I still think Malan should consider taking anger management


Now that the tables have been turned, I wonder what Malan is going to do! That was a very smart move Maxical made, but if only she could figure out what Malan did to Fathis and Gils, ARGH!

Think harder Maxical!

HA! SO glad to see Malan FINALLY angry and helpless. His rage on the ground was PRICELESS to me. And...AND! the fact that he realized his nature has backfired, REALLY backfired, AND it got thrown in his face, had me ROLLING.

You never disappoint, mALX!!

And poor Hannibal... That has to be shocking for him. And knowing what happens at the end of that mission breaks my heart. If Maxical sees that day, she will be very heartbroken to see her greatcloaked-crusader in a soul gem...

falsetto like Ocato


Was the vision of Fathis’ transformation? Her wrist, that’s where Malan fed her blood to Fathis to turn him all the way wasn’t it?

Beside my ear was a clicking of what sounded like a claw and then something smote me on the head the same way S'Jirra used to duff me when she wanted me to think.
What a lovely image that conjured! The dragon god smacking her on the head!

Oh thank goodness she kept the ring on. He would have redecorated her head again.

I can’t tell who’s doing the talking, the nature, or Maxical! Both maybe? Malan really screwed it up, for centuries even, and he didn’t know. Nice to finally see him squirm. And she got away!

‘Has he never looked at my school records?’
The whole exchange between Maxical and Akatosh was priceless, and captured them both perfectly. Maxical was at her Maxicalest here!

"You could never petition your nature for Amiela because it draws the souls for your chosen from those marked for you in the Dreamsleeve. Your own necromancy kept you from having her as your chosen again, because instead of letting her soul be recycled properly you kept it locked away in that black soul gem for a century. Amiela's soul wasn't where it was supposed to be to ever be selected again. You should have trusted your nature to bring her back to you, it would have. It knows the deepest desires of your heart, Malan."
Wow! This is incredible stuff. It’s not wise to fool with [Mother] Nature! It is wonderful to see Malan’s world unraveling!

And YAY! Maxical is outta there!

Nit: “She was always my chosen, still is. You poaching trick can't change my heart...never will.”
I think you want ‘Your’ vs ‘You’.

*Applauds heartily*...

That was excellent!!...

An almighty battle between one man and his nature... ...Loved that...

And the Akatosh bit at the start gave me goosebumps...Brilliant that...

Looking forward to the next Uriel bit...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily again*...

I liked this Wonderful chapter!

The visions at the beginning of the chapter were very were very well written... goodness imagine having to witness Malan's dirty deeds and not being able to stop them!

Oh well, Maxcical managed to have her say in the end... and what a marvelous say it was!

MANIMARCO? AHH! It seems Hannibal didn't take the news of his return very well offer the man an aspirin or something! Haha.

Now for the quote I LOVED



Hehe



The imagery that came with this had me giggling... not sure if that was intentional, but it did. Hehe.

And Maxical's song was beautiful

GREAT CHAPTER!

ROFL! That was a perfect Maxical moment in the middle of a very intense scene!! I love that the Great Dragon bopped Maxical on the head to get her thinking!

Man chaser?! Oh good grief! And she was so close!

I loved the revelation that Malan had kept Amiela away from himself by locking her in the soul gem.

Woo hoo, and she escapes! And nearly scares everyone to death, lol! Yikes, poor Hannibal.

This was such an awesome update!! Gosh, I just loved every second of it!

Hehe, I totally can sympathize with that. I always got mad when I was little and I tricked my younger cousins and got mad when they found out. "I'm not stupid! Your tricking me again!" and I'm like "Oh, um, grrr. . .crap!"

Woah, hey now, what's going? Malan went full dude lover? Nah, it's just Maxical having her erotic visions again. Or maybe it is something deeper and meaningful. Akatosh and his puzzling mess. Even though it was a dream, Malan is a man-chaser, right? Like our dear Seridur!

I am not the first to see that Malan is losing his mind. Wouldn't it be funny if his own anger made him increasingly more careless and would result in Maxical's victory? His desire to just beat Maxical might even overpower the nescessity to carefully plan his plots. It almost seems that way. Smell that, Malan!

PS. I don't mean it. I love Malan dearly.

I found it funny when he told Maxical to conceal the vial of virgin blood. It's almost as if he he said: "hey cat-head, put a cork in it!"

The fact that Janus hit the floor and Hannibal got all pale means trouble is coming. So the necromancer plot is coming into fruition with Mannimarco coming into the fold. Maxical better got ready!

Good read.

