅḛ̵̛̥͎̝̞̹̳̊̐́̌͐̏́̋̊̽̓́̂͝v̴̡͔͉͔͍̜̱̫̹̙̜͉̂͋̇̄͜͝ē̶̢̮̙̺̮̋̐̈́̀̈́͐͒͠r̷̢̝̗̪̞̪̜͕̃̿̏̀̕͝ͅ.̴̛̛̻̮̖͙̺͋́̐͊̃͜͝͠


Esbern Snare bites into Hircine, and begins to devour the daedric prince. Hircine screams in agony as he is eaten.

The hunting grounds are gone. Now there is only a void where they once were. Which another daedric prince would claim as their own.

You watch Esbern Snare as he finishes his meal, and after he is done he stands back up and turns his head towards you.

"You really should learn to take better care of yourself, Elric." You hear his words this time. They were not crackling static. You could understand them now.

Your face scrunches in anguish, and feelings that were not your own bombard you. You feel something hot and wet run down your face.

"I was not worth what you sacrificed that day! Why did you do it?"

"You were my friend."

The werewolf starts to disappear before your eyes. He smiles at you, and it radiates a warmth that hurts you more than any sword or spell could.

"Wait, don't go!" You run towards him, and by the time you reach him in the void he slips through your fingers. You fall to your knees, and slam your fist against the ground. "I didn't deserve it!"

How many people died because of you? How many lives have you snatched away? How many sins are crawling on your back? Why did *anyone* care about you?

"Don't be so hard on yourself, brother." The black sword was always there beside you. "You're better than you know." It was your greatest ally, and your greatest enemy.

You feel drowsy, and then you are devoured by the darkness.

You are lost again.

***​"Raziel!" Kodlak Whitemane is the one who is there to meet you when you return. "Wake up!"

You slowly open your eyes, and you find yourself in the burial chamber again. "What happened?"

"You suddenly blacked out on us, and then we felt something strange. A sudden change in us. The gift of beast blood is gone but we don't know why." Aela the Huntress is the one who answers you.

"I think I have an idea." Alnaar murmurs. How could the curse remain with the death of Hircine?

"I will explain at Jorrvaskr." You answer them as Kodlak Whitemane picks you up, and carries you on his shoulder. You were exhausted.

The wheel was turning, and the pieces were coming together.

You could feel it.

[] You decide to investigate the Thalmor that are patrolling around Solitude. There is something about them you don't trust. They were planning something. You just don't know what.
[] You decide to visit _The Winking Skeever_. It was both a tavern, and an inn. You could eat, and drink. However, that is not what interested you. You feel a strange presence there. A person not of this sphere. You see flashes of ashen hair, and green eyes. A lady of the worlds.
[] You decide to investigate Kynesgrove. If you find Alduin the World Eater? Then you can finally put an end to this farce. Your rematch is at hand, and this time you are ready.
[] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 25, 2018)

[X] You decide to investigate the Thalmor that are patrolling around Solitude. There is something about them that you don't trust. They were planning something. You just don't know what.


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## Atem (Jul 25, 2018)

By the way how did people feel about Esbern Snare's fight with Hircine?


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## Crimson Dragoon (Jul 25, 2018)

[X] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.


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## John Wayne (Jul 26, 2018)

[X] You decide to visit _The Winking Skeever_. It was both a tavern, and an inn. You could eat, and drink. However, that is not what interested you. You feel a strange presence there. A person not of this sphere. You see flashes of ashen hair, and green eyes. A lady of the worlds.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A Lady of the Worlds (Jul 26, 2018)

Alnaar dives into the chest of one of the knights. They wore plate armor, and by the designs on them you could tell already that they were not from around here.

When you walked into _The Winking Skeever _you were not expecting such a warm welcome.

What concerned you the most was the fact they did not seek your life. No, they sought another.

They were surrounding a young woman. Her hair was ashen, and her eyes were bright emeralds. You see her ruined sword cut through the knights. Whoever made it knew what they were doing. That's when in a flash of light you see her disappear, and reappear behind another knight before stabbing him from behind.

It was with a cracking noise that you used fold space to situate yourself behind her as you covered her flank. You clash swords with another knight, and his head rolls away as your black sword meets his throat.

"Well, if it isn't a mysterious stranger!" The young woman seems amused as she kicks another knight away, and stabs one of his friends in his neck. He gargles before dropping to the ground. "To whom do I owe the pleasure?"

"Raziel of Nosgoth." You answer her, and it seems to distract her.

"A strange name. I have never heard one like it." The young woman jumps over another knight, and then brings her sword down on his back. It cleaves through his armor. "The name is Cirilla. You can call me--"

"Ciri." You see flashes of memories that are not your own. A girl who everyone wanted. You remember a witch with raven hair who had captivating sapphires for eyes. "We have met before."

Alnaar drinks the blood of these elves. Their souls burning away as his black flames consume them.

"We have?" You could feel Ciri's confusion but it is quick to disappear as she grapples another knight, and throws him over her shoulder.

"Yes." You don't bother to elaborate. Your memories as Geralt of Rivia threatening to consume you. "These aen elle are from Tir ná Lia, and the fact they are chasing after you must mean you are Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon." It was a mouthful. It always was.

"You know a lot." You could hear the suspicion in her voice.

"Vesemir always thought you shirked your studies but you never did." You smirk, and with a wave of your hand you send the rest of the knights flying into the roof. They break the ceiling, and are sent hurdling across Solitude. You turn around, and look at her.

Yes, she hasn't changed at all. How many years has it been since she stopped the White Frost?

Her elder blood was something else.

"So, what have you been doing lately--"

"Answer my questions!"

Zireal is at your throat. You went to all of that trouble to get the sword inscribed with runes, and now it was going to be used against you?

"Why do you know so much about me?" Your daughter glares at you, and that is when you begin to grumble.

"I know so much about you because I raised you, Ciri." You remove your hood, and that is when she drops her sword.

"Geralt?" Ciri backs away in shock, and then almost trips over herself. "I saw you--"

"It happens." You remember now. It was sometime afterwards. You were living with Yennefer in _Corvo Bianco_ when Gaunter O' Dimm decided to pay you a visit. He was sore. You had broken his contract with Olgierd von Everec, and beaten him. So, he decided that fighting you fairly was out of the question. The rules were gone. When Ciri found you in the vineyard? You were missing half your face, and your left arm. You bled out on her shirt, and her sobs were the last thing you heard. "I have a habit of not staying dead."

Ciri rushes forward, and then embraces you. You are shocked for only a few seconds before you return her hug. That is when she starts crying.

"It's alright. I am back."

***​"How is this possible?" That was her first question.

"It seems that between the two of us? I was the one who was _stranger_. I am something called the Unslaad Kaal. It means Eternal Champion. I have always lived everywhere. You see, my soul could not be contained by my physical manifestation. It was dispersed across the past, present, and future. It exists both outside of time, and inside of time. Which means I exist in every reality, and with a different identity in every one. Now I am Raziel of Nosgoth. I was Geralt of Rivia, or rather I am Geralt of Rivia. You see time is non-linear. Those events are happening as we speak."

Ciri tilts her head to the side, and gives you a quizzical look. "How does that even work? If what you say is true how I am here, and how have I already experienced these events?"

"It is because you are mortal, and mortals have a way of navigating through the non-linear. It is how we manage to stay even remotely sane." You grab Alnaar, and place your black sword in front of Ciri. "Go ahead." You nudge the black sword.

"Ah, yes. The name is Alnaar, and I am the black sword. I am the other half of the Eternal Champion, and I have been fighting alongside your father for a long time." He seems strangely polite. It was strange seeing his daughter after everything that happened.

"You have a sword that can talk?" Ciri seems fascinated, and tries to grab your black sword only to recoil. There was something dangerous about it. A sort of aura that wouldn't let her get near it.

"Sorry, it comes with the territory." They were the only ones who could wield the black swords. No one else could. "The black sword is meant for me, and no other."

"Oh, come on! Just let me hold you for a bit?" Ciri leans forward, and gives the black sword her best impression of a mewling kitten.

"I would let you if I could but there are rules even I can't break." You could feel Alnaar's disappointment. He wanted to butcher some aen elle with his daughter. Just a black sword, his daughter, and the corpses they would leave in their wake. It would have been a bonding experience.

"That's how it is." You shrug, and ignore that the rest of the patrons that were looking at you as if you were insane. It wasn't wise to do this in public but you didn't care. You already murdered all of those elves, and destroyed the roof. What's the worst that could happen? "Why are you here?"

Ciri frowns, and avoids eye contact. "After you died I couldn't really stay around. There were memories I wanted to forget. I thought that if I did some traveling they wouldn't bother me anymore. It just made them worse. I kept seeing this place in my dreams, and I decided to come here." Ciri meets your eyes again, and she smiles at you. It hurts you more than anything else. "I never thought I would see you again..."

You really didn't deserve a daughter like her.

"What's your next course of action?"

"I think I will stay."

There was a sinking feeling in your stomach. You knew what she would suggest next.

"You seem to know your way around. Maybe I can help you--"

"No, you need to move on and I am nothing but trouble. You stay with me, and you are going to die."

You wouldn't see your daughter die because of you. No, she had her life to live now.

"I do not understand!" Ciri gets up from her seat, and glares at you. "You're alive after so long, and now you are going to leave me again?"

"I am Raziel of Nosgoth, and I have duties elsewhere. The places they would bring me means that you get hurt or worse if you join me. I won't stand for that. Go back home. Yennefer is probably worried sick--"

"Do you think I would have left if she was alive?"

You clench your fists, and that is when you realize what happened. "What exactly did she do?"

Ciri sits back down, and she is quiet again. "There was a spell. A powerful one. It took her a while to learn it but she did. That is when she found Gaunter O' Dimm. It worked and he died but something went wrong. The price for casting it wasn't something--"

The spell allowed her to defeat Gaunter O' Dimm at the cost of her own life.

"Of course she would!" You slam you fist against the table, and it breaks in half. "That's just like her!"

It was the same story. It always ends with death.

Ciri had no one now.

"Alright, you can go to Whiterun. Breezehome is where I live. Lydia is my housecarl. When you see her give her this." You hand the young woman your keys. "Jorrvaskr is another place you can stay. The companions trust me. I am one of them as far as they are concerned. Just say that you are my daughter, and they will find a bed for you in the barracks."

"It sounds like a plan. However, there is one problem." Ciri frowns, and you get the distinct feeling you won't like what she says next. "Where is Whiterun?"

You could feel the headache again.

What you would do for a bottle of aspirin.

***​"Welcome home." You open the door to Breezehome.  Ciri is close behind you, and you see that Lydia is sitting by the fireplace cooking some sort of beef stew.

"It isn't that shabby. I preferred the vineyard though." Ciri looks around, and then takes notice of your housecarl.

"Now when you say housecarl--"

"Ciri, do you really think that I am that much of a horn dog?"

You give your daughter a dry look. You could already hear what conclusion her thoughts were drifting towards. Girlfriend? Lover? Mistress? Prostitute?

"I do not know. Are you?" Your daughter wears something of a cheeky grin. "She is quite fetching. You wouldn't mind if I had a taste?"

"Young lady, she is my bodyguard. You will do nothing of the sort." You give your daughter a stern look. It seems she inherited some of your less than desirable qualities.

"A chip off the old block. It makes you proud, doesn't it?" Alnaar feigns choked sobs. If he had hands and eyes he would be wiping away crocodile tears with dollar bills.

"You know I can hear the both of you, right?" Lydia frowns as she continues to stir the beef stew.

"You can have the room downstairs. I made another bedroom in there a while back." You lead her to the back of your home. "It's right next to the alchemy table."

"That's nice and everything but I was wondering if I could spend some time with you. Just to see what mess you have gotten yourself into this time."

"No."

Your daughter was as stubborn as you are.

"Oh, come on!"

"You are staying in Whiterun... end of story."

Ciri folds her arms over her chest, and pouts.

"You're not a witcher anymore. You need my help--"

"I do not need your help, and what I am now is a lot more dangerous." You wager that you could beat Gaunter O' Dimm if you ever meet him again. You probably won't if what Yennefer did worked but there was always the chance he could come back.

Ciri refuses to meet your eyes as she looks away from you.

"Promise me?" You had to hear her say it.

"..." Your daughter does not speak.

You grumble, and now you realize she was giving you the "silent" treatment.

"Lydia? My daughter is here to stay for the time being. If she needs anything give it to her. Provided it doesn't involve disrobing. Be wary of her wandering hands."

"As you wish, my thane."

[] You decide to investigate the Thalmor that are patrolling around Solitude. There is something about them you don't trust. They were planning something. You just don't know what.
[] You decide to investigate Kynesgrove. If you find Alduin the World Eater? Then you can finally put an end to this farce. Your rematch is at hand, and this time you are ready.
[] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.
[] You could feel a tremor coming from the College of Winterhold. There was something strange happening there. You could feel an influx of magical energies, and in the force you could sense strange anomalies. What was going on over there?


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 26, 2018)

[x] You could feel a tremor coming from the College of Winterhold. There was something strange happening there. You could feel an influx of magical energies, and in the force you could sense strange anomalies. What was going on over there?

Go here if you don't want the world to be unmade.


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## John Wayne (Jul 26, 2018)

[X] You could feel a tremor coming from the College of Winterhold. There was something strange happening there. You could feel an influx of magical energies, and in the force you could sense strange anomalies. What was going on over there?

Oh yeah this gotta get fixed before the Thalmor ruins everything.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Ruler of the Sea (Jul 26, 2018)

It was absolute anarchy.

You see the corpses of wizards, and witches in the snow. There was hardly anyone left. The city was being overwhelmed. There were creatures from beyond the veil tearing into reality. They were not of the Aurbis.

You unsheathe Alnaar, and charge forward towards the College of Winterhold. The force was showing you different futures. The hundreds of ways this could go wrong, and the only way you could stop this.

You see the shatter point.

You do not bother to help the dying. There was no time to save them.

You run across the bridge to the college, and see the barrier in front of you. You swing Alnaar, and as black flames envelop your brother you cleave through the distortion in front of you.

The mangled remains of students and teachers are what await you. You were not fast enough to save them.

You make your way inside the college as quickly as you can, and that is when you see it.

The Eye of Magnus.

"I do not know who you are but I am almost done! The altmer are about to reclaim their rightful place as the rulers of this universe! You cannot stop me! No one can!" You glimpse into the altmer's mind with the force, and discover his name. Ancano, and he was an agent of the Aldmeri Dominion.

"He meddles with things he does not understand!" Alnaar is indignant. You could feel his blood lust.

You thrust your hand forward, and lightning shoots out of your fingers. It does not even faze Ancano as he draws on the magical energies of the Eye of Magnus.

He smirks, and then he waves his hand. You are sent flying backwards, and you just barely manage to catch your footing. You push forward as he directs his attention towards you, and starts to unleash what magical energies he could draw from the artifact at you. You raise Alnaar, and desperately try to block the attack but it knocks you from your feet. This time you are sent flying through the roof of the college, and into the air.

"Did you miss me?" You know that voice. In a flash of green light you see her as she transports the both of you back down. You were just outside the college again.

You scrunch you face in anger, and grab your daughter by the shoulders.

"I told you to stay in Whiterun!"

"Just so that I could miss out on the fun? I don't think so."

Ciri was treating this like a game.

You growl in frustration, and turn your attention back to the college. "You need to evacuate the survivors! If you see anyone who is alive bring them back to Whiterun!"

"I can help you fight him--"

"Those people need you right now!"

Ciri bites her lip, and she looks back at Winterhold. Your daughter was unsure. "I do not want to lose you again!"

"You won't! Trust me, I will be back!" You embrace her, and then quickly let go. "Come on, you know I always find a way!" You encourage her. You could handle this.

Ciri looks at you for what seems to be ages, and grabs her arms to keep herself from shaking. You could feel her fear. Then your daughter shakes her head, and disappears in another flash of light.

You run back into the college, and see Ancano again. He was laughing and what sanity had left him.

"You can't beat him!" Alnaar could sense it. Ancano could match the Magna Ge with the Eye of Magnus. He was a mortal no longer. He was approaching the divine.

"I don't need to!" You look deeply into your soul for the spell. You couldn't beat him but you knew someone that could. You start to sing in the language of the mernii.

_King of all oceans; king of all the waters of the worlds;
King of the deep darkness, king of silence, king of pearls;
King of washed bones, king of all our drowned;
King of sadness, of sinking souls unfound,
Revive our ancient friendship, our enemies confound.
As your old tides curl their currents like woven threads,
Recollect our bargains. Recall our sacrificial dead.
Bring honor to those compacts, and bind them fresh around,
Tie stronger still the white knots and the red,
Two kingdoms and two wounds. A mutual victory.
A memory, a means to meet our double destiny.
_
"You're singing?" Ancano chuckles as he blasts you through the school, and into the depths of the ocean. The college begins to disintegrate, and sink into ocean.

You plunge deeper into those fathomless depths, and that is when you feel an otherworldly presence. A creature not of this sphere. An archetype. An elemental lord.

The king who held dominion over every drop of water in Yggdrasil.

You feel the caress of tentacles as they envelop you.​
​
Straasha brings you back to the surface, and the water elementals swarm around you. They were coming to the aid of their monarch.

You wear a sadistic smirk. You were ready now.

Nirn shakes, and the oceans answer the call of the king under the sea. All of the water in the world rushes towards Skyrim. It twists and turns. It distorts time, and space. It becomes a tsunami.

It crashes against Tamriel. There is no one who does not witness this miracle. Whether you were in Atmora, or Yokuda. Akavir could feel what was coming.

It transcends past, present, and future. It did not matter where you were or when you were. You bore witness to the arrival of the progenitor.

The father of all life.

When the creatures of the sea first made their way onto land he was already ancient. He was the primordial soup. He was genesis. He saw his children leave him, and become legends as they reached adulthood.

When every record of their existence was wiped away by uncaring time he never forgot them. He kept them close to his heart.

"What is going on?" Ancano could feel it. No, he could even see it coming. A mass of tentacles erupted from the sea, and saved that stranger. "What in the world is that?" He grinds his teeth, and gathers the magical energies from the artifact. The tentacles wrap around the school, and begin to crush it. Ancano unleashes the energies, and creates a barrier. "Try breaking through that you monster--"

The barrier breaks as if it was made out of glass. It wasn't even a hindrance for Straasha.

"You're going to need a lot more than that!" You jump down as Straasha rips the school in half, and meet Ancano head on. Alnaar blazes to life, and black flames envelop him. Ancano conjures a daedric sword, and tries to block the attack. When your black sword meets the spectral weapon there is a sound of eldritch energies dissipating, and you almost bisect the elf. He backs away just in time.

When he created that barrier he used up the remaining energies he had siphoned from the artifact. He was weakened now. You could defeat him!

"Yol Toor Shul!" You breath fire, and it breaks through Ancano's wards. His robes catch fire, and he desperately tries to disperse them.

