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]

The people of Vivec respectfully cleared a path for him when he came trough. He didn’t expect anything else. Looking at the massive cantons of the sacred city, he was struck by both a sense of happiness and a sting of pain. This place was his home but it felt odd that the cantons were just under 200 years old. Vivec was beautiful yet, he still wished that he would have been able to see the bigger, older Vivec that was destroyed during what was known as the Oblivion crisis.

Now, only four cantons remained, one held Vivec’s palace, another the High Fane and the library and the next two held the temple and the homes of the common citizens. Morvayn walked slowly but with confidence towards his destination. In front of the huge doors of Vivec’s palace, he greeted the two Ordinators standing guard.
,,Rest well, Almalexia and Sotha Sil. May the death of your slayer bring you peace.” He began the traditional greeting.
,,Live well, Vivec. May your glory bring death to your enemies.” The Ordinators replied.

,,Welcome back, Master. Lord Vivec is expecting you.”
Morvayn nodded and entered the palace. Despite being called a palace, the room he entered was completely empty. The only thing that caught the attention of any visitor was the man floating above a platform. Lord Vivec himself, the last god of the Tribunal, greeted the kneeling Morvayn.
,,You have returned.” He simply said.
,,I have, lord Vivec. I bring words of victory. In the name of ALMSIVI, the cultists of Ald Sotha shall no longer worship Mehrunes Dagon.”

For a few moments, silence filled the room.
,,You have done well, Morvayn of House Dres. I give you my blessing. I have seen your actions and your service of the Tribunal. I believe that you are the right Dunmer for a very important task. Go to the city of Sentinel in the province of Hammerfell. There, the king of Sentinel shall hold a competition to select the best warrior of Tamriel. Though I have no doubts that you would win this competition, I want you to only join as a spectator. Watch the competition and make a selection of warriors you wish to hire for this task. You will have to endure the company of the outlanders. Now go and rest so that you are ready for your journey tomorrow. You will find a letter detailing your task on the desk in your room. Do not open this letter till you arrive in Sentinel. May ALMSIVI watch over you.”
Morvayn rose up from his knees, bowed and left the palace.

As the living god had told him, he found a small black envelope in his room. He kneeled in front of an alcove and began to carefully remove his armour, placing each piece in the alcove. He made a short prayer and lied down on his bed. His body relaxed while he relived his memories.

The skies above Red Mountain were a clear blue with a gentle breeze playing across the slopes. A young man with nothing but a simple brown robe and the wooden staff of a pilgrim walked barefooted through the ashy waste. He held his eyes firmly fixed on the ground and walked along an invisible trail, chanting sacred words of prayer as he went.

The ancient door of a Dwemer ruin invited him and he stepped through it into the darkness.
,,Welcome pilgrim, seeker of the rank of High Ordinator. You have entered a place of many curses and blessings. This is the place were the destiny of the Dunmer was decided. This is the place of the betrayal of Nerevar and the Tribunal by Dagoth Ur. This is also the place of his end at the hands of the equally treacherous Nerevarine. This is a place of hope and a place of tears.” A disembodied voice echoed through the metal corridors.

The pilgrim didn’t speak. He continued his prayers and searched a path into the depth of the ruins.
,,It all began in the beginning. Kagrenak, mastersmith of the Dwemer, created an abomination. The Tribunal and their mortal companions, Nerevar of House Indoril and Dagoth Ur, set out to fight the Dwemer and destroy their evil creation. After a long and hard battle in which many Chimer fell, the Tribunal claimed victory and all Dwemer turned to dust. Nerevar and Dagoth Ur entered the citadel where they found the heart of Loknar, which was said to grant great powers to its master. Nerevar left his friend at the heart and left to seek the advice of the Tribunal. The Tribunal decided that the heart should be destroyed for the safety of all.”

A long death Centurion sat against the wall. Its lifeless eyes seemed to stare at the passing pilgrim.
,,When they returned, the heart was gone and only Dagoth Ur remained. The power of the heart had claimed the man’s sanity and in a rage, he killed Nerevar. He then attacked the Tribunal, but was defeated by their immortal hands. All seemed well and the Tribunal led the people through the ages. Chimer turned into Dunmer, mountains grew, rivers dried and islands sank. In their wisdom, the Tribunal constructed the Ghostfence with the sacred souls of the Chimer who had fallen at Red Mountain.”