*



Malan is NOT man-chasing, he is stealing people's souls. Maxical was there when Malan stole Fathis's soul, but he erased it from her memory.

Akatosh brought the memory back, but all Akatosh showed her was Malan kissing Fathis with his head rammed back - Maxical misunderstood, thought Malan was mating men.


Chapter 178, Page 87 :

Right before taking her virginity Malan used Maxical's virgin blood as a tease/torture on Fathis Aren, who was newly made a vampire and had never smelled/tasted virgin blood yet. Malan forced the blood into Fathis's mouth until he was begging for it, then made him vow his mysteries over to Malan.

BUT when Malan kissed him to seal the vow, he rammed his head back (and stole Fathis's soul).

Baurus saw Gils swearing a vow with an ugly Elf (Malan). Baurus described the kiss that Elf sealed the vow with the same way - the head rammed back like he was going down his throat. Afterward Baurus saw Gils and he was like a soul-less zombie.

In other words, Malan stole the souls of both Gils and Fathis - both Maxical's husband's souls. The reason he stole Gils soul was for those rare Mysteries; the reason he stole Fathis's soul was because he was a powerful mage with access to high security areas of the Palace and because Fathis was Arbiter of the Mysteries and had them all.

(The mysteries are bound to the soul, so when he steals the soul he thinks he is getting that person's mysteries). So far the mysteries have worked on Maxical because she is the wife of both men whose souls he had stolen. Maxical doesn't know Gils is dead, but he is and so all his mysteries belong to her.

Malan believes that when he removed Amiela from Maxical that the mysteries would have been attached to Amiela and would be his now. The reason he thinks that will come out in an upcoming chapter.



*

This post has been edited by mALX: Mar 12 2013, 12:57 AM

Ohhhhh! Doh! Silly me. So Malan isn't a man-chaser . . .just a soul chaser, hahaha. Thanks for the imput, mALX! Very helpful!

Anytime!

I'm still in shock over the complete transition from the beginning of the story to where we are now. At first, Maxical was just a kid, doing kid things, being in school and fawning over an older man, then making her living as an "orphan" in the Arena, falling for a man kind of closer to her age, then battling an ancient vampire bent on taking the throne. Not only that, but she's Akatosh's champion (thanks to her big mouth) and is actively outsmarting Malan... even though she is way off on some things.

I gotta say, mALX, I am re-impressed. You've managed to keep so many people on edge with your plot and writing skills. I anxiously await each update and am always pleasantly surprised with the content. You've kept Maxical believable, showing her mortal flaws as well as made her to be a strong character, a likable character as well.

I am definitely in this for the long haul, if I can manage it. I want to see the very last chapter of Maxical's story, whether it ends in tears or shouts of joy.

<3

*

@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so very much Kobby! Lol, “Anger Management, brought to you by ‘The Nature’ next class starts...NOW!” ROFL !!

*
@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so very much Liz! Both your comments made my week! Your kind words meant TONS! You are right, I have thought a LOT about what that day will mean to Maxical, dread its coming. Thank you so much again Liz!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! That vision was Fathis losing his soul and becoming a thrall. I’m glad you caught that, Malan just had it put in his face that he’d cost Amiela her real path as his chosen. He could have had her back a LONG time ago if he’d not been a necrodude, lol. That was ALL the nature talking through Maxical. It was mad! Thank you so much again KC!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! Lol, Akatosh and Maxical are starting out like Uriel and Maxical did - butting heads and misunderstandings. He’ll have to shape her up like Uriel did, lol. Thank you so very much again, Acadian!

*
@ McBadgere - Thank you so very much McB! Not this next chapter, but the next one after it you will see your Muscle Memory introduced. Couldn’t fit it in this chapter or it would be there already! Thank you so much again, McB!

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@ Rihanae - Thank you so very much Rihanae! WOO HOO! So glad to see you and Lissa back where you belong !!!!! Welcome home, and thank you so much for coming to read Maxical, you have been missed!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! ROFL on the manchaser, she rarely gets things right the first time around, lol. I think you’ll see why she flubbed that up at the end of this chapter below. Thank you so very much again, Grits!

*
@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so very much DE! ROFL !!! Looks like you were having a Maxical moment of your own there, ROFL! Malan has been stealing souls, Maxical just saw two men in what looked like kissing and jumped to the wrong conclusion, lol. Thank you so much again DE!


*

*


Chapter 197: Fractured Fractals


Hannibal looked the frailest I’d ever seen him, it was frightening. I suddenly wondered how old he was, if his heart was well.

Without asking Uriel’s permission I poured a snifter of his best brandy and pressed it into Hannibal’s hand, helping him get it to his mouth.

