Gaenor: Reloaded Options

[ShraX]

I posted this on the official TES forums, and although it's not finished, I'll continue updating both here and there.

If you haven't read the other two stories I've written, one of them is in the Fan Fiction section of this site, and you can PM me for the other. There really is not much needed to know when reading this one, except who the already well-known characters such as Gaenor and Almalexia are.

Enjoy--

The Nerevarine lay a lifeless corpse upon the Mournhold Temple steps. His blood trickled out of the slashed openings in his neck, limbs and torso, and down each stair, leaving its stains as it went before collecting into a shapeless pool on the tiled courtyard floor. The High Ordinators were still, their armored masks hiding the looks of terror on their faces as they stared at their defeated savior. The Temple doors were now wide open, and Almalexia hovered at the entrance. Her Hands were nowhere in sight.

"My champion," she said softly in disbelief, her golden face emotionless. "Who is responsible for this?" She spoke quietly but the entire city heard her. A Hand emerged from the darkness of the Temple and removed his helmet., engraved with the Daedric runes for S and V. "Our guards watched the battle," he explained in his low, rumbling voice. "They dared not aid your Nerevar for fear of death by his murderer - the Bosmer, Gaenor." The Demigoddess floated down the stairs, over the the corpse of the Nerevarine and turned back to the Temple. "Salas, this wood elf has gotten his revenge, but Terenius' life is nowhere close to Nerevar's in worth. Remain here and clean this mess. I will find young Gaenor and speak with him." Her Hand bowed and ordered the two Ordinators, still in a stupor, to dispose of the Nerevarine's body, as well as those of the four slain Hands within the Temple. Almalexia's wrath was unbridalled, and vengeance consumed her. Her fury at the news of Nerevar's death manifested physically, killing all but her favored Hand, Salas Volar, in an explosion of goldy flames.

She flew from her place in the Temple courtyard high above the city and into the clouds which concealed the late afternoon sun's light. The moons were now more than halfway over the mountainous horizon and brought their stars with them. With a gesture of her wrist the dense clouds parted in two and the light of the lowering sun lit the city aglow. She closed her eyes and began searching for her prey. However, this was unnecessary. Almalexia expected this mortal to flee into hiding from her might, but he welcomed it. He was sitting on a bench in the Bazaar, doodling shapes in the dirt with his sword.

His armor was sundered, dented and sliced through. One pauldron was missing as well as both gauntlets and parts of his greaves. It wasn't clear to tell from his ebony armor, but he was covered in blood from head to toe. He leaned his blade on the bench and removed his helmet, then placed it over the hilt. It was hot and sweat was dripping from his forehead to his beard. He put both hands to his face and wiped it, and ran his fingers through his stiff hair. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, waiting with open arms for death's embrace.

Almalexia dove towards him like a starving hawk upon a field mouse, disintegrating the clouds with the aura of flame around her. This mortal wood elf defeated her martyr in combat and had the audacity to sit on a park bench in plain sight! Masser and Secunda were rising in unnatural quickness and the sun was already out of sight. The furious demigoddess did not realize in her blind rage, but Gaenor tore away from his hands and looked up past her to see it: both moons took position directly above him, Secunda in front. As they slowed to a stop everything around him turned pitch black, aside from the raging Almalexia, now halted in mid-air, as well as both moons.

The elf slowly stood and faced his enemy in partial confusion. After his ordeal he truly cared not what his fate was. 'An eye for an eye,' was his logic. 'She took Terenius and I take the Nerevarine.. but this is very strange. perhaps this witch's debt is still not repaid.' He walked past her toward the moons, which were glowing and pulsating with light, as if to communicate.

"Much has happened this day. We must speak."

[ShraX]

I understand that most forum-goers have not read my previous two stories.. so here are links to both of them. One was asked to be posted on Waiting4Oblivion, something which I personally am proud of The other I posted myself on a free Tripod account. I copied Trials directly from this forum after posting it, so you'll see some color and font codes around. Since The Tale of Gaenor is already on this site, I'll link Trials alone.

http://kaiton4.tripod.com/trials.html - Trials of the Mad God

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"You hold the Blade of Cinders, Gaenor," Azura continued. "This weapon, forged of evil and chaos, has come to you." The Bosmer looked up at her from the sword and asked, with newfound intrigue, "I don't understand.. if the story of Knight Henar is true, it should have corrupted me. Why am I unaffected by its curse?" She smiled and looked at his amulet, and he followed in understanding. "It is more than Garonar's undoing, Gaenor. You are very special and a hero to Tamriel. You have done much for the land and the people, but there is one final task ahead."

She told him of Iranon and his continued existence in Argonia, as well as Knight Henar. "He has defied his purification and death, and walks this realm again.," she said, "searching for the Blade and slaughtering any who confront him. Iranon knows of Garonar's defeat, and he knows it was your Blade which struck him down. You, the Bearer of Fire and Light, must defeat these foes and set Tamriel free of this crippling devastation. Make the journey to Goldstone Ridge in Cyrodiil. Seek out the prince. Go now, and with all my blessings." Gaenor looked at her in silent wonder but he knew to do what she had commanded. "And Almalexia?" he asked.

"Allow me. Be off!"

In an instant the stars gleamed with light as bright as the sun and the moons flickered and vanished. The light grew and engulfed the darkness, then faded into the city of Mournhold once again. Gaenor stood where he was before, facing the enraged demigoddess.. but something had changed - Almalexia was gone! He looked all about him but it appeared time was still stopped. Suddenly, the birds and crickets began chirping, the butterflies drifting about on the wind. Soon the Ordinators' heavy footsteps could be heard and the vendors in the Bazaar where Gaenor stood started their clammoring once more.

He sheathed the Blade and removed what was left of his armor, revealing his sweat-soaked shirt and pants beneath. He's been on adventures before, and knew such garments were not fitting for any such quest, especially one of this mangitude of importance. He pawned off the scraps of ebony to the local blacksmith in exchange for money, which would then turn into sundries and new clothing. 'This isn't enough for a new suit of armor,' he thought, 'but I shouldn't have much trouble as long as I stay on the roads.' Aside from food, water, a sleeping bag, and a compass, he purchased a map including paths running from Mournhold to southern Skyrim and Cyrodiil.

Finally prepared to leave the city, he started toward the main gate, but stopped just before it. "Leaving Mournhold, traveller?" asked a guard. It was remarkable but it seemed no one had even heard of Almalexia or the Nerevarine, and they never knew of what had happened that day at all. "Not just yet," Gaenor replied, and sat near the fountain statue. How could Azura expect him to simply follow her orders without question? She was not even a god of his people, but of the Dunmer, a race of elves he was not particularly fond of to begin with. However, he thought of the quest at hand, and realized there was no time for questions. Olkair Henar was a Bosmer, and he had his Blade. Iranon he knew of as well, from stories other than the one his father told him. Whether he wanted to believe it or not, he was linked to these two villains, and it was his duty to stop them from taking back the Blade which so many lives depended on.

He stood after some time of thinking on these things, and approached the gate once more. "Ready to leave Mournhold, Bosmer?" the guard asked again. "Yes, and never to return." he answered. The guard looked at him awkwardly through his mask, then turned and nodded to the other on the opposite side of the gate. He nodded back and they simultaneously pulled down two large levers, and Gaenor watched as the massive gates slowly spread apart, opening his path.. a path that he may never return from following.

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