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]

Sorry I've been a bit slow with updates.. there's good reason for it, I assure you

The Origin of Naztheril, Beast of the Night Sky
as told by Naztheril to Gaenor

I will be quick with this tale. I am certain you are eager to continue with your quest.

It was twelve ages ago that the Twilight War took place. On one side, in the sky, there was Azura and her daedra. On the other, in the Twisting Nether, there was Sheogorath and his minions. The two gods had always despised one another for their different views on the inhabitants of Tamriel and which governed their lives above anything else - serenity or anarchy. It was true, and still is today, that both are equally seen in the population of the land, but these Daedra Lords were consumed by their want to win their argument.

Azura's army was composed of ancient daedra that no longer exist, as was Sheogorath's. Her's were created in her likeness and wielded the essence of the Night while his were deformed mutations of hybrid creatures, mixtures of the god-made daedra and the wild beasts of Tamriel. They faught one another for centuries, and there was no rest. The war was one battle, spanning across worlds and planes of existence of which no mortal could ever dream.

Their armies were all but depleted by the 819th year. The gods met and agreed to take a decade to spawn one being that would serve as their last stand, and have them face each other in combat, and whichever lived would win the war for their creator. Ten years after this agreement was made, the gods returned from their sanctuaries. Sheogorath brought with him a menacing creature, reptilian with the fangs and claws of a demon from Oblivion with a shaggy mane running down his back and spiked tail, and standing forty of your miles tall on six legs. Azura sent me to battle this beast, and to win the war in her favor.

Be fooled not by my appearance this day, for much has happened in twelve ages. It should be clear to you that I claimed victory as Azura's champion over Sheogorath, and because of this I was awarded my title as Beast of the Night Sky. Again, I have changed much and adapted a new form from my other, more.. shall we say, nightmarishly fearsome aspect. My seven heads became one, my gargantuan, mammalian body shrunk and took new shape, and my limbs combined into arms and legs. No longer am I Her Beast, but rather her Voice, as she likes to call me.

<Naztheril puts on his top hat again and pinches his Valenwood badge.>

You are likely most curious about how I acquired this. After winning Her war, I was sent to Valenwood to learn the art of shapeshifting as a gift from my Lady Azura. She thought it a great honor to be inducted into the world of Tamriel as a regular citizen, and I took it as such. The days passed slowly and I learned much from the Bosmer. They know the ways of beasts and how they think, and I was no exception. They spoke to me in words I could understand, and taught me the magic of shifting forms as an equal.. and for that I am forever indebted to them. After one hundred and fifty-seven years, I was able to change my shape and maintain it for long periods of time. As a reward for my progress, I was given this badge as proof that I was friend and ally of the Bosmer, and I am proud of it.

My name, Naztheril, was given to me by King Antok Broadleaf, ruler of Valnewood in the first era of Tamriel. We had never met, but the story of my descending upon the mortal world was passed down from generation to generation.. and apparently was lost if you've never heard about it until now! It means Beast of the Night in wood elvish tongue, but most have adopted it as meaning Beast of the Night Sky, in respect to Azura. The rest is history, and vastly unimportant to you here and now. Getting back to the present, and knowing what I have told you, I may need to morph into my less-attractive form if we are ever to pass these obstacles before us. Stand aside, and let Naztheril rebirth as his true self.

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