“Janus please, I can’t heal; can you heal and rally Hannibal?”

Janus nodded briefly, and immediately began casting white mists of healing in perfect shaped swirling cones over Hannibal in that chair. How did he do that?

Uriel was waiting beside his board map of Cyrodiil. I circled my finger to indicate the Skyrim border just west of Bruma. "Echo Cave. Somewhere right in this area."

Uriel's finger eventually froze on a spot. "Give me a black pushpin. This is quite a large cave system.”

"Malan funded all those necromancy expansions Hannibal wondered about. Look for much bigger trouble now, they received enormous funds the same day war broke out."

“I expect you to handle it before that happens.”

“Me?” I squeaked.

Uriel sent a sharp look at Hannibal. “You predicted this, Traven. I assume you've prepared for it. I will expect your input and full access to your research and planning for this event.”

“My notes are at the Arcane, is it safe below floors?” His voice was weak. In all the years I’ve known Hannibal I’d never seen him weak. The pallor of his skin, the expression in his eyes...dear gods, would he be all right?

“I’ll go before you and clear a path with Janus’s help if he will.” I volunteered, then turned back to Uriel, pointing just him and Eyja into the vault. I shut the door behind us.

“It’s safe to talk. Sire, Malan only waits for Amiela to be raised up in another to make his move on the Palace. I'm positive she's been put into Evangeline, whose mind is weak enough that Amiela could take over quickly. I’d like your permission to handle it if you don’t mind, Sire. I know both Evangeline and Amiela better than anyone.“






***


“Isn’t Evangeline your second in command behind Ocato?” Eyja frowned.

“Ocato is marked for death, may as well say Evangeline is first in command under Uriel.” I broke off at Uriel’s startled face. “Sorry Sire.”

He waved his hand in dismissal of my apology, fuming. “My concern is the fate of Tamriel! You’ve put something before me in a way that cannot be ignored, time is running out! To rule the state her mind is in? This is intolerable! Find out what you can immediately. If you are right, have the guards take her to the Compound prison. She must not be in the Palace.”

“When this is over I want Evangeline to run Fathis’s orphanage, Sire. She would be well suited for that position.“

Uriel nodded, pulling a blank parchment. “We'll deal with that later. This order vacates her post immediately and removes her high security clearance. You will carry this to show the guards." He uncapped his signet ring and pressed his Royal seal into the parchment, handing it to me. “Is there more?”

“Yes. Fifteen years ago Movarth Piquine switched out the black soul gem Amiela was in without Malan‘s knowledge. He hid Amiela in me the day my parents died. Theryon is but miles from here, and Malan couldn’t find Amiela for five years. It was only by accident that he found her. Had he not been kidnapping orphans that night he might never have. Janus couldn’t be following Amiela, she is no one’s chosen. There must be some other reason he followed me, maybe a plot of Movarth’s.”

“Switched out the blood used in making Janus, and you’re his real chosen?” Eyja winked, but scribbled her idea down anyway.

“Right now I’m Malan’s chosen. I tricked him into it so he couldn‘t harm me, but it didn’t work. He still tried to kill me, his own nature saved my life and helped me escape him. You should have seen it! His nature turned feral on him and attacked with a vengeance!”






***


“How did you trick him into becoming your chosen?“ Eyja’s eyes bugged.

“Told him I’d learned a new way to polish a sword.“

“SKREEEEEEEK! BWAAAAAHAAAAA! ARROOOOOOOGGAAA!”

Even Uriel laughed at that, but got serious quickly. He held up his hand as if to quiet us, and his voice held a warning note.

“You’ve eliminated one of his weaknesses, Maxical; and we no longer have Amiela in our possession. Unless we can take him down before he loses his bloodlust, we‘ve lost all power over him.”

“I’m sorry Sire, I didn’t think of that. And as long as his nature is inside me, I can’t help you take him down or even know of any plots to do it.”

“Then you must rid yourself of it.”

“Yes Sire, although it is a way to track him.“

“It is also a way for Malan to track you, Maxical.”

“Oh. Yes, Sire. Oh! Akatosh brought me a warning. It was a flash of some memories that Malan must have erased from my mind. Malan was reading my mind as the visions came, and it made him afraid that I might remember it. He tried to get Fathis’s ring off right away, I didn‘t let him.”

“What was the memory?”

"Malan mating a male prisoner.”

Uriel looked sickened. “In the cells at Theryon?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did you see the prisoner?”

I shook my head no. “I couldn’t see beyond him, and didn’t want to know who it was if you know what I mean. Couldn’t stand knowing who it was.”

