Old Habits Die Hard Part Six, some old habits never die Options

[haute ecole rider]

Hello all, and welcome to the final thread of Old Habits Die Hard. Those of you who are familiar with the Main Quest know that we are fast approaching the end game. Only three more artifacts to obtain, then we can recover the Amulet of Kings and light those Dragonfires and see Martin to the Dragon Throne at last. Right?

For those who are coming late to the party, here are the links to the other five threads:

Chapters 1 − 7: From the Prison to finding the Path of Dawn.
Chapters 8 − 13: From Dagon’s Shrine to Bravil.
Chapters 14 − 18: From Sheogorath’s Shrine to the start of the Grand Tour of Cyrodiil.
Chapters 19 − 22: From Leyawiin to Skingrad.
Chapters 23 − 25: From returning home to Anvil to the final Mages Guild recommendation.

Here in this last thread we will see the Main Quest through to its tragic conclusion. Some questions will be answered, including who is the man Julian loves? Other questions will be raised, including what’s next for Julian? Those of you who have suspected a second story in the making, you are correct.

After a year and a half of writing this story, I am happy to bring this to a close, yet I am sad to bid it adieu. Hopefully I won’t let any and all of you down as we wrap up.

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: Jun 26 2011, 01:10 AM

[haute ecole rider]

@le Reynard: Yes, we had a lot of fun working on these pieces. I believe we still have one more to go? And yes, I’m wondering where Destri went!

@everyone else: Thank you for commenting on the tactics and the pacing of the fight. Dee Foxy’s expertise really shows here. There are more to come - remember there are four undead Blades total in this place.

@SubRosa: That musing of Julian’s where she recognizes their - brotherhood? Sisterhood? Siblinghood? - was a defining moment for her. Julian finally accepts that she is really a Blade, not just an impostor. For them to accept her so readily never really sat right with Julian, she who had to work so hard to be accepted into the ranks of the Legion. After all, what did she do to earn entrance into the small ranks of this elite force? All she did (in her eyes anyway) was escort the last heir to the Dragon Throne from a ruined burning city to Cloud Ruler Temple. I think that’s why she has been so compelled to carry out every task Jauffre gives her to the best of her abilities. For her (and for me) Sancre Tor is where she really earned those katanas she carries.

As for your nit, the repetition was intentional. She was so unprepared for the appearance of Rielus’s ghost and the fact that he spoke to her that she was echoing herself. I had noticed the two so close together myself, and considered eliminating one of them, but after considering the situation, decided to leave it in place to show Julian’s momentary distraction. She is normally so cool and collected, you know!

And don’t worry about your comments over the timeline. It was confusing to me too, the first time I played through this quest. Jauffre says the first Grandmaster (I have an idea who it is, but I’ll leave that for Destri, since it’s his story) sent the four greatest Blades to Sancre Tor to see what had defiled the shrine. He further explains that Tiber Septim gave the Blades his armor after the city fell to honor them for their sacrifice in the battle. They in turn interred the armor (not the man) before the tomb of Reman III. Later the Underking invaded the sacred shrine and began corrupting the place. Tiber Septim was still alive, like Hammer said. It’s doubtful whether or not he knew of the invasion, or if the first Grandmaster acted on his own initiative. At least, that’s how I understand it.

@Acadian: I’m soooo glad you recognized my nod to two certain Bosmeri (and their authors) who have encouraged Julian and I to persevere with this story. And yes, Julian has the closest ties with the Blades, even though she’s only been one for a few short months. But their unconventionality suits her just fine, whereas the strict traditions of the Legion was often stifling for her.

@Hammertime: There is a backstory to Julian’s choices in weaponry. Her Legion training is pretty standard - stand shoulder to shoulder with your comrades, shield up in the left, arming sword in the right, slash, smash and stab your way through the enemy lines. But the pilus of her second posting in Valenwood was unconventional in many ways - and he recognized her abilities and potential. Thus Blademaster Jelin took her under his wing and taught her the Sunbird Dance, which is really a philosophy rather than a fighting style. She in turn developed a rather unconventional reputation in the Legion, which is why she never advanced beyond pilus prior of the Ninth Cohort. But that’s another story.

@TK: You have the right of it - Dee Foxy has outshone himself - for now. Only he and I know what’s next, so don’t be so quick with your praise. I will tell you this, though, when I got this scene back from le Reynard, I was on the edge of my seat biting my nails reading it! It still gets my heart going even after the tenth read. The only thing missing is Wagner’s heroic music.