You see electricity gather around his hands, and he tries to launch lightning bolts at you.

 "Fo Krah Diin!" You freeze his hands, and they become encased in ice. He tries to run away but you won't let him.

"Wuld Nah Kest!" You cross the distance in an instant, and your black sword ripples through the air as Ancano loses his left arm. He grabs hold of his shoulder, and tries to stop the bleeding by applying pressure.

You gesture with your hand, and lift him up from the ground with the force.

"How many people died today because of you!" You could feel fire in your veins. There was a righteous fury burning in your soul. "How many families are going to suffer because of what you have done!" No, a quick death was not something he deserved. These thalmor, and their arrogance! They think they are beyond consequence? That they are the children of the divine?

"You are no gods, and you are not even worthy of calling yourselves mortals! No, you are less than that! You serve only one purpose, and that is to feed my friends!" You throw him at Straasha, and the elemental lord swats altmer into the ocean. The water elementals swarm around him, and devour him alive. You hear the elf squeal, and beg for mercy as he is slowly devoured alive.

He would have no release in death. His soul would belong to them.

There is a faint smile on your face as you look up at Straasha. He leans down, and his many eyes seem to recognize who you are.

"You carry the burden of many lives."

"I always have."

The tentacles warp around you, and you bring you closer to Straasha.

"I came to give you a warning. You should not seek your home. If you do tragedy would follow in your wake. You would lose that which you love."

"That's the same regardless of where I am." You chuckle, and then give the elemental lord a scathing glare. "I am going back no matter what."

"You are a fool." Straasha is disappointed but you know that he won't stop you. "I will take this artifact, and keep it safe in my realm."

"I understand." These contracts always require a trade of some sort. "You may take it." Your friend gives you something approaching a respectful nod, and you leap away from the school as it begins to sink into the ocean. It would belong to the progenitor.​***​The College of Winterhold was no more but the world was safe. No one could get their hands on the Eye of Magnus.

Well, not unless they could access the moonbeam roads.

"You know, when you said you were this Uslaad Kaal I didn't really understand before but now I think I do." Ciri was back again, and the survivors were gone. They were brought to Whiterun. "Just how many lives have you lived?"

"When you look into the night sky how many stars do you see?"

"I do not know! There are just so many."

You look up at Oblivion and Aetherius. Then look back down at your daughter.

"You have your answer."

"You didn't answer my question! When did you become so cryptic?"

Your daughter is close behind you, and you feel a measure of relief as she walks the same path as you do.

You would know peace. Not always but there would be times when you are happy.

You remember hearing that once.

[] You decide to investigate the thalmor that are patrolling around Solitude. There is something about them you don't trust. They were planning something. You just don't know what.
[] The thalmor have caught your attention by trying to use the Eye of Magnus to ascend beyond their station. You decide that there was no more time for subtly. Their embassy should know that just because they think they are safe? It does not mean that they are. These peace treaties have nothing to do with you.
[] You decide to investigate Kynesgrove. If you find Alduin the World Eater? Then you can finally put an end to this farce. Your rematch is at hand, and this time you are ready.
[] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.
​

Reactions: Like 1


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## Galo de Lion (Jul 26, 2018)

[X] The thalmor have caught your attention by trying to use the Eye of Magnus to ascend beyond their station. You decide that there was no more time for subtly. Their embassy should know that just because they think they are safe? It does not mean that they are. These peace treaties have nothing to do with you.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 27, 2018)

[x] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.


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## John Wayne (Jul 27, 2018)

[X] You decide to investigate Kynesgrove. If you find Alduin the World Eater? Then you can finally put an end to this farce. Your rematch is at hand, and this time you are ready.

Kill the overgrown lizard.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Not A Hero, Not A Villian (Jul 28, 2018)

They blotted out the sky.

Hundreds of dragons.

Alduin the World Eater brought them back from the clutches of death, and they swore fealty to him.

"Are you sure about this, brother?"

"It's now or never."

A single man against an army of dragons, and a dragon god. You like the odds. You sprint forward, and jump into the air clearing thousands of feet as you vault into the clouds. You throw Alnaar, and he flies through the air piercing through the heads and hearts of dragons. They disperse as they try to fly away from him but he gives chase after them.

You submerge yourself in the force, and soar through the air. You move so fast that you sound like a shooting star. You roar as you punch a dragon in the jaw, and send him hurdling into the ground so hard that when he lands he leaves a crater that goes on for kilometers in every direction. The dragon disintegrates leaving behind his skeleton.

"Unslaad Kaal." Alduin the World Eater watches you. He scrutinizes every move that you make. You were not the same person who ran away from him in Helgen. Now that you bathed in the pool of knowledge, and partook of the font of power? You weren't entirely mortal anymore.

You call down bolts of lightning from the clouds, and they strike the dragons. They crash, and hit the ground. There are some that die, and others that manage to survive.

You hear their thu'um as it reverberates across Skyrim, and cracks the continent. You roar, and push them back with what you learned from Paarthurnax.

"Fus Ro Dah!" You shout, and it is heard across the world. It shakes the mountains, and causes the volcanoes to erupt. It moves islands, and pushes Solstheim even farther away from Skyrim.

"You have learned the dragon tongue." The black dragon is amused. "I thought Akatosh, and Kynareth forbade you from learning it?" He speaks in your language.

"They weren't the ones who taught me!" You wear a sadistic smirk on your face. "You can thank your brother for that!"

"Paarthurnax? That traitor?" Alduin the World Eater shakes his head. "That sounds like him. I will see to his punishment personally when I am done with you."

"Don't get so overconfident! You're not leaving Kynesgrove!" You would make sure of that. This army of dragons would be buried under their own corpses, and their tombstone would be Alduin the World Eater as he lays atop them. His life extinguished, and his pride crushed.

"Ven Mul Riik!" The black dragon shouts, and a fog envelops the world. There are thousands of people who have their souls torn from their bodies. Alduin the World Eater greedily devours their spirits.

"You monster!" You are reminded of the mernii. They toyed with the souls of mortals just as the black dragon does. They would torture them, and devour them. "You are involving them in this fight?"

"You have the audacity to call anyone a monster, Unslaad Kaal?" The black dragon starts to laugh. "I have heard the stories about you." The great wyrm roars, and unfurls his wings. "You have taken more lives, and more souls than I ever have!"

You clench your fists, and grimace. The black dragon wasn't wrong.

"That may be the case but at least I try to be better!" You rebuke the black dragon. "I don't revel in what I am like you do! I seek to change my nature!"

"Just like my brother..." The black dragon snarls. He shouts, and it nearly breaks Tamriel in half. "I wonder did he ever mention what he did to mortals like you when he was my servant!"

"Whatever he has done is in the past, and he seeks redemption!" Just as you do. You had to believe in Paarthurnax. "That is what makes him different than you!"

If you did not believe that he could change? What was the point of everything that you have done, and everything that you have fought for?

"I never thought you would be such an idealist!"

"It's not idealism! It's the truth!"

You rip a dragon in half with your bare hands, and breath fire as another dragon charges at your flank. Your flames burn away what hide it has, and liquefies the wyrm's muscles.

You shout, and another dragon is frozen. He plummets as his wings crack, and break away. That dragon would never fly again. He would be denied that freedom.

"Fiik Lo Sah!" You shout, and spectral apparitions appear. They look just like you, and aid you in the battle. They take the lives of these wyrms.

Alnaar spins through the clouds, and cleaves through whatever wyrm dares cross his path. He returns to your hand at last, and that is when the black flames appear. They seek to devour the souls of these dragons.

You swing Alnaar, and a swathe of black flames spawn from his edge. They fly through the sky, and seek more dragons to devour.

There are dozens of dragons that are burned to a crisp as the black flames catch them in the air.

"You have grown strong!" Alduin the World Eater was impressed. "You should replace my brother!" He always had need of more lieutenants.

"I served a tyrant once, and I will never serve another!" No, you would never be the pawn of someone like Kain ever again. You were free now.

"Very well..." The black dragon frowns, and then he opens his maw. "Vol Toor Shul!"

The sky churns, and changes color. It becomes force open a way to Oblivion, and from that realm meteorites rain down upon Nirn.

They destroy cities, and ravage countries. They take countless lives as every province, and every distant land is assaulted by them. They disintegrate castles, and reduce hillsides to incongruent particles.

The world was in jeopardy, and this was but a fraction of what the black dragon could unleash.

He was toying with you but not for long.

You swing Alnaar, and this time you set the dragon within your black sword free. It was beyond massive, and larger the whole of Tamriel. A dragon made out of black flames. It breathes fire that engulfs the meteorites, and distorts the sky. That is when the attention of those black flames change. They go after the remaining dragons, and bring their existence to a swift end.

Alduin the World Eater is what remains, and he is devoured by the black flames. They envelop him, and he pushes through them. "Truly, it would be a waste! You should join me!"

You scrunch your face in disgust, and raise your fist in front of your face. That is when you extend your middle finger.

"You insolent mortal! You dare show me such disrespect! I am the firstborn of Akatosh! I am Alduin the World Eater!" The black dragon grows before your eyes, and that is when his shadow blankets the world in everlasting darkness.

He was no longer on the planet. No, he was flying just outside of it. His maw was wide open, and he could devour everything if he so much as flies towards you.

"You have to stop him now, brother!"

"I am working on it!"

You soar towards Oblivion, and make your way past the planet's atmosphere. You would meet Alduin the World Eater's attack. You would stop him before he devours the planet.

There was no other choice.

You grip Alnaar tightly, and become one with the force.

The light side embraces you. Your wounds heal as you feel something warm envelop you, and sharpen your senses. You see every future, and every way you could defeat this beast.

The dark side pushes you forward, and breaks your limits. That is when electricity starts arcing around your body, and your black sword. A light dyed in the same crimson as the rubies that were your eyes.

The dragon that was within Alnaar chases after you, and engulfs you in black flames.

They do not hurt you this time. They protect you instead.

You roar, and that is when you slam into Alduin the World Eater. The resulting explosion can be seen from Nirn, and extends across Mundus. It ripples across Oblivion, and reaches Aetherius.

Alduin the World Eater recoils, and he is sent flying across Mundus. "How is this even possible? You are a mortal!"

His thu'um reverberates across Mundus. It shakes Nirn even from this distance.

"I will not be defeated by someone like you! I am the king of dragons! I refuse to be humiliated by an insignificant mongrel! I will not lose!" There is change in Alduin the World Eater. In the first time in his life he feels shame, and humiliation. It drives him into a frenzy. It awakens a part of himself that he had forgotten.

The dragon breaks, and time is shattered. You see every future realized at once, and they are in the black dragon's favor.

"No." It wasn't supposed to happen. You realize immediately what was going on. The black dragon was changing. He was no longer Alduin the World Eater. This was the beast that wrought Mehrunes Dagon into being. He did not devour worlds. He devoured time itself. "No!"

You refuse to believe it, and fly towards the black dragon. He roars, and you are flung across the Aurbis. Your face is torn away, and your limbs are severed. You cough as your heart is punctured. There is a hole in your chest. These wounds? They were Indoril Nerevar's when he died. Alnaar is sent hurdling throughout time and space. He is beyond your reach now.

This thu'um was a temporal distortion. It would unmake the kalpa.

There was no Esbern Snare to save you this time. You could not fight such a being.

They were going to die. The people of this earth would cease to be.

Irileth, Shalil, Ciri, Paarthurnax... they would disappear before your eyes.

Just like Cymoril. Just like Zarozinia. Just like Catherine. Just like Rackhir.

Just like Anakin Skywalker.

You have lost so much blood, and you can feel the dremora circle around you like vultures. They seek the soul of the Unslaad Kaal.

"You will not touch my son!" You see a flash of red light, and a light-saber carves through the daedra. They are banished back to the depths of the abyss.

Your vision was dimming but it was unmistakable. He wore the guise of Darth Vader. You could feel his passion, and his anger. It was a father's fury this time.

He kneels down, and lifts you up. Your blood seeps into his armor, and he tries to shake you.

"You have to stay awake! If you fall asleep it is over!"

"I-I can't. I am n-not strong e-enough." You struggle to speak as your lungs begin to fill with blood. It would be so easy just to close your eyes. The pain would go away. You would be free if only for a moment from this agony.

"You have to listen! That young woman you raised as your own daughter is screaming your name! That dunmer woman you love so much is crying for you! You can hear their voices! You just have to listen! If you die they are going to be next! That dragon is not going to spare anyone! He is a rabid beast who seeks only destruction!" Darth Vader does everything that he can.

You eyes begin to close, and you are there again. You sought the ever distant city for so long.

It was just out of your grasp and in death you would rest there.

Just at the edge of time.

​
"This isn't like you." You hear a voice, and you get back up. You are in the city. You recognize the buildings, and the ships soaring above you. You are at peace.

You turn around, and that is when you see him. His red hair, and his rough features.

You would not mistake them anywhere. He was Moonglum of Elwher. Your burst into tears, and embrace him. "I am sorry!" He was your best friend, and you stole his life. "I am so sorry..."

"It's not your fault. I chose my fate." He returns your hug, and frowns. He knew your guilt. "You can't stay. You have to go back."

"I know. I can hear them."

_You were the Nerevarine I believed in! You can't lose this fight!

Dad, I can't lose you again! I already lost you once!

Unslaad Kaal! I have put my faith in you! Please stop my brother! Please give my people a future!

You are my son! You saved me! Now it is my turn to save you! Get up, and fight!_

Tanelorn.

What you have always sought even before you knew what it was. You were here now, and just as it was within your grasp you had to leave it.

You shudder, and let go of your friend. You smile at him, and for once it is genuine. There is no blood lust. There is only happiness.

"Goodbye, my friend."

You open your eyes, and you are back.

You lost your arms and legs.

It did not matter.

Your face was torn away.

You had many more where that came from.

Your heart was taken from you.

No, it belonged to her. It was never yours to begin with.

"Luke, you have to--"

"My name is Raziel of Nosgoth, and I am the Eternal Champion." Your lift yourself back up, your wounds heal, your face grows back, your arms and legs regenerate, and the hole in your chest closes. However, your heart does not return. It was safe with her.

You raise your hand, and you grasp towards the depths of the abyss. Your black sword breaks through time and space. It shakes the foundations of the Tower of Amaranth. The Godhead trembles in abject terror. You were a nightmare.

You were awake. You had found what you were looking for.

You see Vehk, and Vehk. He cannot hide from your sight.

You see Kain as he sits on his decaying throne. You would have your vengeance.

You see Alduin the World Eater. Now released from his shackles, and rampaging across the Aurbis.

You take a deep breath, and the branches of Yggdrasil begin to shake. They crash into each other, and break into billions of twigs. You see the birth and death of countless realities. You see yourself as you truly are. Your are the question, and you are the answer.

There was nothing that could stop you now. You move through the past, the present, and the future. You crash into Alduin. That is when you grow, and match the beast. You become the size of galaxies. You swing your black sword, and it cuts through Apocrypha. Hermaeus Mora screams in pain as thousands of his realms are freed from his flesh and blood, and allowed their freedom.

"What have you become?" Alduin the World Eater can only look on in awe. The great wyrm deftly dodges your strikes, and swims through Oblivion. You give chase through the many realms within.

You break into the Deadlands, and conquer them. Mehrunes Dagon barely has a chance to defend himself as you force your way past him. The daedric prince makes a tactical retreat, and you continue after the king of dragons.

"You were this powerful? You walk among mortals as if you are one of them when you wield this sort of strength? Why would you do such a thing? Why not rule them?" Alduin the World Eater desperately tries to escape from you.

The eater of worlds seeks asylum in Moonshadow. Azura welcomes you with open arms, and banishes the dragon. You feel her caress, and her loving words. How she adored you. Her greatest champion.

The devourer of time seeks the darkness and fog of the Evergloam. When Nocturnal is there to greet you? You hear her promises of wealth, and treasure. You laugh in her face, and spurn her affections. You were after a dragon, and not the warmth of her bosom.

When you grab Alduin by the neck, and slam him into the Shivering Isles you find Sheogorath there. The Mad God decides to help you by unleashing a swarm of monstrous woodpeckers that pluck out the eyes of your quarry. "Don't forget what I told you! This is just the beginning!"

Your chase the beast into Quagmire, and your fight with the dragon would haunt the dreams of everyone in Tamriel for hundreds of years. Vaermina is pleased, and grants you her blessing.

Your fight comes to a close in the Ashpit, and you force Alduin into the very depths of it. Malacath boisterously laughs, and cheers you on. He is impressed by your courage, and your bravery. He names you dragon slayer, and bane of serpents.

Your black sword cleaves through the countless realms of Oblivion, and leaves a mark on every one. Your song would be sung by the dremora. Yours is the story of the undying one. He who strikes fear into the heart of death itself!

The claws of the dragon swipe at you, and your black sword is there to meet them. You take them from him, and leave him without his weapons. He opens his great maw to devour you, and you pierce the underside of his jaw with your brother. Alnaar keeps the beast's mouth shut. You kick the king of dragons into the air, and then pummel him relentlessly until every bone in his body breaks. You grab his horns, and break them. You take them as your trophies.

"W-What are y-you?" The beast could not see you, and his heart was trembling. You would fix that. You shove your hand deep inside his chest, and tear his beating heart from his rib cage. "You c-can't b-be a mortal..."

"I am just a mortal. You said it yourself." You wear a condescending smirk, and that is when you crush the dragon's heart in your hand. Alduin the World Eater would know death in the Ashpits. This would be his grave. "The Eternal Champion? People make it sound so impressive! The strength we wield is something every mortal has. You gods, and demons? You think you are above it all but the truth is that the only reason you exist is because you're a story written by us."

Yggdrasil.

In the end, the ones who nurtured that tree were people just like you.

"I refuse to believe that!" Alduin the World Eater was about to die. "I curse you, Unslaad Kaal! I would see everything taken from you! I will have my revenge--"

Alnaar is pushed upwards into Alduin's brain.

"I don't think so." The king of dragons is engulfed in black flames. He disintegrates, and his soul is cast into the ether.

The kalpa was safe.

You saved them. You gave them a future.

"You can rest easy, brother." Your black sword comforts you. "I will take care of things from here."

You are exhausted and allow yourself to collapse. The dremora give you a wide berth.

"You deserve some sleep."

[] After everything you just wanted to see them. Irileth, and Ciri. You wanted to hold them in your arms. You wanted to tell Irileth how much you loved her. You wanted to tell Ciri how proud of her you were.
[] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.
[] You decide to visit Solitude, and reveal what you have discovered to General Tullius.
[] You decide to visit Windhelm, and reveal what you have discovered to Ulfric Stormcloak.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Jul 28, 2018)

[x] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Jul 28, 2018)

[X] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.


