And here we go, the last part of round one! I have to admit I found it quite hard to write seeing as I just couldn't imagine how Vernon would beat Always-He-Lingers-in-the-Sun. It took some gaming to bring me inspiration. (Sanger Zonvolt is so cool. I love his dialogue. Ok, this has nothing to do with it.)
Mehrunes watched the battle from his throne with anticipation. ,,Now, it’s time to make it even more interesting.” With a wave of his hand, a loud rumble passed through the tower, the rumble of machinery beginning to move. Floors vanished, walls shifted, fire shot down from the sky. The Argonian had to jump away when a massive boulder suddenly came rolling past. ,,This is not good.” The assassin thought to himself as he hurried to a safer hiding place. Yet, he knew that there no longer was a safe place in this plane.
Vernon walked slowly. While he desired to kill the lizard as soon as possible, he knew that charging through the corridors like a madman was asking for a bolt in his back. As such, he exercised patience, no matter how hard that would be. His progress was halted by a large chasm. A bridge was the only way to cross. Vernon took the first step onto the bridge when a sudden movement caught his attention. He quickly stepped away and took cover. A moment later, a bolt struck the wall.
,,Go ahead, lizard. Waste your precious bolts! Once you’re through, I will put you out of your misery!” The Count taunted. At the far end of the chasm, Always-He-Lingers cursed. He’d missed for a second time. Suddenly, the wall behind him rumbled as it began to move. ,,No way!” The Argonian let out a few more curses. The wall slowly progressed towards him, leaving the bridge as the only way out. Yet, on the other side of the bridge the Count faced the same problem as his wall had begun to move as well. The final battle would inevitably begin. Both stepped onto the bridge warily. Always-He-Lingers made a quick count of his bolts. Five remaining, five chances at victory. He loaded the first one and let fly.
Vernon ducked, the bolt making a mess of his hair yet leaving his skull intact. The man jumped up again, breathing more heavily as he began to tire from the constant dodging. The bridge didn’t leave him much room for that. ,,Just give it up, lizard!” He shouted and began to run across the bridge like a madman. The next bolt wouldn’t be dodged.
The Argonian rolled his eyes. The insult was getting old. He raised his crossbow once more and fired one of the precious few bolts he had left. He dropped the Crossbow right afterwards. In the event of Vernon somehow escaping death, there would be no time for a third shot. The Count grinned and simply raised his Ebony blade in front of his face, deflecting the bolt with more luck than skill. The Argonian drew his own blades, one made from Ebony and the other out of Daedric. Both charged and met at the center of the bridge.
Vernon raised his blade high above his head and struck down with all the strength he had. Always-He-Lingers brought up the shortsword in his right hand to block it, Ebony meeting Ebony. The Argonian was driven to his knees by the sheer force behind the blow. Using his own downward motion, he slipped his Daedric dagger into Vernon’s somewhat bulging belly. The Man grit his teeth in pain and felt the lifeforce being sucked right out of him. He too sank on his knees, bringing him face to face with his opponent.
,,You damn lizard.” He forced the words out of his throat and punched the Argonian in the face. Brought of balance, Always-He-Lingers-in-the-Sun never had a chance to stop the Ebony blade from finding his heart. Both Argonian and sword fell off the bridge and vanished in the depths. Veron’s vision began to turn dark when The hulking mass of Mehrunes Dagon appeared before him. ,,Congratulations, mortal. Yes, you have fought well and as such I shall reward you…with your life!” The Daedra roared. The Count’s vision cleared as the wound closed itself in the blink of an eye. Still dizzy from the bloodloss, he stood up and faced the lord.
,,Life? You promised me a reward worthy of a Daedra! I already survived the battle and therefore achieved life for myself. So where is my reward?” He spoke angrily. Mehrunes Dagon laughed. ,,Yes, you survived the battle. Yet, you would have died a moment later if it wasn’t for me. I give you life, the life of an immortal. You will live till the end of time unless you die from whatever wound you might have the misfortune of taking. Now, return to where you came from!” Vernon vanished in a cloud of Magicka.
A Dremora walked onto the bridge and kneeled before his master. ,,Go fetch the corpse down below and resurrect it. Remove any memories of the event and then gently place it back where and when we found it. I don’t want to get Azura angry at me again, or Akatosh or Boethia or Mephala and everyone else.” Mehrunes Dagon ordered and began the long walk back to the throne room. This first battle had wet his appetite. Now, he desired more.
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Fabulous hairneedle attack! I'm gonna be bald before I hit twenty.
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