@Grits: The part that made you cry, where Rielus tells Julian the amulet was a gift from Casnar - that came out of my conversations with Destri about the four of them post-Interregnum. I’m glad you told me about this, because it tells me that I am capturing the emotional side of this story as well as the physical.

@Olen: That part you quoted is humbly mine. Dee Foxy obviously thought it was good enough to leave it in. I wanted to take us back to that scene in the beginning (in the very first chapter) when Glenroy was accusing Julian as being one of them and she fell on her butt backing away from him. For me, it really symbolizes how far she has come since the beginning.

@mALX: I’m enjoying it, when the computer is working! I hope to get that desktop back this week - it’s been hell without it! It’s got my school stuff on it for Pete’s sake!

The story so far: Julian has successfully freed the ghost of the first of the greatest Blades that ever lived, and learns the nature of the evil that has led to Sancre Tor being sealed off. Now she moves on to the next challenge.

Once again credit goes to Dee Foxy for his combat expertise and Destri Melarg for his characterization of the Four Greatest Blades Evah.

Chapter 26.4: The Second Guardian

Rielus’s amulet tingled beneath my mail as I entered the immense chamber at the bottom of the prison and studied its multiple levels.

After recovering the amulet, I had followed Rielus’s phantasmal form across the bridge and into a large chamber. Four passageways radiated off that immense hall, one which I had entered by, and three others. Rielus had moved to a staircase that led down from the mezzanine I stood on to a central platform, where a ghost waited. The spirit had ignored Rielus as the ancient Blade passed it on his way to another set of steps. These steps led down further to a tall set of double doors. Rielus had passed through those heavy wooden panels as if they were as ephemeral as he.

Silently I thanked my foresight for bringing Akatosh’s Fury with me. Crouched in the shelter of the passageway, my eyes scanning the mezzanine and the central dais, I strung the enchanted bow and fitted an arrow to the string. Once more I scanned the chamber, and, seeing no other spirits, eased out onto the balcony and knelt behind the stone coping.

Calling on Cieran’s training, I sighted on the ghost’s head and drew the silk back to my ear. Half a breath later, the arrow whispered its way through that greenish specter, trailing a web of energy that encompassed the hapless spirit. As its pink glow faded, I glanced around once more. Best to sweep the mezzanine and look into all these passageways first. Then I’ll decide where to go next. First I moved widdershins and peeked into the first passageway. A set of double doors at the end of a short corridor met my gaze. As I turned toward the next one, a pink glow materialized along the stone wall. Another ghost in that next passage. I stowed Akatosh’s Fury and drew Daedra Slayer, mentally visualizing the drain health spell again. Slowly I crept toward the passage and peered around the corner.

The ghost waited near a wall of tumbled boulders. Cave-in. Have to find another way inside there. Fortunately, the specter faced away from me, and I was able to approach it stealthily. It was within range of my touch spell before it alerted to the faint susurrus of my mail. Again the drain health demolished the apparition before it had time to create a frost bolt.

I returned to the mezzanine. It ended just past this corridor, and the fourth passage awaited on the far side of the room, beyond the one I had entered by. I could see no spectral light there.

First I went down to the lower set of doors. I managed to open one of them and slipped into a dark chamber that stretched away before me. Stairs led down to a center aisle that ran to a shimmering barrier. On either side, sarcophagi set into niches in the walls told me I had found the tombs. The Reman emperors are buried in Sancre Tor. Seems I’ve found their final resting place. In front of one of the coffins, Rielus knelt in the traditional Blades homage, facing the magical barrier. Without turning his head or breaking his position, his wispy voice drifted back to me. “Find my brothers. They wait behind the other doors.”

Three cells led off the lowest level below me. A skeleton, his bones outlined in blue, shambled between them. Again I recognized the Blades helmet, shield and katana. One of Rielus’s brothers. Which one? Casnar? Alain? Valdemar? Only one way to find out. I scanned the chamber from my high vantage point. I have to stay out of those three cells. They won’t give me room to maneuver with two swords. Damn! I should have picked up Rielus’s shield! With a shake of my head at my own stupidity, I cast a fortify health spell and set my bow and arrows aside.

