In service of a fallen god., Yup, I don't know how to quit. Options

[jack cloudy]

You know the drill, I finish one story and begin with the next. Meet my latest character and headremover, Morvayn Dres.


In the service of a fallen god.

Morvayn Dres took two deep, silent breaths. He filled his lungs till they were about to burst. In one smooth motion, he stepped out of the shadows behind the pillar and drew his sword at the same time, already swinging it at his first victim before the Orc could blink. He pressed the point of his saber in the arm beneath the pauldron, just deep enough to draw blood. Smoothly, he pulled his sword back a bit, flicked his wrist to aim the blade and performed a backhanded slash that neatly separated the head from the neck.

The entire time between Morvayn stepping into view and the Orc’s head flying away could be counted in a single heartbeat. The other Orcs in the room hadn’t noticed anything yet. Morvayn calmly walked towards the back of the nearest one. He enjoyed the look of surprise and then horror when the Orc turned around. Behind Morvayn, the corpse of his first victim noisily dropped to the floor.

,,In the name of my lord, I bring justice! You will join your unholy master in Oblivion!” Morvayn shouted and raised his saber. He ducked the Orc’s warhammer and cut through his opponents legs. He raised himself, cut off another head and turned towards his next victim. Magical mist poured out of the two Orcs and entered the man who had slain them.

Morvayn felt the mist filling his veins and with it, the power it gave him. When he was two steps away from the third Orc, he acted. He moved faster than anything the Orcs had seen before. In their eyes, he was death turned into flesh and blood, with a grim face they only knew too well. All three remaining Orcs died before they could raise their weapons.

The power his sword had granted him fled and he turned to watch how the corpses fell to the floor. Morvayn removed his helmet and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His red eyes blazed with a fanatical anger when he turned to the statue that dominated everything else in the room. If it was meant to intimidate, it failed to serve its purpose on the Dunmer.
,,Mehrunes Dagon, this shrine shall no longer worship you. For the glory of my lord, I have brought justice.” He said to the four-armed statue of the Daedra and walked out of the room.

Outside the shrine, his face was covered by his helmet again. He gave a few quick orders to the group that had waited outside for his return. Morvayn had concluded they would only get in the way during the fight and told them to stay at the entrance.
,,You, pick up the heads of the outlanders and put them on stakes in front of the entrance. That should serve as a warning to any cultist who wishes to rebuilt the shrine. The rest of you, destroy the shrine. When we leave, I want that accursed place to be in pieces.”

[jack cloudy]

Morvayn drifted on the verge of consciousness for days. He remembered a comforting voice, hands that fed him and shook up his pillows. The itching of his regenerating body, the cold touch of metal around his neck. One day, every sensation became clear. He opened his eyes and carefully examined the room he was in. Green walls like those of a plant surrounded his bed.
,,A Telvanni tower? Am I at Jana’s place?” He wondered. He then noticed the feeling of metal around his neck. He brought down his hand which felt an amulet. He brought the piece of jewellery up in front of his eyes. The amulet was eerily familiar, it looked like wet blood.
,,Wet blood? Didn’t Jana wear one of those and her father? Two vampires wearing the same amulet…..Please don’t let it be a mark of vampirism.”

,,Ah, you are awake, finally. I was getting worried, though I know that regenerating takes time.” Morvayn turned his face to the door. An old imperial stood in the doorframe. He to wore one of the red amulets. The Imperial bowed.
,,Good morning, Morvayn Dres. It is a pleasure to meet you.” He said with a polite tone.
Morvayn shook his head. He just didn’t know what to make of things.
,,Who are you?” He asked bluntly.

The Imperial smiled.
,,You will learn my name in due time. I was the one who saved you from that army of Dremora swarming around you. Just a simple display of telekinesis to hurl them over the horizon. Nothing hard for someone as old as me.” He responded, still with the same polite tone.
,,I will inform lady Mirhtri that you are awake. Don’t worry about anything, you are in good hands.” The Imperial left before Morvayn could say anything. The Dunmer lay down in his bed.
,,That wasn’t exactly helpful.”

As predicted, Jana came into the room a bit later.
,,I hope you’re hungry, I’ve been working on this meal for the better part of the day.” The woman told him. She was indeed carrying a tray that smelled deliciously. Morvayn nodded and happily began to eat the tray’s contents. He now realized he was starving.
,,So, who was that old man who came in a bit earlier? He was definitely bragging, something about throwing an army of Dremora across the horizon.” He asked between mouthfuls.
,,That? Oh, that was none other than Aureus Lucis, the owner of that tower our Nord friend broke into last time. He is a Wanderer. He can naturally feel things like Oblivion gates so he arrived just in time to help save your life. And I doubt he would be bragging.” Jana laughed.

Morvayn raised an eyebrow.
,,Aureus Lucis, isn’t that this ancient vampire your father warned me about? The one who would take down any group of Ordinators that might be sent here? He didn’t look like much, I can’t possibly see how he would do all that.” He questioned. He was quite puzzled.
,,Trust me, he can. You have seen Luper. Well, Aureus may not beat Luper at swordfighting or sheer brute strength but when it comes down to Magicka, even ten Luper’s wouldn’t be able to beat him. At least, before Luper learned how to manipulate time. Aureus, he is more of a god than the whole Tribunal at the height of their power.” Jana told him seriously before taking on a worried expression.
,,I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you. I know that you respect Vivec.”