The pilgrim passed the corpse of a deformed man. No living creature dared to consume the cursed remains.
,,Then, bad signs for the future came. Ash filled the sky, foul creatures roamed the land. The Tribunal contained the problem within the fence and waited for prophecy to be fulfilled. Finally, the day the destiny of the Dunmer would be decided arrived. A ship arrived at the Bitter Coast. With it, it brought a man marked by destiny. This man was known as Luper Alkad, a Redguard born at a certain time to unknown parents. With the power of Akatosh flowing through his veins, he was called Nerevarine by the Ashlanders and Hortator by the Great Houses of Vvardenfell. Luper Alkad received the blessing of the Tribunal and defeated Dagoth Ur who had survived the wounds the Tribunal inflicted on him so long ago. Only the power of the heart had kept him alive.”

The pilgrim entered a cavern beneath the ruins at the heart of the mountain. There, he stoppd to prepare himself for what awaited beyond the door.
,,Sadly, the evil that had claimed Dagoth Ur also claimed this Luper Alkad. With the power of Akatosh, blessed by Azura and with the evil of the heart, he travelled forth and slayed the Tribunal gods Almalexia and Sotha Sil. He then turned on Vivec, last god of the Tribunal. Helped by the souls of his fellow gods, Vivec gravely injured the Redguard and forced him to flee. Luper Alkad would live the rest of his life in exile till this life was finally claimed by Mehrunes Dagon in the Imperial capital, Cyrodiil.”

The pilgrim took a deep breath and entered the final room, the room where the heart had been. He crossed a rope bridge suspended above the lava and arrived at a shrine in the center.
,,I greet you, pilgrim. Take the armour of the High Ordinator. When wearing this armour, never allow your face to be seen by the living. With this armour, people shall no longer know you as Morvayn of House Dres. They shall know you as High Ordinator, the hand and voice of the Tribunal.”

With calm movements, Morvayn removed his robe and threw into the magma below. His staff followed. He kneeled in front of the shrine and gave his words of thanks. He then took up the red armour of the High Ordinator and the sacred Ebony Saber, the ‘Word of ALMSIVI’. He was now the highest ranking Ordinator alive.

[The Metal Mallet]

Oooooo, a very promising start to your next fic. You just seem to get better and better jack!

Seems like Morvayn is a dangerously devout Temple goer. I almost thought they would be at a Malacath shrine since it was full of Orcs, ohwell.

I also wonder how truthful that recollected history is, since it still contained previous Temple propaganda. Very intriging, I must find out!

[jack cloudy]

Sorry for the holdup, writer's block. Ahem, no story of mine is complete without a Redguard waving a sword and kicking behinds. So here he is, Redguard waving sword and kicking....nothing.



The sun was at its peak and the temperature in the city was as hot as a forge in Oblivion itself. Most people had sought the shadows to stay cool. Not the leatherclad Dunmer who walked through the city at a brisk pace. Morvayn had been in Sentinel for a week now and was frankly, bored. There just wasn’t anything for him to do. He was really just waiting till this so called best warrior of Tamriel had been chosen. At least things were about to end now. The semi-finals were busy right now and the finals would be tomorrow.

No one stopped him at the entrance to the castle. Why should they? Half of Tamriel wanted to see the fighting. If a guard would have tried to stop the flood of people, he would be cushed like an insect. He passed merchants trying to sell their wares, gamblers, beggers, a few members of the thieves guild and a lot of spectators. Pushing a path through the mass, he managed to get himself a place where he could see the arena.

The arena was really just a big patch of sand with a white circle around it. The rules were simple. Two contestants would fight within the ring. Crossing the white line or harming spectators would lead to defeat. Other than that, the fight would continue till one fighter gave up or got killed, whichever came first. The only other rule forbid the use of Magicka. This was a competition to find the best warrior, not the best mage.

Morvayn took on a casual pose and prepared for another boring day. The current match was between a Redguard and an Altmer. The Altmer was tall and dressed in expensive clothing. He weaved two Silver Wakizashis in a complex dance-like pattern. All of his movements were calculated and calm, a slowness that hid lightning-fast strikes.

His opponent was pretty much the opposite. Instead of two Wakizashis, the Redguard had chosen a simple Iron Longsword as his blade. He was a head shorter than most of his kind and wore cheap, dust-covered clothing. He looked like a nomad who lived in the dessert. His movements were crude but effective, switching from a one-handed grip to a two-handed at times.