As I watched the shambling skeleton far below me, I recognized the feeling of smugness that followed a successful battle. Careful, Julian. Just because you defeated the greatest swordsman you’ve ever met doesn’t mean this one is going to be easy. Don’t get cocky. Remember that poem Carius taught us tironii -

Justine Case was a wary girl,
A very wary girl, indeed -
She’d hatch two plans for every stand,
And hold a third one right in hand,
And just in case all three should fail,
She kept yet another in her lunch pail -
For Justine Case was a wary girl,
A very wary girl, indeed!

Crouched near the parapet overlooking the lowest level, I regarded the Blade skeleton thoughtfully. Tall. Taller than me. Those arms look frightfully long. That katana looks barely bigger than a dagger in his hand. Doubtlessly his reach is much longer than mine. With our weapons being equal, he has the advantage over me. He can smash through my defense, and he’ll be impossible to block, even if I had a shield. I can parry him, but it would be better if I can slip inside his guard.

I set my plain katana beside my bow thoughtfully. That means close work. Dagger or shortsword in my left hand. I drew the Legion dagger from its sheath at my lower back. Its triangular blade, almost as long as my forearm, was strong thanks to extra steel welds reinforcing the forte. Its sturdy, wide guard was perfect for punching fractures into jaws and ribs. He may be slow or even clumsy between strikes, if he’s like most of the big fighters I’ve seen. But I’ve got to keep from getting hit by him. He’s likely to be strong, and that can be the end of me. I’ll have to rely on my speed and agility. Move, feint, switch direction in constantly unpredictable patterns to get him to overextend himself. That’s when I’ve got to move in fast and finish him off.

Subconsciously my fingers reached for the chain holding Rielus’s amulet. I ran my fingertips along the flat links, tied together with a leather cord, my gaze still on that Blade. He’s going to hit me, and hit me hard. I’ve got to be ready for that. What can I do about it? Other than the usual fortify and restore health potions in my belt pouch?

Wait - I glanced down at my pouch. It’s hard to grab a vial out of it in a hurry. But what if I kept it around my neck, ready to hand? My pack also held several thin leather cords - tough, pliable, and ready to cobble together ripped mail or torn straps. I fumbled a vial out and examined the stopper. It could work. My fingers hooked a coil of leather out of the pouch and unrolled it. The cord was thin enough to wrap around the neck of the glass stopper. I held the vial by its plug. It’ll stay in until I pull on the vial.

I didn’t want to hang it around my neck, recalling how the tip of my blade had so easily broken the links of Rielus’s amulet when I fought him. Yet I want it close to hand, where I can grab it without looking for it. I tied the cord securely around the bung, then fastened it to one of the buckles securing the mail over my right shoulder. I can reach up with my left hand, grab the vial, pull it off the stopper and put the neck between my teeth. It would only take an instant, and I won’t have to drop the dagger to do it. I practiced hooking the small vial with the little finger of my dagger hand while keeping the blade pointed out, until I was satisfied that muscle memory was established. That’s it. It’ll swing out of the way if struck by mistake, but it won’t go flying over my shoulder, either.

Briefly I considered moving through the exercises of the Sunbird Dance, but decided against it. No point in alerting him of my presence before I’m ready. Instead I settled for visualizing the movements. “When you must be absolutely still, use your mind. It is your most powerful weapon and your strongest skill. Your muscles are only as nimble as your thoughts.” Jelin’s voice echoed in the silence of the immense chamber.

With a final glance at the patrolling skeleton, I reviewed my tactics one more time. Confront him, then move fast into him. Not a full charge, just a fast walk under total control. If he stands and waits for me, I’ll stop just out of reach and get him to strike first. Once he’s overextended, I’ll slip past his guard and charge in. If he swings wildly at me, I’ll wait until his arm is back for that overhand strike. Then I’ll duck in fast with the dagger up en garde and Daedra Slayer straight in a lunge strike. It should be a one-thrust kill. Time it right, and it’ll be over fast.

With the dagger in my left hand and Daedra Slayer ready, I managed to creep down the stairs before being spotted by the cursed Blade. As he closed on me, I noticed the faint glow that encompassed the blue and gold round shield he carried. Damn. I should have expected something magical. Then I put all extraneous thoughts aside and focused completely on the tall skeleton.

Which was just as well. I came closer to death in the next minute than I had in a very long, long time.