Morvayn gave a sour smile.
,,Don’t worry about it, I am getting used to it. I’ll believe you when you say that this old vampire can defeat Luper and I’ll even go as far as believing that Vivec won’t swipe him away like a bug. It doesn’t matter, I’ve got bigger problems on my hands. Such as how I can ever go back to my role as High Ordinator now that I am a vampire.” He replied.
,,I’m sorry, but it was the only way we could save you. And I don’t think you have to worry about that. Luper left right after the battle. He said he was going to meet an old friend to clean up the mess. You can believe whatever you like but I don’t think that there will be any need for Ordinators once he returns. His definition of cleaning is dangerously similar to his definition of making a mess.” Jana explained to him. She smiled at him and left as fast as she could. The Ordinator would have to make his opinion without distractions.

Vivec was meditating. His eyes were closed yet he still saw everything that happened inside his city. Walls were no barrier to his mind. Something was bothering him. There was a small spot where he couldn’t see, as if he was blind. That spot was now ascending the stairs to his palace. Vivec’s eyes shot open. This abrupt movement caught the attention of his guards.
,,Something is coming. Prepare your arms.” The god ordered them. He drew two Dwemer blades himself, Purebreath and Coldfinger, the divine blades of fire and ice. Something knocked on the door.
,,Why does he knock? Doesn’t he know that the door only opens for the right key?”

A giant sword cleaved through the door. The Ordinators stepped back and exchanged worried expressions. Vivec remained calm. He was expecting this guest.
,,Mehrunes Dagon, come in.” He spoke, loud and clear.
,,Ha, I knew you were involved with all this. It just had to be you.” A taunting voice called out from beyond the door. The voice did not belong to Mehrunes Dagon. It was a voice Vivec could never forget, a voice that haunted him every moment.

An Ordinator had entered the palace. He wasn’t an Ordinator, Vivec saw that instantly. No Ordinator was this casual when in the presence of a Tribunal god.
,,Yes, what do you want?” He asked the man.
,,Let’s play the name-game.” Was the fake Ordinator’s response. The man sounded very disrespectful.
,,Do you remember the name, Kagrenac?” The first question annoyed him. Who was this man, that he dared to play a game with Vivec?
,,Everyone knows that name. He was the mastersmith of the Dwarves.” He responded. The warning tone of his voice wasn’t heard by the false Ordinator.
,,True, but do you remember the name Lorhkan?” Nowhe was getting slightly worried. The choice of names was eerie. Now the man raised his left hand which bore a ring. A ring that Vivec had hoped never to see again.
,, Last one. Do you remember the name….Nerevar?” It was the Moon-and-Star. The man was Nerevar Indoril, the ancient general he betrayed in exchange for immortality.

Now this man stood before him again, without the armour of an Ordinator this time. Vivec’s face revealed no emotions but inside, he was frightened and angry.
,,Your survival was unexpected. The prophecy claims that the Nerevarine is not harmed by age, it appears that the prophecy was right. I also see that you still bear Wraithguard. And you have managed to unlock the secrets of Kagrenak which you used to create a second Wraithguard. Why have you returned, Nerevar Indoril? Or do you want me to refer to you by a different name? ” Vivec practically spat out those words. Luper gave a smug grin, exactly the same one he’d given all those years ago.
,,You could have called me Luper Alkad, Repul Dakla, Akatosh or even Nerevarine. But know one thing, I am not the old general. It was all a lie, the whole prophecy. Nerevar would never return so Azura chose the easy path. She took the essence of Akatosh and formed it into a being to replace Nerevar. She created me. Now as for why I am here.” Luper paused for a moment. The Ordinators were slammed against the wall and sank to the floor, unconscious.

,,That staff created a gate to Oblivion. A gate through which an army of Daedra came. Mehrunes Dagon himself followed a bit later. You knew that this would happen, didn’t you? Am I right, when I think that you wanted to do just that. Give Mehrunes Dagon his gate for a reward. Were you planning to sacrifice Tamriel just so you could have your immortality back?” The Aedra continued. His grin had vanished, replaced by a stony mask of barely controlled rage.
,,You don’t know how I suffer each day for what you did. You took my pride, my power. You have slain my kin. You mocked me with your very existence. The Nerevarine, who united the Dunmer like no one had ever managed before. Who succeeded where we failed. Who was victorious, even when fighting a god! A mortal, claiming to be greater than we were. Yet after all that you have done, you still dare to judge me?” Vivec replied with a venomous voice.

Luper shook his head.
,,Yes, I killed Almalexia. No, I did not kill Sotha Sil. He was death when I arrived, slain by Almalexia’s hand. I put her down to bring an end to her insanity. The Heart of Lorkhan, it grants immortality but look at the cost. Even as it gives you unimaginable power, it steals your soul. Kagrenac, Dagoth Ur, Almalexia, they all fell to its temptation and its curse. Even you, Vivec. Even you are suffering from it. Slowly, your mind is slipping into insanity. For the good of the world and for yourself, I will judge you. Rest well, together with those who have passed on before you.” The Nerevarine spoke with the calm tone of voice he’d last used when he spoke with Almalexia moments before her death. Vivec never raised his hand in defence as Chrysamer penetrated his heart faster than he could see.
,,Rest well Vivec, last of the Tribunal.” Luper repeated. He left the god as he was. He vanished from the temple without a word. Now his last living connection with the Nerevarine prophecy was death.

Morvayn was sitting on the balcony, enjoying the night’s breeze. He’d accepted his new fate. Now that he couldn’t return to Vivec, he would just have to make the best of life. Somehow, it felt good to be free of the Tribunal. He never had time for his personal life before. Luper had returned months ago, only to leave right after he’d dropped off Mehrune’s sword. Where the man was now, the Dunmer could only guess.
,,Wherever you are, I hope you manage to ease the pain of your heart. It is a curse. People come and go yet we immortals shall remain till the end of time.” He whispered into the wind. He looked down at the fire burning in the village center. Tonight was the night his child would receive a name. He couldn’t wait.
,,Being a vampire isn’t so bad. It’s pretty good as long as I have Jana and this amulet that keeps me fed.”

THE END