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## John Wayne (Jul 31, 2018)

[X] There is someone in _The Bannered Mare_ who is having a great time. You might join him for a drink, or maybe a dozen. He seems familiar but you can't quite place where you have seen him before.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Something Ends, Something Begins (Jul 31, 2018)

You could feel the fear and trepidation as you walked through the streets of Whiterun. You walk among them but now they know what you are. It wasn't something you could hide anymore.

Unslaad Kaal. Nerevarine.

The Undying One.

The man who escaped the embrace of death, and who was reborn as something else that could bring their patron deities to their knees.

They could not understand it. It haunted their dreams but they were sure it was real.

There was no one who did not witness your confrontation with the eater of time, and you have been hounded by people searching for you since. It was the psijic order first.

"What happened to the Eye of Magnus? We know you fought Ancano, and after that it disappeared from our sight. Do you have it? What did you do with it?" When he arrived it seemed as if time had stopped. His robes were strange, and his features suggested he was from the Summerset Isles.

"Straasha has been keeping it safe." Your answer the robed man. When you searched his thoughts you saw only concern. He was worried someone else might misuse the artifact. "You do not need to worry. No one can reach it in his sphere, and even if they could they would have to be so powerful that they wouldn't need the blasted thing anyway."

"Who is this Straasha you speak of? Perchance could he have been that creature you summoned?"

"Yes, that was him. He is capable enough."

You explained as best as you could, and once the robed man was satisfied he left. You saw time continue. The people around you begin to move again.

However, now they avoided you as best as they could.

It was the strangest thing. You could not hear your heartbeat anymore.

"You know where it is, brother." Alnaar answers the question before you can even ask it.

The eternal consort had it now.

"How sickeningly poetic." You scrunch your face in disgust.

"You are an abstract. You become what you perceive yourself to be."

"It doesn't stop Irileth from worrying every time she wakes me up."

You went into the barracks for the guards after defeating the black dragon, and spent the night with her. You remember running your fingers down her lithe frame, and looking at her sleeping face after you were finished.

Oh, how she reminded you of Ermizhad.

Now whenever Irileth wakes you up she was worries that you have died. You have no heartbeat. You do not breathe. Her first question was whether you have become a member of the undead.

"No, I am _probably _not."

Your answer didn't exactly inspire any confidence in her. "You're staying in Dragonsreach until we figure out what we are going to do about those emissaries." You could feel her fingers run through your hair. You could feel her almost motherly desire to keep you safe.

It was misguided but it was flattering.

That was another problem. After you assaulted the embassy you caught the attention of the worst people. Now the thalmor were trying to get an audience with you, and it did not help matters that you were evidence that those of nedic ancestry can pose a threat to the divine. Their rhetoric was based entirely around the fact that mankind was beneath the mer, and that their ancestors who were of a divine persuasion. Yes, humanity could not match them.

That is what they desperately tell themselves every time they fall asleep, and are haunted by the same dreams everyone else is experiencing.

You were evidence that they were wrong, and they were aiming to dispute what everyone in Tamriel has seen with their own eyes. They wanted you assassinated and discredited immediately.

The Imperial Legion is pretending to concede and help the Aldmeri Dominion but the fact was that there were a lot of people like General Tullius who were questioning the necessity of this. This was a opportunity to change things. At least, that is what you felt when you searched his feelings.

You would need to ask him more but he wasn't the only one. No one likes the Aldmeri Dominion. What pleasantries were just there to make things seem normal as people maneuvered themselves into positions where they could stab them in the back.

The seeds of dissent and rebellion were planted.

You were the cause.

"You save the world, and you end up reigniting the fires of war." Your black sword is amused by this for some reason. "You are certainly drawn towards more conflict no matter what you do!"

You grumble, and make your way past the people crowding you. You really shouldn't have sneaked out of Dragonsreach but you really needed some mead.

_The Bannered Mare _was the closest place you could get a drink. You open the doors, and you weave an illusion to disguise yourself. If anyone saw you here it would be problematic.

Now you appeared to just be another nord. No one special.

Just another patron.

You take a seat nearby the Hulda. You hear Mikael sing, and now another song leaves his lips. The song of the undying one. The immortal who saved the world. Whose journey would never finish, and whose gifts were a curse.

"That isn't exactly right." You do die, and when you are reborn another person takes your place. They could be anyone, and they are not always someone you want to become. Just because they share your soul does not make them you.

Ciri was the one who was the most surprised. When you were about to die she was sure that it was going to be the end. No, instead she witnessed a miracle. That is when she saw her father slay the king of dragons.

When you returned she didn't know what to make of you. A part of her was afraid you weren't the same person, and she was right. You were Raziel of Nosgoth. You weren't Geralt of Rivia anymore.

You embraced her before she could say a word. Afterwards the young woman eased into the hug, and returned it.

Just let her have this.

You remember her bright demeanor, and enthusiastic attitude when she was in Kaer Morhen. How she would practice so much to become a witcher. The mutagens were lost to her but she did not need them. The young woman had elder blood, and that more than made up for it.

You frown as you remember Vesemir.

"It was a long time ago." Your black sword is always there. "Do not dwell on the tragedies of the past."

If only that was true. It was happening even as you sat in this tavern.

The past, present, and future exist in parallel to each other. They were happening at the same time. You could back into the past, and change what happened--

"No." The black sword chastises you. "You know that comes at a price no one can pay."

No one would know what effects the changes could have. They could be devastating.

You were so powerful now. You could unravel reality in every way you could imagine. You could hold entire spheres in the palm of your hands. Those branches on Yggdrasil which could have any myriad of realities churning within them. How many you wonder? You could break the branches, and replace them with others. You could pluck the twigs from them, and plant them in other branches. You shake your head. No, you could not do such a thing. It would be beyond cruelty. If you do such a thing how would that make you any different than the Lords of the Higher Worlds?

Yggdrasil was not your toy. You exist to protect it.

So that mortals may nurture it.

"You should never forget that, brother. There are many eternal champions who relinquish their responsibilities."

You could become like that. If you were not careful.

That is when another person takes a seat next to you.

"Hey, my name is--"

"Sanguine."

You give him a courteous nod. He starts to laugh nervously.

"I don't know what you are talking about!"

"You can't hide what you are from me. Now enough with the charades."

You saw the world in ways no one else could now.

"Okay, then I am going to be straight with you." He sits down next you. Whatever lies he thought about feeding you disappear as quickly as whatever subtly he had before. "You need to have some time to relax! You just saved the kalpa, and you have been locked up in Dragonsreach with that dunmer woman--"

"Oh, I have certainly have been locked up with her."

You were surprised when Irileth had fantasies involving prisoners, and herself. You played the role of a prisoner, and she played the role of a guard. Who was there to "punish" you for your crimes. You don't think Balgruuf the Greater would approve about you both using the prison underneath Dragonsreach for such lecherous activities.

You were delighted by the things she knew how to do with her feet.

"I am missing something here." The daedric prince folds his arms over his chest. "I thought Irileth was a prude?"

"No, quite the opposite." You wear a mischievous smirk. "The decades of abstinence have left her _starving _for attention."

You even saw her reading _The Lusty Argonian Maid, _and you could only hope it gave her ideas.

"Now that is interesting. What about Saadia over there. I know the both have had some fun in the past? What is going on there?" Sanguine gestures towards one of the waitresses.

"We are just friends. After I met Irileth I decided to keep it that way."

"Surely you haven't thought about tasting her again? That redguard is voluptuous."

You give the daedric prince the most displeased glare you could muster.

"I have learned from experience that polygamous relationships simply do not work." You remember when you tried to win over both Yennefer, and Triss. It backfired horribly. "I wouldn't do that to her."

"You're no fun!"

"I already have someone who can satisfy my needs. I do not need another."

You grab a mug of mead, and take a drink from it. It wasn't half bad.

"You said that I should relax? What do you have in mind? A party? A parade?"

"A drunken night of revelry!"

You give him a dry look.

"You're planning something, aren't you?"

"Yes, most definitely!"

That was strange. You weren't expecting honesty.

Sanguine leans back into his chair. "Okay, you want the truth? I need your help."

"What sort of help?" You wouldn't have paid any other daedric prince any sort of attention but Sanguine was different. He behaved in a way you could even describe as human. You could trust that.

"It is a woman. An insatiable one!" Sanguine practically shivers in revulsion. "You might know her. Her name is Dibella. I need your help breaking up with her."

"You're a grown man. Just tell her that she doesn't interest you anymore." You scrunch your nose in disgust. "This is not something that you need my help with."

"You don't understand! This woman rides me every day! I can't even enjoy a drink, or a meal! It never stops with her! I am the daedric prince of debauchery and revelry! I am not the daedric prince of debauchery, debauchery, debauchery, and debauchery!"

"That sounds great, and I am not sure why you are complaining? Stop whining about something other people would trade their lives for."

You drink more mead, and ignore the ramblings of this lunatic. That is when he grabs you by your shirt. There is a crazed, and desperate look in his eyes.

"You have to help me! I will give you anything! Just please make her stop! I need a break!" He is practically screaming at this point. You start to pity him.

"I will think about it. Now let me go before I remove your hands the painful way." The daedric prince does just that, and slumps in his seat. Whatever positive attitude he had before is now gone as he remembers his tormentor.

"I say you let Dibella make him into her plaything." Your black sword snorts. Alnaar was disgusted by him. "I would *destroy *that woman, and he is acting like it is torture!"

"How would you even do that?"

"I would find a way!"

[] You decide to help Sanguine, and go to the Temple of Dibella in Markarth. You might be able to contact the goddess there. After that, you are not sure how but you must convince her to stop "raping" Sanguine. His confidence is shot, and you are afraid that he might take drastic measures. You eye the noose he is carrying around his belt. Does he actually think that would work? "He is an idiot, brother." You grumble in annoyance. What a handful.
[] You could feel dragons gathering around High Hrothgar. You could feel that a disturbance in the force has left the mountain, and now Paarthurnax is waiting for you. The time has come for a coronation.
[] You decide to visit Solitude, and reveal what you have discovered to General Tullius.
[] You decide to visit Windhelm, and reveal what you have discovered to Ulfric Stormcloak.


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## John Wayne (Jul 31, 2018)

[X] You decide to help Sanguine, and go to the Temple of Dibella in Markarth. You might be able to contact the goddess there. After that, you are not sure how but you must convince her to stop "raping" Sanguine. His confidence is shot, and you are afraid that he might take drastic measures. You eye the noose he is carrying around his belt. Does he actually think that would work? "He is an idiot, brother." You grumble in annoyance. What a handful.


This is too good to pass up on.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Aug 1, 2018)

This is the best thing that's ever happened in this story.

[X] You decide to help Sanguine, and go to the Temple of Dibella in Markarth. You might be able to contact the goddess there. After that, you are not sure how but you must convince her to stop "raping" Sanguine. His confidence is shot, and you are afraid that he might take drastic measures. You eye the noose he is carrying around his belt. Does he actually think that would work? "He is an idiot, brother." You grumble in annoyance. What a handful.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Aug 1, 2018)

Relevant (Ignore the Russian):


*Spoiler*: __


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Temple of Dibella (Aug 1, 2018)

When you first walk into Markarth? You could already feel the corruption.

This city was ruled by the wealthy, and not by the people. You snap your fingers as a forsworn marauder attempts to assassinate a spy working for General Tullius. He is transmuted into sand, and scatters across the pavement. Margret was the young woman's name, and she was a nord.

The Imperial Legion wants to seize the Cidhna Mine from the Silver-Bloods, or something along those lines. You would have to recommend that the general tries to train his assets to defend their thoughts better. A wizard or witch who is proficient enough in that branch of magic could tear the knowledge from their minds before they even have a chance to fight back.

You didn't have time now but you would discuss that with him later.

"I say you leave Dibella to me, brother! I can handle her!" Alnaar is practically ecstatic. He was dreaming about this for a long time.

"No, you will not handle her! Besides that, you are not even _equipped_ to do so!" You shake your head. You wonder sometimes if the black sword really was a part of you or not.

"I told you that I can improvise! I can show her a great time!"

"I will hear no more of this! You are a weapon! You exist to murder and maim my enemies! You do not exist to violate raunchy maidens!"

"That's only because you don't believe in me, brother! Have faith in me!"

"The last time I trusted you? You stabbed me to death!"

You glare at your black sword, and he somehow glares back at you with the ruby in his guard.

"You have to believe in the me that believes in you, brother!"

"I don't even know what that is supposed to mean!"

You shouldn't have let Alnaar watch all of that television, and especially not those Japanese cartoons he was beginning to become enthralled with.

"You got to kick logic to the curb, and fight the power!"

"I already do that! What are you rambling about?"

Why was Alnaar wearing a red scarf? Where did he even get that?

"There may be no God of Buddha but there is the black sword!" You smack your black sword, and try to knock some sense into him.

"Okay, maybe I needed that but could you give me another chance?"

"No, absolutely not."

***​"Yes, welcome! How may I help you--"

"I need to speak with Dibella."

You have weaved another illusion to disguise yourself. You would be recognized right away otherwise.

"I am sorry, sir? You do not simply speak with one of the divine--"

"You probably haven't been trying hard enough."

You dismiss her excuses. You would find a way. You managed to find the temple, and the inner sanctum was restricted. There were no men allowed.

The priestess seems offended.

"I have been here for years, and she hasn't spoken to me once what makes you think she would pay any attention to you?"

"Well, for starters I am not a thief who steals from the donations given to the temple by the faithful. Your daughter certainly enjoyed that present you got her a couple days ago. How about I tell her where you got the money for it?" You grin at the priestess, and unsheathe Alnaar. "I wonder if Dibella would care if I eviscerate you on this sacred ground? Do you think that would summon her?"

The priestess backs away from you, and you could feel her fear in the air.

"I do not know what you are talking about! I would never do such a thing--"

"You keep what septims you pilfer from the donation box under your bed. You have wrapped them in purple silk, and have hidden them beneath a loose tile. Do not take me for a fool!" You close the distance, and glare down at her. You grab her shoulders. "I won't hurt you but if you don't help me everyone is going to find out about how naughty you have been. Now do you want that?" You tilt your head to the side.

"That is blackmail!" The priestess sounds indignant.

"Yes, it is!" You let go of her, and start clapping your hands. "I congratulate you on your deductive abilities! Now what is your decision? Do you want to spend the rest of your life behind bars, or do you want to continue pilfering that coin you love so much?"

"I will do whatever you want! Just don't tell anyone!"

"I need you to bring me into the inner sanctum. I need to meet the Sybil of Dibella."

The priestess looks frightened again.

"I can't do that! There are no men allowed inside!"

"How dare you assume my gender? I will have you know that I was a bisexual dryad and a pirate in a past life!" You pretend to sound disgruntled. "Who just happened to be a dark skinned woman! I am in every minority!"

"You know, the best part is that you are actually not wrong." Alnaar chuckles. He remembers when he was Swift Thorn. Rose von Bek was something else. Strangely enough, she always tried to ignore her peculiar origins and never complained about it like most banshees do today.

"That is ridiculous!"

"Yes, it is! Now open those doors!"

You push the priestess forward, and slap her on the back.

"Go ahead! I don't have all day!"

The priestess sighs, and whispers some incantations as the doors suddenly unlock themselves.

What magical enchantment keeping them closed dissipates.

You make your way inside as the priestess chases after you.

***​You are surprised when you see how young the Sybil was. They locked up a child inside of this place, and indoctrinated her into their cult? You begin to twitch, and contemplate whether you should burn this temple down to the ground.

"You are not here to make enemies, and I imagine doing that would earn you Dibella's ire." Alnaar is the voice of reason.

"Yes, but she is not staying here to be used as a figurehead for these cultists." You already think about what deals you can broker with Dibella to get her out of here.

You kneel down, and snap your fingers in front of the child's face to wake her up from her meditation.

Fjotra.

That was her name.

"I am already awake, Nerevarine. I knew you were coming." Her voice is strange. As if it carries the wisdom of centuries. "Dibella warned me that you would invade this temple. You should leave before she decides to deal with you personally."

"That's what I am banking on!" You nod your head, and then stand back up. You turn around, walk away from the Sybil, and yell at a statuette of Dibella. "Hey, Dibella! You goddamn slut! Yeah, I am talking about you! How many cocks have you sucked today! I bet you are so loose that if I stick my dick in you it would be like trying to fuck a cave!"

Nothing but you could feeling something strange rumbling beneath Tamriel. You were not sure what it was.

You grab your junk for emphasis. "You can't handle this! Just try and fuck me!"

You goad the goddess as best as you can.

"You know when Kynareth told me you were a *bastard *I didn't understand what she meant exactly until now." You hear a voice behind you, and you turn to meet her. There was she was.

Her blonde hair, and most importantly her purple eyes gave her away. This was no mortal.

You wear a cheeky grin.

"I am sorry, toots! I am spoken for, and she is more woman than you will ever be!"

"You know that's not true."

Dibella smiles at you, and undresses you with her eyes. You see her lick her lips. "There was something else Kynareth told me; that you were an animal in the sack. Care to prove it?"

"I don't need to prove anything! Irileth already knows what I can do!" You meet the goddess, and stare her down. "You are going to leave Sanguine. If you don't I am burning this temple down."

"You wouldn't dare." Dibella gives you a nasty look.

"Oh, I would. I _really _would."

There is a pause.

"Do it."

"What?"

"I know you won't murder any of my priestesses, and temples can be rebuilt. So, as I said before. Do it."

Your eye twitches. Oh, now you knew why Sanguine hated her so much.

You weren't expecting her to brush aside your threat like that. You growl, and grab her shoulders. "This ends now! You are gong to give him a breather! He is practically begging me, and you should see him! He is about ready to croak!"

"Why would I do that?" Dibella tilts her head to the side. "You won't hurt me. I know that. You are an honorable man despite how rude and crass you can be. You can do nothing." Then she looks at you strangely. "You could rough me up a bit though. I would like that." Her face flushes, and you back away as you feel some of her thoughts. You see her being forced down by you, and plowed relentlessly until she screams your name. You see her force you down, and ride you until you scream hers. You claw into her skin, and scratch her back. You leave her bloody, and wet. The goddess does the same to you.

"I am telling you, brother! I can handle her!" Your black sword was jealous. You could feel his envy.

"You never did have a mother did you, Raziel?" Dibella sneaks her hands down to your groin. "I can be your mother. You can suckle at my breasts, and I can wake you up the way every mother should." The goddess licks the side of your face. "I could swallow your cock, and suck out every last drop. I could milk you every morning. What do you say, baby? Just call me your mommy." The goddess begins unbuckling your belt. "Your mommy is hungry. Why don't you spill your seed in her stomach? Yes, feed your mommy. Make her beg for it!" Dibella bites her lip. "After that, you can force your loaf into her oven. Don't you want to knock me up, honey? Come inside me, I don't mind. Be a good boy, and fill me up! My cunt wants to be brimming with your love. I like how warm it feels..."

You shiver in revulsion, and back away.