The two stared each other down for a few seconds, looking for a potential weakness. The Redguard stepped forward and delivered a low thrust, using the longer range of the longsword to his advantage. The Altmer stepped to the side, parried with one Wakizashi and stepped closer before slashing at the Redguard’s neck. The Redguard dropped and performed a backwards roll, stopping at the edge of the arena.

The same thing repeated itself a few times. The Redguard would try to attack from a long distance and the Altmer would counter with his exotic dual-wield style. Morvayn was about to turn away and find something more interesting when something caught his attention. All this time, the Redguard had been surpressing a grin. Now that grin revealed itself and he launched himself forward. Morvayn continued to watch.

The Redguard got as close as he could and wildly began to hammer away at the Altmer’s left side. This was no longer a contest of skill. It was pure hack and slash. The Altmer almost looked bored while he blocked and parried the longsword again and again with one of his Wakizashis.

Morvayn ignored the rest of the crowd and the words of disappointment. There had to be a trick somewhere. There was simply too much difference between the style the Redguard had been using first and his hacking right now. He looked closely at the situation and a thin smile crossed his lips. He might actually start to respect an outlander like this. The Redguard’s plan was ridiculous, simple but it might just work.

The Redguard did just what Morvayn had expected. After almost two full minutes of hacking at the Altmer’s left side, he suddenly switched to the right side. The Altmer had gotten used to defending his left Wakizashi and tried to do so. Left Wakizashi collided with right Wakizashi bringing the Altmer out of balance and creating a huge opening. The Redguard stepped around his opponent and calmly tapped the Altmer’s neck with his longsword.
,,Give up?” was the first thing the Redguard said since the start of the match. The Altmer nodded and hung his head.
,,Good. Now if you just keep yourself from falling into a pattern, you might win the game next time. I doubt I’ll be competing so you’ll stand a chance.” The Redguard commented before walking away through the crowd. Morvayn waited for a moment and then followed. He hoped to get a conversation with the man.

[The Metal Mallet]

That Redguard must have some great endurance to hack so long But it was a smart move, since it worked.

Excellent fight Jacky, my boy! I do hope Morvayn plays nicely with him.

[jack cloudy]

Well, he's a tough guy alright. Sorry about this update, but I'm not very original when it comes down to names.




Following the Redguard without being spotted wasn’t too hard. The man walked without ever looking in any other direction than the one he was going. The hardest thing was keeping up. Morvayn lost sight of the Redguard for a moment but managed to pick the right direction just in time to see him enter a tavern.

,,Ah there you are. Managed to keep up?” The Redguard said with a grin just like the one he’d worn during his duel with the Aldmer.
,,Excuse me?”
,,Oh come on, do you really think you weren’t spotted? There are only so many people on the street and only one pair of feet heading in the same direction and keeping the same distance as I did. So what are you here for?”

Morvayn sighed and ordered a glass of water. The Redguard took this as a clue and raised a large wooden cup.
,,The usual for me.”
Morvayn sat down and looked the Redguard in the eyes.
,,I’ve seen you fight. It was a stupid trick but it worked.” He simply commented.
,,Nah, it wasn’t stupid. He was an amateur.” The Redguard replied and took a huge gulp of his drink.
,,This amateur did manage to make it to the semi-finals.” Morvayn countered.

,,Just a small and unimportant detail. The name’s Luper Alkad by the way, from Argonia. What’s yours?” The Redguard made a sweeping motion with his hand as if he wanted to push the subject off the table. Morvayn was now really growing interested though a small sting of anger had also entered his mood.
,,Luper Alkad? That’s the same name…”
,,As the Nerevarine. That’s the first thing every Dark Elf says nowadays. I heard that story. The Nerevarine, a hero who was blessed by Azura and who was invincible.” Luper interrupted.
,,I’m not invincible. Did you by chance hear the story of his end? They say that the Nerevarine got killed by Mehrunes Dagon himself. Nice story by the way. Now what’s your name?” He added.

Morvayn’s anger had become mixed with annoyance. It wasn’t often that people dared to interrupt him. Those who did were usually criminals of some kind of another. He bought himself time to deal with his emotions by drinking a bit of his water. Morvayn decided that he wouldn’t tell the Redguard that the Nerevarine wasn’t exactly seen as a hero nowadays. A tragic hero maybe, but not a hero. No matter what the Nerevarine did, killing two Tribunal gods was unforgiveable. Having people named after him hurt.