Uriel gripped my shoulder tightly in a bracing way as I continued.

“It must be true though, Sire. Baurus said he saw Malan attacking Gils for sex at the Arena.”

Uriel looked aghast. “The man is a fiend!”






***


“Next was a vision of my wrist all bloody and mangled, the same place that Hannibal said had been ravaged and partially healed. Malan said his bird form's talons cut me while carrying me to Theryon. The last vision was something I do remember. Before Malan took my virginity I had a nightmare; dogs attacking me I think. When I woke from it I sat up in the bed screaming. The first thing I did was look at my wrist and then feel my neck. I didn’t know what it was all supposed to mean, and Akatosh wouldn‘t tell me.”

“Janus said the wrist injury was a blood tease for vampire prisoners.” Eyja offered.

“Using my virgin blood as a bribe to mate prisoners? They were shackled, couldn’t he just take what he wanted without their permission? Oh wait, that prisoner’s hand was raised in vow. Baurus said Gils was swearing a vow too, and that Malan suddenly leaped on him like a hungry leopard.”

“Vowing to be the fudge for his packer?” Eyja mused aloud.

“Huh?”

“Fudge, you know.” Eyja pointed at her butt.

“Oh, you mean like Hieronymus Lex and that guard?”

Uriel’s eyebrows raised and Eyja brayed. I tried to clarify it for them.

“No, it wasn’t like that at all, he was in their front.”

Incomprehension and blank faces. I gaped, stunned. I tried again, this time pointing with a downward motion. “You know, the front.”

Uriel had a look of confused disgust on his face. Eyja looked even more confused, but by the raising and lowering of her furrowed brow it was obvious she was drumming up all kinds of odd images in her mind, then discarding them.

“Geez, do I need to draw you a picture?”

“That won’t be necessary, Maxical. Let us move on.” Uriel waved his hand as if clearing an odor from the air.






***


“Oh. I’ve used almost a full vial of my virgin blood to keep Malan’s mind off balance and unable to concentrate on his plotting. I need scrolls to duplicate what’s left or it'll be gone before his bloodlust ends."

Uriel waved his hand. “Talk to Traven.” I nodded, relieved I wouldn't be in trouble for using my blood without permission.

"Another thing. Malan said he planned it that Gils’ mysteries would somehow be attached to Amiela’s soul instead of mine. He's sure that when he removed Amiela she took them with her."

“Are yours gone?“ Eyja asked me, but glanced at Uriel. Whatever signal she was trying to give was thwarted, Uriel wasn't looking.

I was instantly on the alert, they must have had a conversation they meant to keep secret from me. Uriel's expressions would give it away, he was much easier to read than Eyja. She was tricky, deliberately making decoy faces to divert your attention from what she was up to. I eased back slightly, giving full view of both of them before answering.

“I can’t tell without...you know, a kiss or something.”

"Don't look at me." Eyja piped in, then winked in a saucy way that suggested she might. I felt my face reddening, unsure if she was flirting or just trying to throw me off the scent.

"No! I mean, Gils' mysteries only work on men."

Uriel's expression flickered to horrified. He stepped back with both hands raised like a ward. "I suggest you try Hassildor. That may actually be what's needed to improve his mood."

My face felt like it may catch fire from embarrassment. "I didn't...I just answered your question! I wasn't hinting or asking! And if you're baiting my temper, it's not a good time for it!"

"BWAAHAA! Why Gils' mysteries?” Eyja asked, glancing at Uriel again. This time she caught his eye. Uriel suddenly looked noncommittal. Aha! Something was definitely up, but what?

“They are very rare. Janus said his friend Jak was obsessed with getting Gils’ mysteries too, Jak even tried to use mind control on Gils to steal them." I poked Eyja with my tail before continuing.

"Jak has been seeking them ever since his steamy affair with Countess Llathasa Indarys ended in her murder. The Count caught them together and flung her down the steps."

“Ooh, now that is some great gossip!” Eyja’s eyes lighting up didn't match the tone of her voice. She must already know that story, Janus probably told her. Her eyes looked hooded now.






***


My temper blew. “All right, enough! You both know something about me, I deserve to know what! Now spill it!”

Uriel signaled Eyja by pointing, then raised the finger indicating a one. Alix did that when he wanted me only told part of something, saving the worst for last. Dear gods, what now?

“Gils was under mind control by his brother for over thirty years. If the access is there, any ancient can manipulate him."

"I know that." I waved her on.

"It's possible...we think Malan sent Gils to marry you, Maxical.”

As badly as it hurt, I already knew Malan hadn't lied about that. I could hear the bitterness and pent rage in my voice when I answered.