"No thank you! I have had enough of that!"

"Did I touch a nerve?"

The goddess begins to giggle.

"You did not touch any nerve!" You reach for your black sword, and think of what you should do next. "I will stab you!"

"Oh, I would like that." Dibella runs her fingers across the edge of your black sword. It breaks her skin, and draws blood. That is when she brings her fingers to her lips, and licks them. "I would like that a lot."

"You have to let me do this, brother! Do not make me beg!"

"Alnaar! Just shut up!"

You frown, and sheathe your black sword. Alright if that is the way she wants to do it? You grab her, and drag her into the moonbeam roads.

You couldn't beat her at this game but you knew someone who could.

"Where are we going, beloved?" Dibella nibbles at your ear. You hold her tightly in your arms.

"We are visiting a friend."

***​You were at the crossroads when find her. No matter what life you lived she was always the same. The woman was a singularity. There was no other version of her in Yggdrasil.

You would say that she was an archetype but even archetypes have other versions of themselves. No, there was no one else like her.

"You can't be serious, brother! You know what she will do to us!"

"Trust me, I know what I am doing!"

You see her, and she was smiling at you.

It hurt you to see her face again.

​
Una Persson.

Time-traveler, traitorous back-stabber, friend, and enemy at the same time. You lost count of how many adventures you had with her but one thing was certain.

You loved her once.

"Oswald Bastable." You struggle to say it. You remember holding her so close to your chest. You remember promising to always be by her side.

"You broke your promise." Una Persson isn't angry. No, she is resigned. The woman knew what you were. Your curse was one she was familiar with.

"I did what I have always done."

"So, this is your friend?" Dibella looks at her lecherously. "I wonder how she tastes?"

"Pets do not speak unless spoken to." Una Persson commands respect. Her voice echoes across the time-field. "Now kneel."

Dibella is surprised when she finds herself doing just that. This wasn't mind-control, or some sort of magical trick. Una Persson was simply that intimidating.

"What do you need?"

"I need you to break her in, and have her ease up on a friend of mine."

Una Persson gives you an amused look.

"You could have done that."

"I don't want to risk becoming like Jerry or Jherek again. They were revolting."

Una Persson laughs. It was like music to your ears.

"Have you forgotten? So were you."

"I may share a soul with them but that does not make me like them."

Your former lover shakes her head.

"If that is what helps you sleep at night. Very well, I will break in this pet of yours. I would say that she is a stubborn one. Give me a week. By the time that I am done she will be lapping at your feet, and calling you master. Provided that I get to enjoy her first?"

"Naturally." It was a sacrifice you were willing to make. "I will be back by then, and remember to make sure she treats Sanguine with more consideration. That would be the friend I mentioned."

"Oh, come on! I could have done it!" Alnaar is furious.

"Your black sword is more talkative this time around. You want me to teach him some manners?"

Alnaar somehow bursts into a nervous sweat. How could he even do that?

"You wouldn't dare, brother!"

"I will think about it."

***​You were patient, and that patience was rewarded. When you returned to retrieve Dibella you saw how much she changed. Dibella was wearing a kimono, and was the very picture of a yamato nadeshiko. The goddess bows, and then stands back up to meet your face.

"What do you require of me, master? Mistress says that I belong to you now."

You give Una Persson a dirty look.

"What did you do to her?"

"I made her realize how much she enjoyed being submissive. Don't worry, she is more than capable of being dominant if she wants to be but she knows her place now."

What a terrifying woman.

"What exactly did you do to convince her?"

"A lot of things."

You are afraid to ask her what those "things" are.

"Consensual things, right?"

"I am not a rapist, Oswald. I am a dominatrix! Trust me, I simply taught her that being submissive can be enjoyable as well. A relationship is about giving, and receiving. Sometimes you are on the top, and sometimes you are on the bottom. Now this Sanguine of yours gets to enjoy both sides of this relationship. If you want you can enjoy her too. You know she wants you." Una Persson leans forward, and gives you a seductive glance.

"Nope, that is not happening."

Dibella pouts in disappointment.

"Master, please!"

"I have a woman already! Her name is Irileth, and I am not a homewrecker!"

"Why not ask her if it's alright?" Una Persson seems amused by all of this. "You know I didn't mind sharing you..."

"I agree!" Alnaar speaks up again. He was eager.

"Another word from you, and you are staying with Una!"

[] You decide to speak with Margret, and see what is happening in Markarth. There were conspiracies everywhere, and the city guard were a part of it. Their loyalty belonged to whoever had the most coin.
[] You could feel dragons gathering around High Hrothgar. You could feel that a disturbance in the force has left the mountain, and now Paarthurnax is waiting for you. The time has come for a coronation.
[] You decide to visit Solitude, and reveal what you have discovered to General Tullius.
[] You decide to visit Windhelm, and reveal what you have discovered to Ulfric Stormcloak.


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## Galo de Lion (Aug 1, 2018)

[X] You could feel dragons gathering around High Hrothgar. You could feel that a disturbance in the force has left the mountain, and now Paarthurnax is waiting for you. The time has come for a coronation.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A Crown of Thorns (Aug 2, 2018)

Alnaar was sniggering as the elevator brought you up the mountain.

"You actually built an elevator? You hated the seven-thousand steps that much?"

You don't bother to answer your black sword, and that is when the elevator music starts.

"Oh, come on! You know I hate that!"

"I find it soothing."

You start to whistle with the tune. It was really catchy. You rearranged the matter within the mountain, and turned the interior into an underground base. It would be useful in the future.

You could reshape and distort the world around you now. You found Tanelorn, and with it came many possibilities. If you were not careful it could go to your head.

"Just so long as you don't start calling yourself Lucifer or Satan again, and build a city called Pandemonium." The black sword was always annoyed by your flair for the dramatic.

"They suited me I think." You muse, and while those days were long gone you didn't forget how you ruled over the fiery pit. "They were good names."

"Yeah, but now everyone is using them. It ruins the mystique!"

You roll your eyes.

"It's not my fault that they have good taste."

You hear a ding, and that's when you know the elevator has reached High Hrothgar.

The doors open, and you hear the roar of wyrms in the distance.

It was time to see Paarthurnax.

***​The Grey Beards moves out of your way for the most part. However, Argenir is there to meet you before leave.

"It seems that the dovahkiin won't be needed now. I am not sure if that is fortunate, or a sign of things to come." He murmurs. He gives you a curious glance. "You have taken apart his destiny, and have rewritten it. Where he goes now no one may know."

"He is in Solstheim." You could feel M'aiq the Liar, and his dark presence there. He was already rampaging through the island and seeking another. His counterpart waited for him in Apocrypha.

"I was being figurative." Argenir gives you an annoyed frown.

"There is another person with him." You scrunch your face in confusion. "He is a master of the dark side of the force. Where did he come from?"

"He said he came from another world. He did not say much else." That answer leaves you worried. How could a Sith Lord make his way here?

"He must have had help, brother." Your black sword was probably right. You wonder who it could have been. The Lords of the Higher Worlds, perhaps? It is a mystery for another time.

"I am here to meet Paarthurnax." You could the feel the dragon's anticipation. He was anxious in a way.

"Yes, he has been waiting for you but I warn you. What he may place upon your shoulders is another great burden. Do you think you are ready? Do you think you can handle it?" Your elder folds his arms over his chest, and looks concerned as he scrutinizes you.

"There is nothing I can't do. You should know that by now."

"Your pride and your hubris is dangerous. You do know that?"

People always lectured you about that.

Whether it was Obiwan Kenobi or the almighty himself.

"I prefer to think of it as confidence that is deserved at this point." You have so many accomplishments to your name, and by now you have earned your arrogance.

"I am merely saying that you should be careful. You might meet someone who poses a challenge for you one day." He was strangely concerned about you. Perhaps because you were a brother of sorts.

"I will put that into consideration in the future but I have to go now."

Argenir bows, and makes his way back into his chambers.

"You know that he is right, brother?"

"..."

***​The Throat of the World. The peak of the highest mountain in Skyrim.

You didn't think that you would be back here. You see dragons soar in the air above you, and Paarthurnax is there to meet you on his perch.

"Unslaad Kaal, you have returned." The dragon seems pleased. He was almost happy to see a familiar face. "I have something I must tell you."

"Does it have anything to do with all of these dragons? These are ones that your brother brought back to life, aren't they?" You couldn't sense anything approaching malicious intent. No, you sense a strange admiration in the air.

"Yes, they are. Some of them have decided to stay with me, and learn the way of the voice."

"You said some of them. What about the rest of them?"

Paarthurnax begins to look his age. He seemed weary.

"There are not many dragons who would walk the same path as I do. Their hunger for conquest is as strong as ever, and they have found someone to replace my brother."

That doesn't bode well at all. You wonder who it could be.

"Do you mean to say this dragon is a threat?"

"When did I say he was a dov?"

Now that didn't make any sense. The only person they would swear fealty to would be the strongest dragon among them. Alduin the World Eater. Why would they prostrate themselves before a mortal?

"He is a mun, and he has the blood of dragons coursing through his veins. That is not what turned them. It was how strong he was. They saw the carnage he could wrought, and they were inspired."

That is when you catch it. He didn't say dov he just said dragon.

The dragons begin to land around you, and their leader steps forward.

Odahviing.

You could sense what his name was. He is close enough that you could feel his breath on your face. You prepare yourself for a fight. You reach for your black sword.

That is when the dragon bows before you, and leaves himself at your mercy.

You finally realize what is happening.

"You are talking about me?" There was no way. You were not a dov. You were of the phoorn. They were an entirely different species of dragon.

"Yes, Unslaad Kaal. I speak of you." The pieces begin to come together. The puzzle is solved. "You defeated the king of dragons, and now you must take his place."

"Just like that? I fought them, and brought an end to the lives of their comrades. I murdered their master, and now I am to replace him? This is ridiculous." You shake your head. You couldn't believe what was happening. "Why would they be loyal to me? They have no reason to prostrate themselves before me like this."

"They do have a reason. You are the strongest. A dov cares only for strength, and what can help bring him victory. I speak of conquest, Unslaad Kaal. Their thu'um belongs to you now. They wish to do battle with you as their leader." Your teacher begins to explain, and it leaves you worried.

"If I do this I become the villain."

"Not necessarily, you are not my brother. I know you would be a just ruler. Alduin the World Eater brought them to heel with fear. You would be different. How would you rule, Unslaad Kaal?"

You start to say something but then stop yourself. You would have to think about that.

"I would rule by merit, and by honor. Those two things are what concern me. What they can do, and what they would do. Anything else is not a priority." You remember something from one of your past lives. "I know that with great power comes great responsibility."

"Then you should take that to heart, and teach them the same thing." Paarthurnax is pleased by your answer. "They do not wish to hear me lecture but they would consider your words carefully."

There were dozens of them. A lot of these dragons were survivors from the _Siege of Kynesgrove_, and then there were others that you did not recognize. It seems that Alduin the World Eater did not bring his entire army to bare that day. You wonder how many more there are.

You look back at the red dragon bowing before you, and unsheathe your black sword. Alnaar is stabbed into the ground in front of him. You reach out with your hand, and place your hand on his snout.

"I expect nothing but courage and bravery. If you fight by my side you will not retreat. You will not surrender. You will only leave the battlefield if it means saving the lives of others. There is no other time where it is acceptable. Do you understand, Odahviing?" The rubies that were your eyes pierce into his soul. You could see him for everything that he was.

The dragon is surprised when you speak his name. How did you know it?

"I understand, Unslaad Kaal! I will not submit to any of your enemies!" The red dragon speaks. He raises his head to meet your eyes. "I will not run away! I will fight in your name, and I will die in your name!"

"You would protect my subjects, and safeguard my children? You would be their sword, and their shield?"

"I would devour anyone who dares harm a single hair on their head!" The red dragon unfurls his wings. "I would butcher them like the mongrels they are!"

You grin, and then roar back at your servant.

"Then fight by my side, Odahviing! I will bring you glory! I will see your enemies driven before you, and I will give you their hearts! I will give the dov a future! I will give them a kingdom!"

The dragons around you roar into the sky and unfurl their wings just as Odahviing did. Their thu'um is heard across the land.

"I am Rahkriid! I am the one who defeated Alduin!" You name yourself. "I am the slayer of gods! I am your king!" Your thu'um shakes the world.

It was the beginning of an era.

The dragons would rule, and you would build something worthy of them.

[] You decide to send your dragons to Solitude and Windhelm. You need to bring General Tullius, and Ulfric Stormcloak to High Hrothgar. Your emissaries would collect them. The civil war must come to an end. A greater threat looms in the horizon, and you must be prepared for it.
[] You decide that Skyrim requires a ruler. Elisif the Fair is not enough, and she is a figurehead who is powerless against the machinations of the court. You promised the dragons a kingdom, and you would give them one. You would conquer Skyrim, and bring order to the land. You would rule over it.
[] Your reputation proceeds you. An orc has come to seek your aid. He speaks of the Dawnguard, and about malevolent vampires who are preying on the people of Skyrim. You are reminded of your past, and what you once were. You decide to investigate, and speak to this Isran he mentioned. The famed leader of these vampire hunters.
[] You hear rumors about a wandering vagabond. You hear that he was a poet. There are stories about how he has strange abilities. You decide to investigate, and see if your suspicions are correct. You are not sure what you would do once you meet him. It has been a long time but the wounds have not healed. The betrayal is fresh in your mind, and your fury reignites.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Aug 2, 2018)

[x] You hear rumors about a wandering vagabond. You hear that he was a poet. There are stories about how he has strange abilities. You decide to investigate, and see if your suspicions are correct. You are not sure what you would do once you meet him. It has been a long time but the wounds have not healed. The betrayal is fresh in your mind, and your fury reignites.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - A World Painted in Your Colors (Aug 4, 2018)

The sting of betrayal was one you were familiar with. You have endured it in every life, and some betrayals were worse than others. You remembered them all, and every one awoke a fiery passion inside of your soul.

Justice.

That is what you call it but you know the truth. This is no justice.

This is revenge.

"I have been waiting." Vehk, and Vehk. Vivec. A mass of contradictions. The embodiment of duality. The union of man and woman. The warrior poet.

Your best friend. Your greatest enemy.

Your eyes blaze like fire, and you charge forward. He was surrounded by corpses. An army of giants that made the mistake of attacking him. Their entrails and viscera painted the snow a dark crimson. There were thousands of them in every direction.

You do not hesitate for a moment. You unsheathe your black sword, and bring your brother to bare.

Vivec gets up from his seat upon the chief of these giants or rather what remained of him. You see his spear. It brings your blood to a boil.

Muatra.

Vivec had carved the weapon from the flesh and blood of his husband. The daedric prince who wrought vampires upon this earth.

Molag Bal. The King of Domination.

You could sense that losing the Heart of Lorkhan did not weaken Vivec. No, if anything he had only grown stronger in the time since you last met him.

He gazed upon the Tower of Amaranth, and did not disappear. He accomplished the impossible.

CHIM.

You grin and swing your black sword. The moment Alnaar meets Muatra the dream cracks.

It bloats, and it nearly bursts.

"Where have you been, my friend?" There is a crazed look in your eyes, and there is a madness burning in your soul. "I missed you so much!"

"If we fight you know what will happen."

"I don't care!"

Your sanity crumbles, and with it so does the world.

Oblivion is distorted as another hole in it is made leading into Aetherius. The Magna Ge desperately try to escape from the resulting energies that were unleashed. There are some that manage to escape, and others that do not. They are mutilated beyond recognition.

Yet another hole appears, and with that one comes many others. Constellations are destroyed, stars are flung across the abyss, and become new constructs.

The dragon breaks, and time unravels. A thousand possibilities become real, and clash against each other.

You laugh maniacally as you force Vivec deeper into Aetherius.

"You have to stop this!" Vivec roars back, and you see something desperate in his eyes. "You are going to destroy everything!" The warrior poet swings his spear, and you thrown back but you only cackle in response.

"He is right, brother! The both of you can't fight! This dream simply cannot handle it! If you do it is going to collapse!" Alnaar tries to reason with you but you are lost. You were being buried.

Nirn, Oblivion, Aetherius, and everything in between.

The Aurbis would shatter. The Tower of Amaranth would disintegrate, and the Godhead would die.

"What does it matter?" The worst parts of you awaken from their slumber. Prince Gaynor the Damned promises you satisfaction. Prince Flamadin demands retribution. Jerry Cornelius pushes you forward. Jherek Carnelian thinks of the possibilities. The experiments! So what if everyone dies? You can just bring them back, and make them even better than they were before! "They are going to die anyway!"

You were the only one. No matter how many lives you live and deaths you endure you always come back. There are others that come back but not like you do. You are forever. You repeat endlessly. Their souls waste away, and they know peace eventually. You are denied that.

No, you only have the fleeting illusion of it. You are denied the death you have always sought. The void. The complete annihilation. The absolute silence.

A world without color. That is what you desire.

A black and gold light clashes against a brilliant red light. The sword meets the spear, and in their hunger for battle devour realities. Universes are made, and unmade.


"̴̢̢̪͎͇̯͚͓̣͈̞̋̀̓̄̏̑̓̓͗̀̆̃̕͜ͅÀ̷̭̜͉͇̹͉̈́̑̇̿̅̕ͅͅḩ̶̅̓̊̑̀͊̄͆̈́̆̂̈́̈́ȃ̶̢̻̱̮̖̥̘̤͓͙̱̊̅̅̿̽̃́̅͝ͅḧ̷̨̛̭͉́̏́̐͐͐̿̀̈́̐̋̄͝ͅa̴̫̻̯͂͛h̴̡̛͙̎̓̓̍̑̃́̍̈́̑̈́͊̚͝a̵̛̪͔͕̹̰̞̦̅̑̔̚h̶̤͇͚̥͇̤͈̝͉̹̒͒a̴̰͔̘̅̆̔̄̍͠h̵̭͔̭̻͐̉̽̚͜á̷̱̗͎̰̖͚̗̥̯͍̝̌̄́͛h̵̢̛̠͕͈̳̠̙̦̰̙̭̊̑̓̀̈̂̌̋́̔́ä̵̤͇̮̙͓̘̟̩̦̝̯́̊̆̔̀͛̌͐̀̋̊̾͑ḧ̷̨̨̨̤̺̤̠̝̥̦̣̳̲́̾͒̑̂̈́̈̓̃͝͝å̸̟͂̒̇̽̀̀̂̕h̵̨̳̭̯͕͖̞͖̣̣̍a̵̧̞͎̠͙͕̮̩̝̳̩̿̅̀̓̏̈́͆̎͝ͅ!̸̨͖̺̺͇̱̾̒͌̐̌͐̃͗̒̉̊͝ͅ"̶̠̠̝̟̟̟̹̫̹̜̲̭̞̮͓͂̔


The narrative begins to give. The story begins to rewrite itself. Your laughter echoes across every realm in the dream.

Muatra disappears.