,,Morvayn Dres, from Morrowind.” The Dunmer said with a calm voice.
,,Ah, New Vivec perhaps? How is the Ordinator life?”
Morvayn couldn’t help but stare at the man.
,,Geez, get a hold on yourself before your eyes pop out of your sockets. Every Dark Elf compares me with this Nerevarine so I figured it would be best to do some research. I am definitely not like the guy of the stories. We both look like Redguards, but that’s were comparisons end. A friend of mine still has trouble with that. She’s a Dark Elf by the way. Sharp teeth and a bit hotheaded, but sweet otherwise. Would you like me to introduce you to her?”

Morvayn deliberately ignored the Redguard’s talk. His mind was fixed on the mission Vivec gave him.
,,If I want to make an expedition into the Black Marsh, what do I need?” He asked once the man had finished talking.
,,Well you could go through the whole food, waterproof covers for any weapons you might have and lots of healing potions and antidotes. But the most important thing is a guide. Now any Argonian is good though some are better than others. If you want a good sword by your side though, you’re better off with someone like….me. I’m as good in the swamps as any Argonian and better than most. So, what do you offer.” Luper’s voice didn’t have a single trace of modesty.
,,I’ll think about it. I might talk to you tomorrow after the finals, in this tavern.” Morvayn answered and got up. He left a single septim on the counter.
,,Good luck, by the way. Though you won’t need it if your opponent is an ‘amateur’.”

Luper watched the Dunmer leave.
,,Hmm, I haven’t seen an Ordinator in a while. I wonder how the good old twin-coloured god is doing?” He mumbled to himself.

[The Metal Mallet]

Hmmm... no... It can't be... This Luper isn't lying is he?

Stop playing with my mind!!!

[jack cloudy]

No, he's not lying.

[Kiln]

Man Jack, the frequency at which you pump out these stories is amazing. I really like this new character so far, update soon. Oh yeah and I like Luper's personality, even though its not the same redguard that we grew so attached to from your other story.

Also, I'd like to thank you for your comments on my story and apoligize that I'm not able to comment on yours as often as I'd like.

[jack cloudy]

Kiln, I will accept your apology if you promise me one thing. Please continue your excellent work with the Eldest councillor.

Alright, time to continue. I might post another update tonight if I'm lucky. I'm going to do the best I can with the finals. Why? Because a Luper is in it and guys called Luper deserve a good fight.


Morvayn spent the rest of the day in his room. His conversation with Luper had made him feel uneasy.
,,Did he lie to me?”
He shook his head at that thought. During the years he’d learned when people lied and when they didn’t. Luper hadn’t lied, but he hadn’t told the full truth either. One thing was sure, the Redguard was a lot more than he was willing to show. With more questions than he could answer, Morvayn fell asleep.

,,Morvayn of House Dres. Heed the call of your master!”
Morvayn opened his eyes. He found himself floating in an empty space, suited in his Ordinator armour. In front of him, the divine shape of Vivec revealed itself. Morvayn kneeled in the air and bowed his head.
,,Lord Vivec.”

,,You are in a place I myself have created for the sole purpose of communicating with those who serve me. In here, time has no meaning. If I could, I could teach you my lessons for a thousand years and not a single second would have passed in Tamriel. Now, have you reached Sentinel?” The god spoke and waited.
,,Yes, lord. I have successfully made the journey. The competition has been fierce. Out of fivehundred competitors, only two remain. The finals shall be held tomorrow, in front of king Arthago.”

,,Good. Now Morvayn, do you believe you can find the right men to accompany you into the treacherous Black Marsh?” The god asked.
,,I do have several candidates. One of them shall fight in the finals tomorrow.”
,,Refuse him if he wins. With victory comes pride and glory. You will not be able to travel fast when your companion is well known. Now rest, Morvayn of House Dres. Tomorrow, the journey shall begin. The High Ordinator shall require all of his strength for the challenge that awaits. Fear not, for my blessing shall be with you.” The living god faded from view and Morvayn returned to his slumber.

[The Metal Mallet]

Awww, I wanna see more Luper, but it's going to make me sad if he loses the fight. Maybe he'll do it on purpose or something. Then again, if he wins, I'm sure it will be cool, and it would be an epic "cameo" type thing.