“He did, he admitted it. When he impersonated Janus he slipped up, said he was there when we swore vows on the banks of the Rumare. And I was with Gils instead of Fathis because Janus had Fathis under spell not to touch me, or see me."

Uriel grasped my shoulder. It gave some comfort and strength, but not enough to stop what was coming. My voice was ragged with rage.

"Worse, every memory I ever had of my parents was erased like they never existed! They stole my life from me like I was nothing, and without me even having an inkling of it!"

Uriel gripped my shoulder tightly. “Evil exists around us where we never see it, Maxical."






***


"It's over now, she's gone from you.” Eyja’s comforting hand got swatted away.

“No, don’t you understand? They’ve just stolen my life from me all over again! I don’t remember a single moment of my life that Amiela wasn’t in me. My Blade skills from early childhood, my overly high magicka, all gone with her! I don’t even know what parts of me were ever mine, or who I am without her! Malan said I’m nothing without her, what if he’s right? Now my marriage...” I choked to a stop.

It felt like I teetered on the brink of a high precipice and no matter which way I turned was a devastating fall that would break me. Uriel started sending healing and rally spells through his hand on my shoulder.

“My marriage contrived for her, now my mysteries! I believed it, believed in Gils. They owe me for the love...for the life they stole from me! I’ve never hated in my life, but that’s all I have left now. Why would Malan do that? He couldn’t need Gils’ mysteries!”

"He meant Fathis to kill Gils. Malan’s hands would be clean, and the mysteries all yours.” Eyja mused aloud.

“No! He's an Arbiter, they have all the mysteries already! Unless Amiela wasn't his first wife, they’d be locked to her soul and she'd still have them!”

A look passed between them, weighing something on a balance in their minds; their faces twin expressions of sympathy and compassion suddenly.

My stomach lurched like I’d been punched in it. Inside me something fragile was shattering, and a scream forming that may never stop if released. Eyja reached her hand out to comfort me, I brushed it away with more force than I meant to.

"STOP!" I fought hyperventilating. In shaking relief I saw Uriel's signal for Eyja to back off. Whatever it was, I couldn't know...not now. No more. I couldn’t survive knowing any more.


*

This post has been edited by mALX: Mar 13 2013, 03:17 PM

Poor Maxical :/

I'd like to mention that I love that you're using the in-game scroll cheat for duplicating things. I noticed that a while back but forgot to mention it XD

This was a great review of where we are, all wrapped up in Maxical goodness!

She’s been kicked to the curb pretty hard. It looks like some self-preservation coming to bear as her response to Malan’s treachery teeters between not wanting to know more details of its depths, and hatred. It seems Uriel knows the right touch to begin channeling her growing pain over what has been stolen from her to righteous vengeance.

How to deal with the Nature inside her? How much of Maxical remains, with Amelia gone? I look forward to finding out!

Uriel and Eyja sympathetic? It must be bad!

(Maybe that's what Maxical's just realized...)

And she has to deal with the nature protecting Malan

This is for your own good....

if he’d not been a necrodude
Necrodudes!

“Me?” I squeaked.
“Her?” I squeaked. Amiela just took off with all of her talent!

I was thinking Malan would go after Evangeline as well. Maxical’s not going to let Amiela take her.

Wait there’s more to Janus following Maxical?

What are those two plotting? Oh I see. They knew about Gils.

I knew she’d regret losing those memories of her parents. And now she’s realizing the extent of Malan’s lies.

Oh this was the moment that’s been building and building, and it’s just as heartbreaking as I imagined. The last memories of joy that Maxical was clinging to polluted by what she now knows. In the past she asked that bad memories be erased because they were too painful to keep, and this must be much worse. Now what does she have left but hate and the expectation of dying in service to Akatosh.

But I’m also thinking very much about Hannibal’s reaction to the necronews. It makes me think he has a special gem stashed away and now he knows he’s going to use it.

What a powerful, heart-wrenching chapter!

Another mega heavy episode... ...

Poor Evangeline...I'm still sad about what's happened to her down the weeks...*Sigh*...

Excellent interaction between the characters, as ever...

You'd think they'd have a little more respect for Maxical than to keep looking at each other, obvioulsy hiding stuff though... ...

This, as Grits said, was heartbreaking...



Bloody excellent writing...

Loved it!!...

Looking forward to the next part...



*Thanks profusely but politely waves away mALX's over-generosity* Oh, it's not mine...I just reminded you of it... ...

Here's to its success...*Cheers and applauds*...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Mar 16 2013, 12:19 PM