The matrimony was never meant to be.

"What--" Vivec is surprised as his spear disappears, and he remembers another life. Where he did not meet Molag Bal. Where he was but a mortal, and where he was happy. Where he did not become a living god.

No!

He roars back, and through tears denies it. He can't accept it.

The spear reappears in his hands, and he pushes himself back up.

The story is realigned.

"You are a stubborn fool, you know that?" You cackle, and then you swing your black sword. The dream is cut in twain. "If you weren't an oath breaker I would commend you!"

You could feel it already. Vivec was on his last legs. There was a laceration across his chest, and his intestines were threatening to leak from his stomach. The wound would not close for it was the black sword which caused it.

"I will not lose because I do not need to defeat you." The warrior poet speaks, and there is a strange confidence in his voice. "You have forgotten something important, Nerevarine."

"Oh, really? What might that be?"

"Who you used to be."

You tilt your head, and look at this man curiously. "I haven't forgotten anything! What in the world are you talking about?"

"Then may I ask you something?"

"I will humor you. Go ahead! Ask your question! Then I will finish this..."

Vivec closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath.

"What is your name?"

​
You break.

There are countless others screaming in your mind. A thousand heroes. A thousand villains. Their tragedies assault you. Their virtues and their vices consume you.

These people each belonging to another dream. Yet, sharing one thing in common with you.

A soul.

You will believe that a man can fly.

You see _something _among all of those lives you lived. A familiar scene. A memory that couldn't be washed away or erased by anything.

No, not even death could touch this memory. Nor could time wear it down.

​
"You're much stronger than you think you are." The tears begin to fall, and you remember. You told someone that once. Now those words were something you needed to hear.

You collapse to your knees. You are defeated.

What have you done?

"I don't know." You finally realize it. Your name. You real name before all others. Your first name. You don't even remember it. "I don't know what it is..."

You have experienced so many great cycles. You have witnessed the birth and death of the skrayling tree so many times. What was the purpose behind these cataclysms? When did this even begin? The face of your mother? The face of your father?

It was beyond your grasp. You could remember nearly all of your lives but you could not remember your first life. You could not remember the first dream, or was it even a dream?

You are not sure anymore. There was no rhyme or reason. It continues forever turning like a gear or a wheel. It was maddening.

You remember Sepiriz, and the Nihrain.

The Knights of Balance. You were one of them.

What was before? What was--

"I seek that answer." Vivec kneels down, and does what he can with some bandages to stanch the bleeding from his stomach. It seems to work. "Just as you do." He raises his hand, and gently places it on your shoulder. "I do not ask that you forgive me. I ask that you do not lose sight of yourself." You were the person he loved above all others, and he betrayed you.

How could anyone do that to someone they loved?

"I was flawed. I thought I could distance myself from my crime by saying that it was the mortal who was to blame, and that the god was free of any responsibility." Vivec shakes his head. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have forgotten my past. Now I wish to be mortal again but I don't deserve it." This was his punishment.

His divinity trapped him.

You turn your head, and look at him. You feel shame. You get back up and stick your black sword into the ether. You raise your hand towards the abyss, and the rupture in the dream is sealed.

"I wonder if any of us do."

[] You decide to send your dragons to Solitude and Windhelm. You need to bring General Tullius, and Ulfric Stormcloak to High Hrothgar. Your emissaries would collect them. The civil war must come to an end. A greater threat looms in the horizon, and you must be prepared for it.
[] You decide that Skyrim requires a ruler. Elisif the Fair is not enough, and she is a figurehead who is powerless against the machinations of the court. You promised the dragons a kingdom, and you would give them one. You would conquer Skyrim, and bring order to the land. You would rule over it.
[] Your reputation proceeds you. An orc has come to seek your aid. He speaks of the Dawnguard, and about malevolent vampires who are preying on the people of Skyrim. You are reminded of your past, and what you once were. You decide to investigate, and speak to this Isran he mentioned. The famed leader of these vampire hunters.
[] You decide to interrogate Vivec. What exactly was going on? Why did he return? Who was trying to recreate the Numidium? What were they planning to do? You had so many questions, and almost no answers for them. The warrior poet seems to know much, and he may be your only lead.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Aug 4, 2018)

[x] You decide to interrogate Vivec. What exactly was going on? Why did he return? Who was trying to recreate the Numidium? What were they planning to do? You had so many questions, and almost no answers for them. The warrior poet seems to know much, and he may be your only lead.

Let's figure things out with Vehk, and then go and end the civil war.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - I Would Sacrifice Everything (Aug 5, 2018)

Disgust.

That is what he felt at first. He found his freedom, and broke the curse which bound him. He sacrificed everything. His immortality. What influence he had left. However...

That is not what left him bitter.

"My friend would suffer in my stead." He remembers his face. He remembers his name. No one else would. No one else could. His friend threw away his sanity, and in exchange he found his again.

"Trash, every single one of them."

Azura, Boethiah, Clavicus Vile, Hermaeus Mora, Hircine, Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon, Mephala, Meridia, Molag Bal, Namira, Nocturnal, Nocturnal, Peryite, Sanguine, and Vaermina!

They were not fit to breath the same air as his friend.

"Ah, you were worth more than them all!" He says it as if in mourning but his tone is that of a jester. He was mocking this twist of fate. He would laugh at it. He would spite it.

He would not accept it.

Oh, how he loved his friend. What he would sacrifice for him.

He would throw it all away again just so his friend could be free. It is not enough. He needs more, more, more, more! The world has to crumble! The divine must be challenged! The skies have to burn! The stars have to break! The moons have to shatter! Your brothers and sisters must answer for their crimes! Your friend must be freed!

The stranger sees the tower. His desire brought him here.

He would cast away the mortality he found but that would not be enough! His friend needs him!

He knows his plight, and suffered the same pain as he does. He would not let him suffer alone! No, he would make a sacrifice of the dream! He would place it at the altar!

He sought to bring order to the abyss, and he was spurned for it. The envy felt by the others is what was his undoing. They feared him as one of the divine.

Now they would fear him as something else entirely.

What selfishness! What selflessness!

A selfish adoration and affection that would selflessly throw everything away. His life? His freedom? His future? The freedom he sought for so long?

He would throw it all away! Just to hear his voice one more time! No, not as that clown! No, as his friend!

Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why?


W̴̨̛̘͇̹̜͙̦̟̞̯̔͋͂̈́̉̉͑̈͐͝͠ͅh̴̡̨͚̤̦͎̳͔̯̖͉̣̲́͐͊̂͊̅̒̀̈́̿͝y̸̢̝͈̰̻̱̗͗̀͛́͂̀͐̚ ̵͍̰̠͚̰̻̬͍̱̔̈̇͂͛̑̾̓͆̆̚͜͝w̵͉͓̭͎̮̥̖͚̖̓͐̊̔̄̊̆̏̕͠ả̷̙͉̓̾́s̴͉̹͚̣̖͎͕̣͇̬̗̞̦͊̈́͂̕͝ ̵̜̰͉̐̚̕͘͠i̷̡̫̗͔̙̥̮̮͚̗̞̮̹̊͂̆̃̉͌̉̉̇̈́̚̚͜t̸͕̣̺͎̄̈́̒̍̾̾͘͜͝ ̴̦̣̹̤̘̣̯͇̫̜̹̆͒͗́̎̅̈̍͗͜͠ḅ̸̡̛̹̰͙̺̲̖̪̱̪̭̀́̑̅́̒̓̊͝ę̴̜̩̦͕͈͖̊̎̋̏͘͜ỹ̵̨̱̞̩̯̥̣͖͖̲͇͙͚̞̬͒̋̓͛o̶̗̪̝̝̱̠̙̘̜͖̜̯̞̖̻͗̀̓͆͑̈̀̿͘͝ņ̶͚͙̹̻͑͑͜d̶̢̘̠͕̹̮͔̭͙̩͕͑̄͒ ̸̱̘͚̮̲͚̗͚̙̲̎̓̀̃̆̅́̈́̋͊̇̈͝͠h̸͚̝̙̼͇͎̙̯̑̈́͗̀ì̴̛͎̯̹̥̈́͌̐̔̓̿́͑̿͒s̷̢̺̲̮̱͓̠̞̝̱̳̣̤̮̤̀̏̑̐͐́̅̈́͗̀̎͒̍̕ ̷̢̲̮̭̱̼̾͑̊̏͜͜ͅr̴͎̖̲̬̝̐̆͑́̀̈́̽̈̚̚͜͝͝͝͠ͅę̷͇̺͈̝͇͇̰̽́̃̽̈́̌͜͠ͅa̸̢̧̢̫͚̫̗͍̮̩͍͚̱͑̀̄̎̅̈̄̊̈̏̅͑͂̌c̷͈̦̻̱̦̹̳̱̑̉͝ͅͅh̸͍̯̘̫̦̖̞̽͒̒͜͝͝ͅ?̵̻̼̪̑͋̌̄́͆̽̀̔


The story changes, and another possibility is written.

No, he was no Godhead.

He was no Vivec. He was something else.

He was a selfish desire born out of selflessness!

The paradox is written, and the anomaly does not disappear.

Another dream is born, and changes the dream around it. It does not replace it. It exists within it. An unnatural phenomenon in the dream that was devouring itself.

Growing stronger, reaching even greater heights! What an abomination he was...

He wakes from his slumber. He was dreaming of the past.

The vow he made in that moment remains unchanged. He would bring his brothers and sisters to their knees.

He would break their curse.

"Sir, what are your orders?" He looks at the altmer, and snorts. They were useful but only somewhat.

"You think that you can help me? You should know better." He laughs at this strange squirming creature. "I will bring down Tiber Septim. I will make him walk among his people again. You will have your engine. I promise you that." He would craft his greatest contraption. His greatest weapon. He would wield it against this dream, and those detestable aspects that were part of it.

He would create another dream according to his specifications. A better dream. Where the rule of law and order would reign. A decisive reality.

Where his friend could be free.

***​"I met him once." Vehk, and Vehk answers you. "He was broken in a way I could not fathom. I don't think anyone can truly say what he is now." The warrior poet tends to the fireplace.

You were in his cabin. It seems he was living in the wilderness.

"Who exactly is he?"

"He was a daedric prince but that's not the case anymore. He became mortal. It was the only way he could be sure that he wouldn't become that clown again. You have met the jester, yes?" Vivec throws another piece of wood into the fire.

"Sheogorath was interesting to say the least." You remember how he gave you his Wabbajack. It wasn't useful. The results were always unpredictable so you never used it. So, instead you used it as a coat hanger.

You are not sure what the mad god would think of that.

"Sheogorath changes. He always does. There is a Grey March, and he becomes Jyggalag. Then another person becomes Sheogorath until Jyggalag returns." Vivec turns around, and takes a seat next to you. "Now that has changed because of what Jyggalag has done. He did something no one expected he could. He became mortal, and in doing so broke out of his prison." Vivec leans back, and rocks in his chair.

"What's the problem then?"

"He is not satisfied."

"What do you mean he is not satisfied?" You lean forward, and electrocute a rodent that was nibbling at your feet.

"He wants to free his friend but the ritual to become mortal is complicated. Jyggalag only managed to do it because of a miracle. An unforeseen variable. Someone or something beyond my sight. He can't replicate it, and now he is seeking a way to destroy the dream. He thinks that he can make another dream to replace it. A dream where his friend can be free of his mantle. He is wrong of course, and his reason has left him." Vivec shakes his head. "He has to be stopped before he becomes another Dagoth Ur. This Numidium he is forging must be destroyed before the engine for it is found."

"What about Astrid, and Elenwen? Why did you kill them before they could speak?"

"I was not responsible. Jyggalag silenced their voices."

It begins to make sense. Vivec wasn't that other presence you felt in their souls.

It was Jyggalag, or rather the mortal he has become. How could he be so powerful?

"CHIM." Vivec answers you. "He found the Tower of Amaranth, and he didn't disappear. At least, that is what I thought..." The warrior poet seems extremely disturbed. "There was something *abnormal *in his desire. He almost became another Godhead. In that same moment he achieved CHIM. Normally, becoming a Godhead would not make you any more powerful but the paradox of his being? The fact that he is both Godhead, and CHIM? He is constantly struggling against his own existence. That contradiction generates more, and more energy. I tried to fight him but I nearly died. I escaped, and I began searching for you."

"You have got to be kidding me!" Alnaar speaks first, and he is indignant. "We already defeated Alduin the World Eater! Now there is another?"

"Just our luck, brother." You mock your black sword. "It is always like this."

"The rest I cannot help you with. I just know that the engine he seeks is Talos Stormcrown for he mantled Lorkhan, and in essence has become him." Vivec gets back up. You do the same. "This is where we must part ways for now. I am looking for more information, and if by chance I am fortunate I may find out how he plans to do this."

"Just like that? You are leaving after I almost murdered you?" There is a bemused expression on your face. "You could at least rest, and wait for your wounds to heal."

"No, there is no time. I will make due." Vivec leaves the cabin, and you are left alone in the dark.

"No rest for the wicked." You grumble, and then make your way outside.

You would prepare in the best way that you could.

[] You decide to send your dragons to Solitude and Windhelm. You need to bring General Tullius, and Ulfric Stormcloak to High Hrothgar. Your emissaries would collect them. The civil war must come to an end. A greater threat looms in the horizon, and you must be prepared for it.
[] You decide that Skyrim requires a ruler. Elisif the Fair is not enough, and she is a figurehead who is powerless against the machinations of the court. You promised the dragons a kingdom, and you would give them one. You would conquer Skyrim, and bring order to the land. You would rule over it.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Aug 5, 2018)

[x] You decide to send your dragons to Solitude and Windhelm. You need to bring General Tullius, and Ulfric Stormcloak to High Hrothgar. Your emissaries would collect them. The civil war must come to an end. A greater threat looms in the horizon, and you must be prepared for it.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - Breaking Bread (Aug 6, 2018)

You could hear them arguing. You could feel their fear, and their distaste. You move quickly, and force open the doors to the chamber.

Your presence leaves them breathless. You could feel their uncertainty.

"I am glad you could make it!" You slam your hands against the round table. They jump in surprise. You left a mark on them. How many of their dreams did you haunt? "Now shall we begin?"

"What is this about?" General Tullius is the first to speak. When he saw those dragons land in Solitude he expected a fight. No, instead they spoke to him. "What is going on?"

"You would join these dragons, and call them your comrades?" Ulfric Stormcloak is furious. When the dragons landed in Windhelm he was prepared for a fight. He was dragged to High Hrothgar against his wishes. "Do you know what they have done to us?"

"Whatever problems you have with my associates must be discussed later! We have a more important matter to talk about. The civil war is going to end today. Whether either of you like it or not." You decide that being blunt was your best course of action.

"I will not break bread with this king slayer!" General Tullius roars back, and gets up from his seat. You snap your fingers, and he is forced back down.

"The two of you are going to stay here until you hear everything that I have to say." You shake your head. That is when you take a seat at the head of the round table. "Then you are going to understand why this needs to happen."

"Why should we? What is this about?" Ulfric Stormcloak is the next one who speaks. He seems furious, and about ready to use his thu'um. You are certain that the only reason he doesn't is because of his respect for the Grey Beards.

You toss a journaltowards him. The king slayer grabs the book.

"Now let us start with the basics. I found that in the Thalmor Embassy after I massacred everyone there--"

"Do you know the sort of international incident that you caused? The thalmor are screaming for retribution, and they want your head!" General Tullius is livid. The problems continue to pile up, and he loathes the paperwork.

"You know that's not why they want me dead. They can't stand to see a nede or a nord surpass their ancestors." This was the same reason they wanted the worship of Talos Stormcrown banned. Their pride dictated their actions. Their haughty sense of superiority would drive them towards genocide. "They would see me dead just so any evidence could be wiped away! They would rewrite history, and make it their own!"

"Now you speak sense!" Ulfric Stormcloak agrees with you. He continues to read through the journal. He begins to shake with fury the more he reads every page. "What is this? Who wrote this?"

"The thalmor have a dossier on you. They consider you an asset."

"I am no asset! What this is saying... they lied to me. They told me what I revealed gave them the Imperial City. I was certain that it was my fault we lost the war. It wasn't true!"

You could feel the mountain shake. The king slayer could barely restrain his thu'um.

"They deem you uncooperative but your private war has been weakening their enemy. The peace treaty is a sham. They were just waiting for the best moment to catch the Cyrodilic Empire with their trousers down." You cackle, and then you lose your mirth. "You have been helping the thalmor. You just didn't know it."

"Those knife eared bastards!" The king slayer's thu'um echoes across Skyrim. "They thought to use me?" If before he was angry? He was now frothing with rage.

"I thought as much." General Tullius grumbles. He wasn't surprised. "That doesn't change the fact you have given them an excuse by attacking their embassy."

"It doesn't matter because the peace treaty must come to an end. The White-Gold Concordat must be broken, and the war must begin again. If we stand by and do nothing the thalmor would see this dream destroyed, and with it everything that you know." They both sputter when they hear that. They weren't going to like what you were going to say next.

"What are you talking about?" The general seems the most uncomfortable. "What dream?"

"I speak of this reality as you know it. Your sorcerers and philosophers call it the Aurbis. They have found the remains of the Numidium, and they are rebuilding it."

"They can try but nothing will come of it! They do not have anything that can--" Ulfric Stormcloak knew enough about the Brass Tower.

"They plan on capturing Talos Stormcrown, and have been banning his worship in order to weaken him. They were never skeptical of the fact that he was one of the divine. They knew that he was truly one of them, and they would use your patron deity to fuel the machine that would destroy you. Then they could write whatever history they want. They are vindictive like that."

There is a deadly silence. They both seem to deflate.

You could feel their overwhelming disbelief.

"Those lying cowards! Do they have any honor?" Ulfric Stormcloak looks like he is about to hurl his lunch. "This was their plan? They would use Tiber Septim against us? His own people? This is unforgivable!"

"This is disturbing to say the least. If what you say is true." General Tullius folds his arms over his chest. "If they plan to commit genocide against us then there is no point in pretending anymore. I can report this to the emperor but I would need evidence."

"There is no time for that! You heard Raziel. They have a Brass Tower, and now they only need Talos! Do you think that we stand a chance against such a thing? The thalmor are not going to spare anyone! You know how deep their hatred of us has become!" The king slayer is filled with disgust. This sort of sacrilege was unprecedented.

"I am aware, and that is why I have spies among their ranks." Whereas Ulfric Stomrcloak's fury was passionate? Tullius was tranquil, and cold. He was ruthless and efficient. "I have had my suspicions about them for a long time."

"Then you understand that their pleasantries are only there so they can take advantage of your weakness. They would smile at you, and in that same moment ready the knives in their sleeves." You frown, and look towards the general. "If you do not act first then the opportunity is going to slip through your fingers. You must break away from the empire, and declare martial law. Any thalmor in Skyrim must be executed on the spot. You must challenge them at every turn." It was a long shot but it was your best chance.

"You are asking me to do what?" General Tullius yells at you. "I am not going to betray the empire!"

"I am not asking you to betray the empire! I am asking you to save it!" You shake your head. "A lot of people can sacrifice their lives for their lord! Only a handful are willing to sacrifice their reputation and their rank! You would be branded a traitor and a dissident but your actions would save the empire!"

General Tullius grits his teeth, and clenches his hands. He considers what you just told him.

"You both heard the stories. This golem is nothing like what you can imagine. There is no one that can question that it was the greatest weapon ever forged in this realm. It would not differentiate between man, woman, or child. The thalmor would use this against you, and they would bring an end to your very memory." The dream would be crushed, and there would be nothing that would remain. No, not even the abyss would survive.

Ulfric Stormcloak looks devastated. "I will do whatever it takes! I will fight beside the Imperial Legion if I must! This must not come to pass! I will not let them use our god against us!"

General Tullius does not speak for a long time.

"You're not lying, and I know that..." The general seems resigned. "My soldiers will listen to me but if I do this? I will lose a lot more than just my standing with the emperor."

"I know, and the decision is in your hands. I will help you in any way that I can. I will try to convince the emperor to spare your life, and if he does not listen I will grant you sanctuary in High Hrothgar." You wouldn't let him lose everything.

"No, if that is my punishment I will accept it. I am no coward." General Tullius takes a deep breath. "Very well, I will do as you ask. It may take a while to prepare my soldiers, and I would have to strip the aristocracy of their privileges." He shakes his head. "Elisif the Fair is going to be furious once she finds out. I will have to imprison her for the time being."

"If what I have heard is true she is probably going to enjoy it." You smirk, and remember what Sybille Stentor told you. You have no doubt that the vampire is going to being paying the jarl a personal visit. However, it would be to satisfy a more carnal hunger. Her neck would be safe.

"I am going to ignore what you just implied." General Tullius narrows his eyes. He heard about Elisif the Fair's particular habits but he was responsible for bringing those rumors to an end. "Elisif the Fair is a chaste woman."

As true as they might have been.

"Yes, chaste. I am sure." You could already see how "chaste" Elisif the Fair was. Your visions were clear. The woman would consider this an opportunity to indulge in her fantasies. You frown, and wish that you couldn't see the future for once.

"You know, we should pay her a visit." Alnaar chuckles. "I think she would enjoy our company."

"You know my answer already."

"Oh, come on! You didn't let me have Dibella! Just let me have some royalty at least! I can taste her already!"

You ignore your black sword, and focus on Ulfric Stormcloak. He seems strangely pleased.

"Just thinking about those nobles and the looks of surprise on their faces when their protector betrays them is going to give me no end of pleasure." The jarl smirks, and you could feel his concerns begin to disappear. "We have an accord then?"

"Yes, we do." The general is already thinking of how he can take advantage of every one of his spies in order to assassinate those thalmor dignitaries. He would enjoy this immensely. "I will end hostiles with Ulfric Stormcloak. I will send whatever resources I can to Windhelm." He gets back up, and reaches out with his hand. "My soldiers will be a bulwark. You can rely on them against any enemy."

"I will have my men help the Imperial Legion in whatever way that they can, and order them to cease any attacks on their patrols." The jarl answers back. He seems satisfied. "I will send what soldiers I can to Solitude. They should know that nords do not abandon others in their time of need." The jarl takes the hand that was offered to him.

The war has come to an end.

***​You ease into your bed at High Hrothgar, and look to the ceiling. That was one problem taken care of. Now that Tullius, and Ulfric are working with each other? The thalmor won't see what is coming next. This was unprecedented. You have ruined their plans.

"This won't be enough, brother." Your black sword was always a naysayer. "You know that."

"I know."

You frown, and think about Jyggalag. There was no doubt in your mind that he was already making countermeasures, and backup plans.

This would not obstruct him for long. It only bought you some time.

"Yes, and that is always in short supply." You hear another voice in your room. Yes, you were expecting a visit.

"So, a dremora has come to get a name for themselves?" You were a mythological figure at this point. Naturally, there would be those that would want the honor of taking your life.

"Oh, I mean nothing by that!" When he appears you notice the strange way he is dressed. "That's the last thing I want."

​Now getting a better look at him you weren't even sure that he was a dremora. You wonder if he is a lich, or a member of the undead.

"Who are you, and why have you come here?" You couldn't sense any hostile intent. You get up from your bed, and stretch your arms. "You could have lost your soul barging into my room like that."

"Ah, yes... excuse me. My name is Ved Krovediik. I have come here because I have some important business to discuss with you. Raziel? That is the name you go by now?" What you could only presume was some strange subspecies of dremora gives you a courteous bow.

"Yes, that is my name. However, the dov now refer to me as Rahkriid." You get up, and approach this unexpected visitor. "Why is your name in dovahzul?"

"That is a long story, my lord! I will share that with you another time." He snaps his fingers, and a letter materializes in his hands. "I am here to speak of your inheritance. You see, Mehrunes Dagon left strict specifications as to what would happen if he is banished or is left otherwise indisposed."

You grab the letter. It wasn't in any language you should be able to understand but for some reason you did.

"Whomever defeats me in my own domain shall have ownership over all of the realms within the--" You can't be reading that right. "--Deadlands." You look back up. "They belong to me now?"

"Yes, they do. I am or rather I was Mehrunes Dagon's administrative assistant. I have served him for many years, and I admit they weren't exactly pleasant. I dealt with the schedules, the negotiations with his brothers and sisters, kept the records of his conquests, made sure his dremora stayed loyal, and managed the more *complicated* aspects of ruling over countless realities. The paperwork is staggering but I can handle it." You grow more curious as this otherworldly creature continues to speak. He didn't carry himself like the rest of the dremora. He was professional. He was polite.

That concerned you more than anything else.

"How does that even work? The realms are a part of Mehrunes Dagon--"

"They were a part of him. Now they are a part of you."

You begin to understand. When it mentions ownership?

"I am a daedric prince?"

"Not exactly but you are a close approximation. You can't take my former master's mantle, and as a result of this the Deadlands are going to start changing in order to reflect who you are." Ved Krovediik sounds ecstatic for some reason. "I hope the weather changes. It does get dull after a while. The fire and brimstone grates on a person's nerves after a couple of centuries. If you can possibly understand what that is like?"

"I think that I can." You grumble, and you remember when you sat on your throne in Pandemonium. "What does this entail?"

"It means that I am at your disposal! Just ask of me anything that you desire, and I shall see if I can get it. If you wish for your dremora to join you? I will bring them to you! If you wish for the warmth of another? There are many concubines to choose from! You are going to need heirs, and I would educate them on the matters of the court. I suggest you work on that immediately." The lich folds his arms over his chest. "You should expect more than a few visits. Your brothers and sisters have a coronation waiting for you. In particular, Azura requested that you meet her. I would avoid Nocturnal. You know how you spurned her."

"Azura wishes to speak with me? What is it about?"

"In regards to what I previously mentioned... you need an heir. Azura has offered to give you one."

Now that was surprising but not unexpected.

"I swear if you ignore her like you did Dibella you are not a man anymore--" Alnaar decides that now is the time to speak.

"I will consider it." You answer the lich.

"Wait, what?" Your black sword is surprised. "This is because she looks like a dark elf, isn't it?"

"No, this is about the fact that I need an heir." You lie through your teeth. Oh, dark elves... "I understand the necessity, and this has nothing to do with love. I can cement a friendship with a powerful ally."

"A wise decision, Raziel. I will keep that in mind the next time I meet the princess of dusk and shadow. I am sure she will be happy to hear your response. Now as for the coronation? Where exactly do you want to hold it? You can do so in your domain but I suggest doing so in another. Just in case any of your siblings decide to use it as an excuse to invade, and take some of your realms from you." Ved Krovediik snaps his fingers, and a notepad appears in his hands. He begins writing in it.

"I believe I have an idea."

You knew exactly where you should have this coronation.

[] You should meet in Moonshadow. Azura is positively smitten with you. It has been centuries since you saw her last, and you know she would be grateful if you choose to do this.
[] Sheogorath is trustworthy, and completely unpredictable. He helped you defeat Alduin the World Eater. He may have more information on Jyggalag. The Shivering Isles could be a safe place to have this coronation.
[] The Ashpit was a possibility, and you remember that you impressed Malacath. He was honorable, and respected your courage. You doubt that he would betray you.
[] You would like to add insult to injury, and decide to visit Apocrypha. It was recovering from the damage you did but slowly. Hermaeus Mora is no doubt furious with you. You can use this opportunity to assimilate his realms. You take this chance to consolidate more power, and have your coronation at the same time.


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## trexalfa (Aug 6, 2018)

[X] You should meet in Moonshadow. Azura is positively smitten with you. It has been centuries since you saw her last, and you know she would be grateful if you choose to do this.

Giving you an opportunity to satisfy that thirst with


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## Galo de Lion (Aug 6, 2018)

[X] You should meet in Moonshadow. Azura is positively smitten with you. It has been centuries since you saw her last, and you know she would be grateful if you choose to do this.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Aug 6, 2018)

[x] Sheogorath is trustworthy, and completely unpredictable. He helped you defeat Alduin the World Eater. He may have more information on Jyggalag. The Shivering Isles could be a safe place to have this coronation.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - The Undying One (Aug 6, 2018)

Ved Krovediik is the one who guides you further into the abyss. You pass by universes, and multiverses. You see demons and gods who are so grand in scope that they threaten to squash these realities with every step they take. If you were anyone else your mind would have broken. Your consciousness would have shattered, and you would have been reduced to a gibbering lunatic.

However, you were not anyone else.

You are a concept. You are a story.

The Eternal Champion.

The Nerevarine.

Your face changes, and your body transfigures with every step. The malleability of this realm bringing out every one of your identities. You quiet the noise inside your soul, and you are yourself once more.

"You have a certain history, and I have researched it." Ved Krovediik is straightforward as always. "However, I suspect there are things that even I don't know about you. That no one in this dream does."

"You would be surprised by how little I know about myself." You grimace, and try to ignore them.

You were both crossing distances beyond measure. It was with every movement that you shot forward traveling through what should surely be infinite.

You know that distance and time is irrelevant. You are everywhere, and nowhere. Your soul permeates the cosmos. You would reach your destination.

​Moonshadow.

The land of eternal twilight. The home of your mistress. Where dusk and shadow meet each other. It was as if the realm itself was gently caressing you. You could hear promises being whispered to you. You can feel hands running across your skin, and the lips of another kissing every part of your being.

This place was an extension of your lover. It was awash with her affection for you.

"Yeah, baby! I'm back!" Alnaar was in a state of utter euphoria.

"You have a talent for ruining these moments. You do know that?" You chide your black sword. He could never control himself.

"I am just excited! You might not remember her but I do." You begin to wonder how much your black sword knows. He has a habit of omitting these things.

"I am sure the rest of your brothers and sisters are going to arrive soon." Ved Krovediik guides you deeper into the realm. "In the mean time you should reacquaint yourself with Azura. The immaculate one misses you dearly."

"I can handle this. I do not wish for your ilk to stay here longer than necessary." You hear her your voice after so long. You turn around, and your mistress is there. "The undead have no place here."

​You are surprised when you see her. The memories begin to come back to you. You distinctly recall that she assumed the form of a dunmer before but now she had the appearance of a nede. Her hair was like ivory, and had a particular hint of cerulean. Her eyes were like sapphires. The goddess wore a crown of roses, and she only had enough modesty to cover her legs. Her breasts were bare, and free of any strapping.

"I understand your grace. I know that I can be unnerving." Your servant bows, and greets the goddess with respect. "I must return to the Deadlands. There is work to be done." He turns around to meet your eyes. "I am not welcome in this realm, and I do not want to try her patience."

"You may take your leave, Ved." You give your servant permission, and he disappears.

You were alone with her.

"You haven't changed at all." Her smile was bright, and you could feel warmth emanate from her. The goddess was beckoning you.

"I thought Meridia was the one who hated the undead?" You don't remember Azura barring them from her realm before.

"Oh, you can be sure of that. There is nothing she despises more than them." Azura closes the distance between you. "I just wanted some privacy. You have met Vehk, and Vehk?" Azura seems confused. "Why does he still live?"

"His life is what punishes him. He cannot escape his divinity, and that is curse enough." That wasn't the whole truth. A part of you wanted to forgive him.

"You are lying to me." Azura frowns. "You still think of him as a friend after what he did to you?"

"I wish I didn't but I can't help myself." You were flawed, and broken. You always were. "You know my nature better than anyone."

"I do." There is something melancholic in her inflection. "I am jealous."

"Don't be. He is a friend." You grab her, and embrace her.

"Vivec is not who I speak of." Azura looks into your eyes. "Irileth has stolen your heart. Just like I did centuries ago."

"Yes, she has." You could not escape that truth.

The goddess squeezes you tighter.

"You have a daughter?" The goddess changes the subject.

"Ciri is certainly something. Whatever life I live she always gets herself in trouble. Now there is Shalil. I think she needs a father. Irileth needs my help raising her." You remember them, and how much they mean to you.

"It is alright." Azura pushes you away. "You don't have to do this."

"I have an obligation."

"Just like that?"

You could hear her voice crack.

"I am not going to stay in this dream forever. There will come a time where I have to leave." You haven't forgotten. Kain has to answer for what he has done to Nosgoth, and the parasite on the Wheel has to be destroyed. "I need an heir. A child who can take on the responsibilities of ruling the Deadlands. Any children I have with Irileth will be mortal but if I have a child with you? They can take on my role."

You can see her tears. "That's what I am to you? A concubine?"

"No, I would never think of you that way. My memories are a blur but my feelings haven't changed. You are my mistress." You wipe her tears away. "I am your champion. The Nerevarine."

You capture her lips in yours, and she eases into you.

"I hate you."

"I know."

Your fingers interlock with hers. You bring her to the ground.

"You can pretend that I am her if you want." Azura grabs you, and you begin kissing every part of her body.

"Why would I ever do such a thing?" You travel down her body, and reach her dress. You rip her full length skirt away, and you are not surprised when you see she wasn't wearing any undergarments. You force her legs open, and make use of your tongue. "I need only think of you."

"I have to thank whoever taught you this!" Azura locks her legs around your head. You taste her. You do not know why but you are reminded of sweet rolls. You lap at her. Your tongue invades her, and teases her. The goddess bites her lip, and she squeezes her legs tighter. You can feel her shake. Her juices soak your face. That is when she lets you go. "That was brilliant..."

You crawl back up to her face, and kiss her. You give her a taste.

"How do you like it?" You ask her.

"You have certainly grown into a shameless pervert." Azura looks lovingly at you. "I don't taste bad..."

There is something predatory in your eyes. "Now what shall we do next?"

Azura gets back up from the grass, and begins undoing your armor and robes. When your buckle is undone, and your pants are pulled down? "I think you already know the answer to that. Now be a dear, and ruin me." The goddess spreads her legs, and you grab them.

"I can do that." Your voice lowers a few octaves. Your hunger was evident. You make use of yourself. You push against her entrance, and force your way inside.

The goddess makes a delightful noise. You can feel her pain, and her pleasure. You torture her as you slowly make your way inside of her. You hit the hilt, and your lover gasps. Your quicken your pace, and ravage her. You ruin her for any other man. They won't be able to please her like you do. You thrust with a vigor that would drive anyone insane. The euphoria forces the goddess into screaming obscenities.

"Raziel!" The goddess screams your name. "Yes, baby! Please don't stop! I am your goddess! I am your plaything!" You destroy her. You devastate her. You leave her a crumbling ruin. You make her your pet.

You kiss her again, and her tongue grapples with your own.

You could sense that your lover was about to burst. You match her pace so that you may both lose yourselves in that same ecstasy.

"You are mine, Azura!" You scream, and she quivers with joy when you speak her name. "You always will be!" You embrace her as you release. Her juices soak you as you shoot inside of her. You make a garden. You plant your seeds, and leave her breathless as you remain inside of her. Your mistress was overflowing.

Her fingers run through your ivory hair, and she grabs your face. You feel her lips against yours.

"I belong to you. So, use me as you see fit. Humiliate me, disgrace me, break me, force me to bear your children as many times as you want. If it pleases you I accept it wholeheartedly."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

***​When you arrived at the epicenter of Moonshadow you did not arrive alone. Azura was by your side.

"They should be here soon." The goddess seems distracted. "If you can try to be polite."

"You know how difficult that is for me."

"Raziel..."

You knew that tone. The goddess would use it every time she would scold you.

"It depends entirely on them. If they do something that is--"

"Bereft of anything approaching honor and reason you would strike them down where they stand?"

Your are surprised when the goddess speaks the words for you.

"You haven't changed at all." Azura repeats herself.

"Yes, I suppose I haven't." You are amused.

"I would be careful around them, brother." Alnaar is satisfied, and tired. You granted his wish. "They do not understand criticism."

"I already know that." You shake your head, and that is when they start to appear. Hermaeus Mora is the first to appear.

"I am Hermaeus Mora!" A mass of eyes, and tentacles materializes in the sky.

"No one cares." You impulsively say the first words that come to mind.

"Raziel!"

"Brother!"

You roll your eyes.

"I mean it is wonderful to make your acquaintance tentacled one! Have you violated any schoolgirls lately?" You do it again.

Those thousands of eyes glare at you.

"How dare you--"

"Are you having problems with M'aiq the Liar? I hear he humiliated your champion, and then managed to break out of your service. A loophole in the contract if I remember correctly?" You grab your chin, and raise your brow. "Plus, there's what I did to Apocrypha. You are certainly at your weakest, aren't you?"

"..." Hermaeus Mora does not speak. He knew the truth just as you did.

You wear a sadistic smirk.

"I wonder how many vultures are circling around you now. If you are not careful your realms could be forfeit." You were making plans already. You just needed the right opportunity.

"This is not why we are here." Hermaeus Mora changes the subject.

"No, I suppose it isn't." You frown, and then sense another.

Sheogorath has his cane, and his chamberlain Haskell is with him. "Ah, there you are! I have been looking all day for you! I loved what you did with the Wabbajack! A coat hanger? Genius!" You have no doubt that he is being sincere.

A boy with horns, and a shaggy dog are next. You recognize them as Clavicus Vile, and Barbas. "Oh, come on! I won't do it again. I promise. Besides, that khajit was terrifying." He speaks to his hairy companion.

"Yeah, sure. I will believe that." Barbas didn't believe him. He knew better by now. "You never betrayed my trust before! You are better than that!" You could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

"Yes, exactly! I never lie!" Clavicus Vile doesn't seem to notice that it is sarcasm, and if he does? He doesn't seem to care.

After that you sense something swirl around you. A cloud of darkness materializes in front of you. It becomes a horned woman, and who was wielding a scepter. There were snakes coiling around her. Vaermina the mistress of dreams, and nightmares. "A pleasure to see you again, Rahkriid." There is something friendly in her voice. "I hope you have given me more fears to feed on."

"You know I won't disappoint you." You smirk, and give her a courteous bow. "I promise you that by the time I am done there will be many more sleepless nights..."

"Oh, you are making me moist! If you talk like that again I might have to steal you from my sister." Vaermina looks at you lecherously. "You can always share my bed in your dreams. You need only ask."

You might have to take her up on that offer one day.

Azura gives her a nasty look. "If you harm a single hair on his head--"

"Do not worry, sister. I can be gentle." However, the mistress of nightmares knew that you could handle anything. You have a wealth of experience that exceeds even her own.

You could smell wine. Sanguine appears, and he is alone for once. "Raziel! I have to thank you! Dibella hasn't bothered me in days! It is refreshing to say the least!" He seems happy, and his confidence has found him again.

"Yes, but she has been bothering me instead." You grumble, and haven't forgotten that you were the object of her affections now. "I am starting to regret helping you."

He gives you a sympathetic look.

"I hope you manage better than I did." He scratches the back of his head. "Just be careful she doesn't pounce you in your sleep."

You grumble, and shake your head. What a nuisance.

A dragon lands, and as he hits the ground the life around him dies. Peryite. The weakest one in their number but the most intimidating in appearance. He was no dov, and he declines to speak. His domain was disease, and sickness.

Namira is next. So far she is the most benign in appearance wearing robes, and assuming the form of a breton. A brunette, and a sultry woman. You could see blood dripping from her lips, and notice the insects gather around her bare feet. Her sustenance was in the decaying and repulsive. When she looks at you realize that she hungers for you but not in the way that you would like. If you weren't careful you would be on her dinner table.

It doesn't escape Azura's sight.

"If you make the mistake of trying to devour my betrothed? You will have only yourself to blame when he runs you through with his sword."

Namira smiles, and swallows the piece of meat that was in her mouth. "I wonder what he would have tasted like."

You see spiders craft a web in the air, and from within that web Mephala bursts forth. You could feel spiders crawling all over your body when you look at . You see that she has four eyes, four arms, and two legs. Strangely enough, despite her inhuman appearance there was something alluring about her. Her dress, and her crown were made in the same material as the webbing. They were the deepest ebony you have ever seen.

"Ah, Raziel. I have been watching you for a long time. What you did with Darth Vader? It was exquisite." Mephala seems to be pleased by your deception. "You weave your lies expertly. I could have a use for you."

How did she even know about that? Her reach was not beyond this dream.

"You carry the force with you, and it has not forgotten." The lady of secrets and plots answers you. "What it whispers to me? Oh, that realm is certainly interesting."

You frown, and hope that she doesn't manage to free herself from this dream. They have problems already. They don't need her adding to them.

Boethiah is next. There was something in his or her appearance. This creature was androgynous, and not unlike Vivec. The entity would shift between man, and woman every few seconds. Whatever domain it has revolved around deceit and treachery. The unlawful overthrow of authority. Their interests were that of sedition and rebellion.

"Mephala speaks of your deeds." This creature is amused. You hear a man. "You are someone I would enjoy having in my service." Whatever this thing is giggles. You hear a woman.

"I belong to only one of you." You grab Azura on her shoulder, and wear a condescending smirk. "I am afraid you will have to find another pawn."

"You should be wary of him, Boethiah!" You see an orsimer. The orc is wielding a hammer, and only wears a loincloth. "He may be the one who humbles you!" He came from the Ashpit, and you recognize him immediately. Malacath who was the keeper of the Sworn Oath, and the Bloody Curse. The spurned, and ostracized flock to him. He was not always one of them. He was an aedra once. He smirks, and there is approval in his laughter. "Rahkriid! I would call you my brother!"

A light shines in from above, and you see stars flicker in the sky. A sunbeam hits the ground, and you see a transparent figure. Meridia appears before your eyes. Once upon a time she was one of the Magna Ge. Now she wandered the abyss. "You reek of death, mortal! You were one of the undead!"

You could feel her disgust, and her fury.

"Yes, I was a vampire but that is not the case anymore."

"It does not matter! The corruption has left a mark on your soul!"

You know that if things were different she would see you purified in her scorching fire. "I am here to replace Mehrunes Dagon. Whether you like it, or not."

Meridia seethes, and does not speak any further.

You could hear screams of pain, and agony. People who were being tortured. People who being forced down and defiled. Molag Bal appears, and he carries his mace with him. "I should flay you alive for hurting what is mine." It goes unsaid but you know what he means. He was the only one allowed to hurt Vehk, and Vehk.

"I will do what I want!" You wear a sadistic smirk. "You should be glad I spared him."

He growls, and moves forward to smash you with his mace but there is another who stops him. He backs away, and gives her a wide berth.

Ur-Dra.

The first daedra. There was no one stronger than her. Only Jyggalag posed a threat to her, and he was no longer one of them. Now the night mistress held seniority over her siblings.

"Why did you spit in my face?" Nocturnal approaches you, and ignores the rest of them. "I could have given you so much more in my Evergloam."

"I am no nightingale, and I despise thieves." You tilt your head, and unsheathe your black sword. "The only one I will accept by my side is Azura. If you do not honor that? You will become my enemy."

There is a hush among the daedric princes. There were few brave enough to point a weapon at the Ur-Dra. Those fools died quickly. Lady Luck was not known for her mercy.

"I want what isn't mine. I want what I can't have." Nocturnal seems wistful. There wasn't a single thief who wasn't like her. "Very well, I will respect your wishes. Azura... you have no idea how lucky you are."

This surprises every single one of them. The last time someone refused her their punishment was a sight to behold. Now she would forgive this usurper. What was the reason? It escapes them.

Nocturnal uses her fingernail, and cuts deeply into her palm.

"If I am to call you my brother we must mix our blood."

A blood pact? You look at her suspiciously.

"This won't change you. It is simply a matter of tradition." Nocturnal addresses your concerns.

You use your black sword, and stab yourself in your hand. After you are done you grab Nocturnal's hand, and your blood mixes together. A devious thought enters your mind. You pull on her hand, and catch the night mistress in a kiss.

Her eyes open wide in surprise but eventually she eases into your embrace. You break away from her.

"I may belong to another but I am not above a dalliance." You wear a cheeky grin.

Nocturnal touches her lips, and smiles at you. "You are a bold one." Her displeasure from before disappears, and is replaced by a primal desire. "I will keep that in mind..."

You were one of them now.

A daedric prince.

[] You decide to search for Vivec. You feel that he is somewhere beneath Skyrim's soil and gravel. He is investigating the dwemer ruins that are hidden underground. A place known only as Blackreach.
[] Your family is in danger. As your reputation and influence grows more people search for ways to exploit them. You return to Whiterun. You must retrieve Irileth, and Shalil. Ciri could not be left to fend for herself as powerful as she was. Ved Krovediik can keep them safe in the Deadlands.


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## trexalfa (Aug 6, 2018)

[X] Your family is in danger. As your reputation and influence grows more people search for ways to exploit them. You return to Whiterun. You must retrieve Irileth, and Shalil. Ciri could not be left to fend for herself as powerful as she was. Ved Krovediik can keep them safe in the Deadlands.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - I Won't Let You Destroy My World! (Aug 7, 2018)

Something was wrong.

You could feel it. Jyggalag wasn't being idle. Your soar through the Deadlands, and rush towards Whiterun. You hit the planet like a meteorite. Your landing shakes Skyrim but you are not fast enough.

An army, and within it you see something that nearly makes your heart stop.

You are reminded of seekers but these creatures held no loyalty to Hermaeus Mora. Countless eyes, and tentacles. An unnatural hunger. A desire for law, and order. It was with every movement that the world around them began to lose every color. They were eating reality.

"What in the world are these things?" Your grimace, and unsheathe your black sword.

"Denizens of the First Aether. Jyggalag managed to summon them somehow. They belong to Singularity, and they would regulate this dream." Alnaar is tense, and you can feel his trepidation. How in the world could Jyggalag do this? No one in this dream was supposed to be this powerful. "They would make everything like them. They would poison this reality with their stagnate repetition."

You charge forth, and stand in front of Whiterun. The guards were on the ground, and were shaking uncontrollably. They couldn't handle what they were seeing. You snap your fingers, and apport them back into their barracks. They would only get in your way.

"Dad, what are those things?" Your daughter chooses the worst time to make her appearance. Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon did not know what she was facing.

"Those *things *are something you can't handle! Now retreat to Dragonsreach, and get Irileth! If I am right Shalil should be with her! You need to protect them!" You roar back at her. You were frustrated. You didn't want to see her die. You have already seen enough of your children perish.

"I am not leaving you again! I already abandoned you once!" Your daughter is furious. You are pushing her aside.

"You don't understand! These things they won't just take your life! They will take your identity! They will make you into more of themselves!" You already see the bandits near them become just like them. They were distorting, and infecting the world around them. Just like the Lords of the Higher Worlds.

"No, if that's the case you need my help--"

You gesture towards her, and then suddenly she disappears. You banish her to Dragonsreach. Now she would have no choice but to stay there.

"You know she is going to hate you for that later, brother!" Alnaar unleashes the dragon within him. He becomes engulfed in black flames, and they eat reality just like the rigid ones.

"That's good!" It doesn't matter if she hates you. Your daughter has to live. "That means she is alive!" You wouldn't stand by, and watch her die. You refuse.

There were hundreds of them, and soon they would become thousands. Then those thousands would become millions, and so forth until nothing on this planet wasn't like them. They wouldn't stop until everything was diseased with this sameness.

You couldn't be turned. Your soul was stronger than that.

You dash forward, and cleave through them by the dozens. Their tentacles crash through time, and space. They smash every history to pieces. If you belong to the past, the present, or the future you would disappear as they struck you.

You feel them hit you, and send you flying but your soul refuses to break. You get back up, and fight them again. You gesture with your hand, and the dream changes as hundreds of them are disintegrated. Your body crackles with eldritch energies, and this was not the force. It was something greater.


E̵͙̲̺͔̼͚̖̺̫̐̐̄̈́̆͊̈͂́͂̚t̷̤̼̬͉͉̦̙̞̯̳̀̎͜͝ẻ̴̢̢͎̳̯̙̝̻̮͋̆̿̾͗̒̂͒͒̀͘̕r̷̡̛̬̫̖͇̒̃̈́̆̄̊͂͝n̵̼̯͈̙̻͓̔́å̴͖̜̬̪l̷̡̢̞̜̝̣̬̯͇̞̖̣̳̈́̂͑̐ͅ ̴̗͍̞̈́͒́̈C̸̩͈͙̫̟̒͒͋̃̆h̴̗͉̼͊͗̾̀͂̽̽͐̾̕̕a̵̢̡̢͎͍̞̠͇̗̥͉̩͎̜̽͐̒͂͊̃̅̄̏͂̑̆̔͘̚ͅm̴̩̘̤̎̓͌́̌̐͆̊̆̆̓͂͝p̵͖̂̊͋̌̿̀͂͑̉͐̚͝į̶͙̠͍̦͚̟͍̥͌̀͗͌̔̈́̈́̒̍͑̚ǒ̷̦̗̀̒͒n̸̨̨̨̛̟̩̥̝̝̦̬͊͌̐͊͑̆͆̅͌̕͠ͅ!̷̢̢̹̪̟͍͚̮́̾̆͛͌


You hear them gargle in a language that renders reality asunder. They cast, and weave spells. The dream around them is manipulated, and changed. You feel sharp wind, and scorching fire. You feel crushing water, and agonizing lightning. It assaults your body, mind, and soul. You laugh maniacally.

"You would destroy my jewels?" They would not make it past you. You would make sure of that. "You would rip them away from this dream?" You would dissect their souls. You would scatter them across the four winds. "I will teach you! I show you who I am!" Your song will be sung.


D̷̨̡̘̝̝̗͎̫͙̯͍͗́̑͋̏͋̒̿̔̓̉̏͘͝ͅe̸̥̬̖͇̖̘͗̂̐̊͌̒͂͂̈͐͊͘ä̵̹́r̷̢̧̛͚̫̜͖̻̠͋̽̂̑́͆͐̓̄̀͝ ̷̳̱͔̗̫́t̵̢̹̻̳͉̱͙̲̤̰͚̲̠̺͂̓͛̓̍̉̏̍͠í̴̧̘̟̪͉͖̼̳̙͖̫͍̝͔̀̇́̉̓̐̉̉̀̾͂̏͛m̸̨̧̹̪͙̜̜̲̭̞̍̈́̃̉̃̊̿̄̕͝e̷̗̟͈̺̟̘̦̘̬̬̱͔͋̉̈̄̾̎̈͝,̷̢̟͈̮̋̇͑̿̂̂̾̕̚͘ ̵̡͙̗̰͖͙͕̪͚̟͚̳̯̏̎̆ͅh̶̢̢͚̙̗̤̖̭̖̺̯̎̄̍̕̚͜͜a̶̮̖̲͎͒̔̍͑͠ͅͅḽ̷͉͓͖̜̘̞̓̎͐͗̈́t̶̤͖̲̺͖̺͈̝̪̔̋͌͗̕͠ ̴̙̖̙̫̥̯̭̞̱̋́̽̉͜ẙ̷͉͍̝̳͒̋̒̚͠ŏ̵͉̣͌̐̄̀͗̂̓͌̇͘̚͝͝͝u̵̟̱̠̹͇͔̺̫͒̃̽̑̾͊̔̿̃̎̇̈͘͝͝r̸̝̰̫̮̟̽͋̊̀ş̶̦͍̯͈͇̫̀̓̓̃̅̎̊̔̅̀̃͝ȩ̸͕̬̄̓́̒̕l̴̳̦̍̓̃͠f̸͙̗̳̹̼̻̬̪̯̑̄̇͋̿̇̃ ̶̨̨͈̮̺̪̳͇͍͇̘̹͗̋͑̌̉̓͠ͅi̴̡̩͈̳̺͓̐̿̀̉̀͊̇̓͘̚̚͜͝͝n̸̢͓͓̪̬̜̞̘̳̮̈ ̷̨͕͙̲̖̩̝̙̳̳̯̻͍́̀̑̎̀̿̋̌̿̂̈́̋̕͠y̴̨̧̛̳͉̟͈͌̊̄͐̽̈̽ͅo̴̱͖̹̭͇͙͍̜̠̥͊͆͊̓̔̊̓͑̀̽͆͘͘͘ͅu̵̧̯͈̼̰̰̖̠̮̭̪̐͌̈́̚ͅr̶̨̯̱̈͒̓̀͘͝ ̸̢̛͉̦͖̞̫̹̤͚̝̯̰͚̟̖̓̾̀̆̍͝͠t̶̛̙̮͕̘̍̀̒̀̎̐͆̚ͅͅr̷̢̡̧͎͖̮̫̜̤̾͐͐̂͆̓ã̷͎̘̩̙̩͝ç̵̧̩̮̩̝̜̦̣͙̘͓̤̭̈͜ķ̸̠̣̲̣̟̤͎͇͈͚͉͖̜̗̿̐̒̃́́̌͛͗͐̒̆͗̄͝s̸̥̻͇͎̜̖̐̊͊̉̎̉̓̾̒͘͘̚ ̵̡̬̤̼͇̻̮̗͙͔̯̬̮̱̙̉̈̔̔̆̋͗̾͌̄͂̂̌̎ḟ̶̰̰͙̦̟͎͉̪͕̂̈́̈́̈́͌͌͘ò̵̡̨̨̯͎̟͓̪̜̝̜̮͇̰̍̓̎́͆͆̆̂̑͌̚r̸̢̢̟͇̦̹͇̹̲̦͔̗͙͈̟͐͒͋̓̏̀̅͊̊̿̒̚ ̸̯̹͔̯̲̖͚̰̗̂͛̽͛́̅̅̅ͅͅỷ̴̗͕̘͔͐̆͜ỏ̷̢̪͉͇͎̓̈́̅́̽̑͆͋͛͝͠͝ͅü̷͙̭̹̥̇̑̀̏̈̔̊̀̈́ ̵̧̜̞͖͈͚͋͊͐͛̊͋͌̇̆͊̅͘͜͜͝a̷̛̪̞͙͚̦̹̮̣͇͒̏̆͂̀͛̊̈́̕͜͝ṙ̵̢̦͕̦͍͍͈̻̯̂̾͆̔̅̒̉͗̃̄͜e̴͚͙͍̅͐̉́͜ ̶̙̄̓̀͌̽̑͊̃͌̓͆͗̓͝͠ẗ̶̡̧̰͙̰̜̠̬̘́h̴̡̢͖̳̱͍͒͋͂̂͂͑̽̋̀̈ẽ̴̡͇̣̖̼̘̠̗͖͉̩̖͈̜̃͊̽̓͒̋̇͌̚ͅ ̶̠̠̼͉̼̞̠̰̈̀͘͜͝m̴͈͚̳̮̃̒̈̂̑̍̄̕͘͝o̷̯̒͋̈͑͊̚͠͝͝ṣ̷̨̢̛̼͔̼̹̰͎̫̠͈̞̫̐́̓̇́̀̾̉̑̕ţ̴̨̘̣͉̭͓̺͚͑̀ ̶̢̡͈͚̟̯͓̋͌́̓̍͒̕͘͝d̷̛̛̰͙͕͍̥̗̪̩̫̙̆̒̅̆̈́̄͗̆̚ã̶͓̖̈́̎̀͒̍̽͋́z̴̯̗̗̮̦̲̙͓̄̍͜͝͝z̴̨̡̡̫̣̻͍̹͖̟̺̣̞̽̾̍͌̽͊̎̅̌̉͌̕͠͠ͅl̷͙͖͓̹͖͙̼̥̼̏͜i̶̜͋͋́n̵̨̡͕̫͔̝̦̫̉̽͗̆̑̂͜͝͝ͅģ̷̳̳̰͈̘͈̺͋͆͊̒̚͝ͅ ̸̝͇͍̖̹̭̏̇̓̆͊̾͑̎̾̓͗b̸̧͎͎͛e̶͉͗̈́͋͛̋̇͠á̸̝̥͎̮̗̰͑̊͊͂͋̉́́̀̔ṵ̴̜̞̂̀͊͗̿͝t̵͈̘̺̻̘̞͐̌̓͑̐̂̏͌͒͑́̈́̍͜͝ÿ̵̢̙̀̄ ̶̛̩̈́͠ǫ̸͎̠̭̹́̾̀̒̈͘͝͝ͅf̸̡͍̱͙̝̬̼̲̞̝͈̙̑̊̊́̆́̀̄̀̿ͅ ̵̧̱̥̀̏̄͗̈́́̃a̸̧̨̮͚̟̙̬̮̹͈̳̜̾́̇̈́͂͌ͅĺ̸͓̘͈͍͎͚̔̋̆̍͠͝ļ̷̨̺͇͔̻͎͈̮̰͇͉̙͊̔̂ͅ!̷̛̯̥̰̪͌̀̾͑́́̈́̀̄̌̏͗̌̚


You wouldn't spare a single shred of their being. You would erase them completely.

Your black sword joins you in your relentless massacre. His heart sings with joy as he bathes in the blood of your enemies.

You push through their spells, and cut through their attacks. You reduce them to pieces, and roar! Your voice breaks reality, and leaves them in shambles.

This was no thu'um. It was the anguish of your soul. The pain and suffering of countless lives. The tragedies you endured. The lies you have lived. You were a living metaphor. You were something figurative that became tangible. An abstract that became real.

In every story there is a hero. In every story there is a villain.

They were a part of you.

A narrative defined by only one person. You were the writer, and you could change it.

"You are going to miss." You whisper, and then suddenly their attacks change direction. They veer wildly, and crash into your surroundings. "You are going to die."

You could feel dozens of them die for no reason. There were no wounds. No techniques, and no curses. Not a single scratch on them. They simply died.

"There is nothing my black sword can't cut." You slice through mystical wards, and defenses that were unquestionably perfect. They could block anything. They could be a bulwark against any wizard or witch in Yggdrasil. Yet, they fail against your brother.

They try to seize the narrative from you. They try to make the story their own.

You don't let them.

"I will not lose, and I will save them!" You are renewed, and your vigor returns. You would win this battle. Your body crackles with lightning, and you conjure a distortion in the force that hurdles through their ranks. Just as Darth Sidious did. A storm in the force, and a rupture in the fabric of reality. It devours them, and ravages the countryside. It crashes through mountains, and reduces them to dust. You gesture, and bring the force storm overhead. You sense the source of these malefactors.

Secunda and Masser. Jyggalag uses them as a gateway. The moons in the abyss. The remnants of Lorkhan. These celestial bodies were more than just what they appeared at first glance. They were universes. They were not finite like this earth.

You beckon the force storm, and change the story. It shouldn't be able to do this. The force shouldn't be this powerful. It did not matter.

"Today, I break them!" The force storm soars through Oblivion, and crashes into them. They crack, and break. They shatter into dozens of pieces. The remains of the divine are unmade.

You commit what is surely sacrilege but you don't care. You wouldn't let these abominations have this planet. You wouldn't let them have the woman you love. You wouldn't let them have your children. You wouldn't let them have your friends. You would show Jyggalag what you were capable of.

You do not relent. You do not compromise.

You would save everyone.

"I won't let you destroy my world!"

They disintegrate.

Whiterun would see tomorrow.

***​"Do you have any idea what you have just done?" Balgruuf the Greater is beside himself.

"I presume this is about the fact that I destroyed Secunda and Masser?" You grimace, and realize what would happen next.

"Yes, that is precisely what I am talking about!" The jarl gets up from his throne, and punches you in the face. You don't try to dodge it. You let him hit you. He flinches, and grabs his hand. He only succeeds in hurting himself.

"This is unwise." He kicks you in the groin, and he screams when he nearly breaks his leg.

"What are your testicles made out of?" He grabs his leg, and rubs his knee. " I swear it is like hitting granite!" That was going to leave a bruise.

"Your guess would be as good as mine." You try to contain your laughter. "Where are Irileth, and Shalil? Are they safe?"

"They are fine... your daughter has been watching over them." The jarl folds his arms over his chest, and shakes his head. "This is about the worst thing that has ever happened to me. How am I supposed to explain this?"

"You don't need to. Just say you don't know anything." There is something whimsical in your tone. "You were just a spectator."

"You are asking me to lie?"

"It would be in your best interest."

"I am beginning to regret naming you my thane." The jarl growls, and glares at you.

"I am sure that by the time this is over you are going to be saying the exact opposite about me." At least, you hope he would. You did have a tendency to cause a lot of collateral damage.

"If anything I am going to regret this for the rest of my life."

"You can think of it this way. At least you have your life."

***​You kick down the door, and make your way inside. You feel Zireael at your neck, and see your daughter's emerald eyes. "I have taken care of them. You can sheathe your runesword--"

"I don't think so!" Ciri was frustrated.

"Oh, come on! You know I had to do it!" You frown, and give her a scathing glare. You were giving her the "I am your father" look. You patented the technique.

"I don't care! What if you had died?"

"I am fine, and you should be more worried about yourself!"

Your daughter grabs your arm, and you flinch.

"This is supposed to be fine?" When she pulls away the chain mail, and the ebony armor you can see the flesh underneath has been liquefied. You could see veins, nerves, and even bone.

"That's normal!" You quietly whisper something, and the wound begins to heal itself. Perhaps your tolerance for pain was unusal. "I feel fine!"

"This is not fine!" Ciri grabs your armor, and robes. They were fused to your flesh but with a tug she manages to pull them away. You were an abstract art piece beneath your armor. It was as if someone had peeled all of your skin away.

"It is just a flesh wound!"

"Yes, my brother is right!"

You see Irileth, and Shalil. They were in the back of the room. Irileth was grateful to see you in one piece, and more than a bit concerned when she saw how severe your wounds are. Shalil hugs her mother's leg, and looks frightened.

They didn't have to see this.

"You're scaring your sister, Ciri!"

"I am not the one scaring her! You are the one who looks like they have been taking a bath in scalding hot lava!"

You had to admit that she was right. You should be less reckless, and especially now that you know your enemies can hurt you.

"I _may _be treating this lightly but I assure you this isn't anything I haven't experienced before!"

"It should be!"

Your daughter grabs you, and forces you into a hug. Your blood soaks her clothes. Anyone else would be frightened of what they saw, and simply run away. However, not your daughter.

Never her.

You embrace her, and feel her shake in your grip.

Her memories come rushing back, and she remembers the moment you died. When Yennefer left her, and sought her own death.

"It's going to be okay."

***​"You never cease to amaze." Irileth isn't angry. No, she is just happy that you are alive. "I feel like I am out of my depth here."

"You have no idea." You frown, and notice that her daughter is gone. "Where is Shalil?"

"Ciri has taken her to Arcadia's Cauldron."

"Ah, yes. Potions." You remember when you were Geralt of Rivia. They were your bread, and butter. "I am fine."

"Your daughter doesn't think so." Irileth folds her arms over her chest. "I don't think so either."

"I am here for a reason." You try to change the subject. "I need you both somewhere safe. This place isn't secure, and you already saw what happened. This won't be the last time." You know there would be more attacks like this.

"Who conjured those monstrosities?"

"Jyggalag."

Your lover looks surprised.

"I am not sure I follow--"

"He used to be a daedric prince."

Irileth looks as if you just told her that Tiber Septim himself wanted you dead.

"When I defeated Alduin the World Eater? I ravaged the cosmos, and earned an inheritance. I defeated Mehrunes Dagon. The Deadlands belong to me." You struggle to say the next words. "There was a coronation. I am one of them now. Nocturnal has accepted me as her brother. Azura is to be my betrothed."

Irileth doesn't look surprised.

"Is that all?" Your wild flower was used to these things by now. "What does that mean for us?"

"It changes nothing." You grab her hands. "I will not abandon you."

Irileth takes a deep breath.

"I don't want to lose you." Irileth squeezes your hand.

"You won't." You frown, and squeeze back.

"You're married." Irileth doesn't know what to make of this.

"Not yet." Azura is patient, and she can bide her time. "We can be together for as long as you live. Afterwards, I must do as I promised."

"I doubt a goddess wouldn't be jealous."

"Trust me, you have no idea."

You grab Irileth's face, and meet her eyes.

"Irileth... do you wish to live with me? You would be my wife until the day you die."

The dunmer woman doesn't know how to respond. This is what she always wanted but...

"I do not know. I am a housecarl, and my duty is to Balgruuf the Greater--"

"It is alright, Irileth." Balgruuf the Greater barges into the room. "I will miss you but things have become complicated. Whiterun does not have a way to defend against these abominations." The jarl smiles, and there is something wistful in his voice. "I remember when we fought by each other's side so many years ago. You always found happiness in the battlefield. Now I see how you look at Raziel, and I realize you were never truly happy."

"I have a duty to fulfill--"

"I release you from it."

Irileth bites her lip.

"Are you sure you would be satisfied with a woman like me?" There was doubt in Irileth's soul. How could she compete with a goddess?

"I would be more than just satisfied." You roughly kiss her, and break away from her. "I would be at peace."

Irileth embraces you.

"I accept."

[] No more of these charades. You would bring the fight to the thalmor. It was time for the Summerset Isles to meet Rahkriid. You would sail to their shores, and bring your dragons with you.
[] You decide that you must meet with Vivec before sailing to the Summerset Isles. He may have more information, and he could help you in the coming battle. Where is he?
[] Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon. Your daughter. You look at her, and see so much of her mother. You knew that she would fight by your side no matter what. You can't leave her be. At this rate what happened to her mother would befall her. You have to teach her. You have to make her strong. You remember the sorcerer kings of Imrryr, and their lessons. You could pass that knowledge down to her.
[] The Psijic Order. You have a feeling they know more than they are letting on. You seek them first before you do anything else. They could help you. If not they could at least give you an idea where you could go from here. The future is unclear.


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## trexalfa (Aug 7, 2018)

[X] Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon. Your daughter. You look at her, and see so much of her mother. You knew that she would fight by your side no matter what. You can't leave her be. At this rate what happened to her mother would befall her. You have to teach her. You have to make her strong. You remember the sorcerer kings of Imrryr, and their lessons. You could pass that knowledge down to her.


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## Atem -- A Thousand Swords - You Are My Daughter (Aug 9, 2018)

Oblivion.

What people see when they look between the stars. The holes in the fabric of reality leading into Aetherius.

It was your home. You belonged to it.

You rule over this abyss alongside your siblings.

"Get up." The command did not leave any room for compassion. You could not show her restraint. If she desired to fight? Your daughter would have to surpass the obstacle in front of her.

You unsheathe your black sword. Your brother.

Alnaar.

"I don't want to fight you!"

"You are stronger than you know."

You circle around her. You were on a parallel earth that belonged in your domain. Your dream. Your kingdom.

The Deadlands.

"Do you want to know who it was that defeated me the most? In every life I have ever lived?" You smirk, and give her condescending glare. "People just like you. The mortals who think themselves at the behest of their dreams." You kneel down, and grab her by the neck. You begin to strangle her. You lift her into the air and choke her.

"If you do not learn? You will die. If that is to be the case then you must die by my hand. I will not allow another to hurt you." That was the only way you could protect her. If she fails this lesson. "If I do it? I know it will be painless."

 Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon. Your daughter. Your sparrow. You remember her smile.

How mischievous she was.

Now she looks at you in a different light. There is fear in her eyes.

You spoke truly.

"Do you think I am unconquerable?"

"I have seen you bring the divine to their knees! How can I defeat you?"

Ciri manages to speak. Her last gasp of air.

Those would be her last words.

"There is a secret my brother whispers to you when you are born." You point towards the dent beneath her nose. "That indentation?"

Your daughter becomes confused.

What were you talking about?

"That is his doing. You already know how."

"I don't!"

You throw her, and she is sent hurdling. The barriers between realities crack and shatter. Your daughter lands in another layer of your domain. When you see her gasping for air you squash the feelings in your heart.

You could not treat her any differently as your student.

"I want to see you shine!" You roar, and rush forward. You cross the distance between these universes in an instant. Ciri raises Zireael, and blocks your attack. Your black sword meets her runesword.

Her weapon cracks, and breaks. Her runesword is left in pieces.

Her eyes open wide in shock. Your daughter is reminded of your intent.

You did not lie. You would face her with everything you were.

Her heart races. That is when she realizes she could die. There are tears in her eyes. Why does it have to be this way?

"Give me something memorable! Something I can remember you by!" You are cruel, and capricious. You were Lucifer Morningstar.

"Please stop!" Your daughter is no different than she was as a child. You have reduced her to this. "Dad!"

"It has to be this way!" You shake your head, and wait for her to get back up. "At least have the courage to die on your feet!" You stab your black sword into the ground, and dash towards her. You palm strikes her in the stomach, and she is sent flying across the earth. Your daughter crashes through boulders, and trees. When she hits mountains she is sent through them. Her flesh was bruised. Her bones were broken.

You daughter never felt this helpless before. Her abilities were useless against you. The elder blood? It was nothing when brought to bare against you. Just a joke against someone who could strike fear into the hearts of the divine.

The White Frost was her greatest challenge. You were even greater.

"Get up, and fight me!" You grab her shirt, and lift her. Your daughter coughs blood. "If you do not? You will die!"

You bring your hand behind you, and prepare to pierce her chest. Your hand becomes a knife... ready to end her life.

That is when she remembers everything. Her life flashes before her eyes. The loss she felt, and the victories she earned. The friends she made. The enemies she crushed.

A craving was born. An emanation.

A desire.

The dream was a canvas, and she could paint it in her colors. How?

The secret escapes her.

When she closes her eyes the dream around her disappears. That is when she opens them again.

"You are really going to lose? Just because he is the man I am going to become? It doesn't mean you should hold back! You can beat him!" Geralt of Rivia was in front of her. How was this even possible?

Corvo Bianco. Gwyn Cerbin.

The vineyard. Why was she here?

"I can't! I am not strong enough!"

"Yes, you are. You just don't know it."

The witcher grabs her shoulders, and embraces her.

"You are going to win. You have to believe that."

Your hand pierces her chest. Your daughter gasps.

The tears begin to run down your face. You are a monster.

The life begins to leave her body, and in that moment? The dream reverberates, and shudders.


Ĩ̶̟̉̔̽͐̏̕͝ ̴̖͔̜̜̘̯̲̣͚̟̫͎̼̓̐̇͒̓͗̔͒̄̓̐̏̚ͅw̶̡̡͔̳̼̻̺̫͉̩̲̾̎͛͑̈̏͑̄̎̈́̃́͝͝ͅȧ̴̢̝͍̠̳̗̟̮̳͇͖͍̻̑̓́͂ͅn̸̰͊̋̃̋t̸̟̝̻͓̹̞̠̻̐̍̾̆̓͐͋́́͛͝ ̸̛̬͔̹͚̟̝̮̣͕͕̼̉̎͆̀͆̉͠t̶͚͂̊͐̏̋̎̿̿̒̽͠ȏ̴̖̗̠͋̐͌̐̐͑̅̕ ̴̭̑̉͌̔́͘͘w̷̡̥̥̜̠͈͖̽͑į̴͉̗̮̰̯̬͖͗͒͛̀́̉͘ñ̷̢̮͈̮̝̹̖̠̼̪̠̝͑̈͐͂̿͗̿͘̕.̴̰̭̣̹͔̹͖͍̗̠̾̂̅͊͊̔́̏̍̈́̂͘͘͘


A sort of transcendence occurs. The desire is made real.


I̶̖̜̤͊̓̿́̃̈̕ ̵̡̨̛̠̺̰̰̩̙̪̳̠̥͆̉̉n̷̡̨̪͍̳̰̭̳̈́e̴̻͈͔͊̈́̋͐̔̚v̵͈̙̪̥͗̊̾̈̒̂͗̍́̆̎̚ȩ̷̘̱̭͍͛̆͒̿̇r̵͔̪͑̽̾͘͜͝ ̵̧͚͚̼̯̜͙̤̦̪̝̋́ẃ̸̡̢̢̟̙͕̬̣̰̭͉̹̯͒̒͂͝a̵̢̡̧̠̲͙̣̩͔̺̦̗͉̐̂̉̃̌̈́̎ͅn̵̩̜̘̘̱̫̮̐̐͌̋̒̀̕̚t̵͚̬̘̥̩̒͊̔̂́̍͠ ̴̡̗̙͉̜͕̠̟͕̟̱͕̰̌̀͛̾̍͋̈́͐ͅţ̵̨̨͍̫̬̜͍͉̫̬͙̖̭͍̽̀̾̈́̈́̉̽̂̌̏͘o̶͔̦̱͇̙̺͂͛̈́̀͋̚ͅ ̶̞̰̦̟̻̝̩̌́̽̍̈́̿̉͘̕̚l̶͇̼͓̦͔̹̯̞̎̿͑̈́̏̀͌͑̓͛̊̄͘o̶̗̪̓̽̽̔̋͐̏͆̎̈́̍̕͠s̴̤̹̾̇̇̓͂̔͐͝ȩ̵̛͓̱̟͙͎̦͍̮͙̤̙̳͇̌͂̐̚ͅ ̷̼̼̍͛̌̑̈́̿̃͐͝a̷̮͛̾̓̆̔́̀́͑̕g̶̢̛̜̻͚̫͎̺͋̉͛͘͝a̶̢̓i̶̧͙̳̝̺̠͚̺̗͒̿̓̍́͘n̶̨̮̰̆̔̑̈́̇̾̂̏̒̿͆̓́̕͠!̶̡͎̰͉͕̙̬̝̬̞̥̓͑̈́͗̾̌͘͜


Another dream is born. Another world.

A reality where her wish could be realized. An agonizing hell. A bitter heaven. One that could match this dream. These Deadlands.

Her bruises disappear. Her bones mend themselves.

The hole in her chest is sealed. Now only a scar remains.

You feel the fist hit you before you can react. You are forced back, and into the sky. You fly through countless realities, and crash into another earth. You get back up, and dust your armored robes.

You spit out the tooth that she dislodged. You were overwhelmed with joy.

"You are my daughter!" Your tears don't stop. You were proud of her. You were proud of your daughter. Your sparrow broke her bindings. The relentless doubt? The merciless shame?

Now they could no longer hold her back.

"You're not so tough!" Your daughter wears that arrogant smirk. Her pride, and her hubris. The same as your own. You taught her confidence. "I could beat you in my sleep!"

"I bet you could!" You chuckle, and let her have this victory. You ruffle her hair. "You have done it..."

Now she could start to learn the mystic arts. The dream was something she could change now.

These were the first steps to becoming a sorcerer.

[] No more of these charades. You would bring the fight to the thalmor. It was time for the Summerset Isles to meet Rahkriid. You would sail to their shores, and bring your dragons with you.
[] You decide that you must meet with Vivec before sailing to the Summerset Isles. He may have more information, and he could help you in the coming battle. Where is he?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Galo de Lion (Aug 9, 2018)

[X] No more of these charades. You would bring the fight to the thalmor. It was time for the Summerset Isles to meet Rahkriid. You would sail to their shores, and bring your dragons with you.


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## MatthewSchroeder (Aug 9, 2018)

[x] You decide that you must meet with Vivec before sailing to the Summerset Isles. He may have more information, and he could help you in the coming battle. Where is he?


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## Atem (Aug 10, 2018)

Need a tiebreaker.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Aug 13, 2018)

[x] You decide that you must meet with Vivec before sailing to the Summerset Isles. He may have more information, and he could help you in the coming battle. Where is he?


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