Ohwell, I guess I'll find out in your next update. Can't wait to see the duel!

[jack cloudy]

Sorry, but the duel will start tomorrow. The introduction was a bit longer than expected. Well I did have a nice cameo to include. Enjoy.


Morvayn considered himself lucky the next day. He’d already travelled to the castle before sunrise but it had still been hard to find a good place to watch the fight. It was clear that today’s event was extremely popular. He bet that those in the city who did not come to watch the finals could be counted on one hand.

The two finalists, Luper and an Orc, were already standing inside the ring. The Orc was sitting on the ground with his eyes closed and his hands on the blade of his sword, an Ebony Broadsword. Luper on the other hand was impatiently pacing back and forth. If Morvayn hadn’t seen him fight the day before, he would have been worried that the Redguard would be tired before the beginning of the match. The Redguard had used the finalist’s right to choose a weapon from the king’s armory. A simple choice to make, for his iron Longsword would be snapped like a twig by the Broadsword. Instead, Luper had now picked up a Glass version. Just how this was supposed to be an improvement, Morvayn didn’t know.

The sounds of horns echoed through the room and all faces turned towards the balcony. Accompanied by a pair of his royal guard, king Arthago strode into view. Despite his age and somewhat expanding stomach, he was still a strong man covered in muscles. It was well known that he could still go toe-to-toe with the best of his guards. He calmly took in the cheers of his people.
,,Citizens of Sentinel! It is my honour to present to you the duel between the two greatest warriors in Tamriel! It will be a memorable battle. But before it may begin, I would like to introduce our guest who has travelled here all the way from Cyrodiil. Fast enough to escape the excessive paperwork he has to face each day.” People laughed at the joke of their king. They waited eagerly to see who this guest was.

Two soldiers in what appeared to be Dwemer armour at first glance walked onto the balcony. Morvayn looked intently at them.
,,X-COM. What do I know about them? The first X-COM was Gerard Dreyfus, supposedly a man who came from beyond Nirn and the planes of Oblivion. After ending the Oblivion crisis, he created a guild of warriors with the sole goal of protecting Tamriel from the Daedra. When the first Cosades was elected as Emperor, he recruited the X-COM as his personal guard and made them part of the Blades. An X-COM soldier is suited in something called a Flying suit which enables flight, breathing when there’s no air and it also tells where enemies and friends are. The suits are powered by a combination of Sigil shards and Elerium. The weapon of an X-COM soldier is something called a Plasma pistol and a Heavy Plasma. Both launch extremely hot fireballs at the speed of light. Well I know one thing, I don’t want to fight them even if only half of the stories are true.”

After the two soldiers, an old Imperial followed. Tiber Cosades, fourth Emperor of the Cosades dynasty, a direct descendant of Caius Cosades the spymaster who had helped the Nerevarine. It was interesting how the threads of destiny were tied together. Even long after his death, the Nerevarine would still be known thanks to the descendants of those who had personally known the man.

,,Greetings. I am Tiber Cosades, Emperor of the Tamriellic empire. Thank you for letting me in, and for keeping the paperwork outside the gates. Now, that I have introduced myself, I won’t hold up the duel any longer.” The old man said and was carefully helped into a comfortable chair.
King Arthago waited till the Emperor was seated before continuing.
,,Now, let’s get this thing started. On the Northern side of the arena we have Arkming Gro-lurc, son of Bogahk Gro-lurc , who has been raised in the snow of Skyrim. He is a captain in the garrison of Snowhawk, the city of the disappearing mountain.”

The Orc opened his eyes and focussed them on his opponent. It was a soundless challenge, a promise that he would not hold back. Luper stopped his pacing and smiled friendly at the Orc in return.
,,And on the Southern side we have Luper Alkad, son of Cluson Alkad, from the Black Marsh of Argonia. His daily life consists of fishing, swinging sticks, hitting bad outlanders on their head, telling stories to the kids and annoying a lovely sharptoothed lady.” King Arthago frowned and looked at his notes as if he expected the words to change into something else.
,,Now, raise your blade and fight with honour. Let the duel begin!”

The swords were raised and the crowd fell silent. The final battle of the competition, the one that would decide who was the best warrior in Tamriel, had begun.

[The Metal Mallet]

Hooray for cameos! That's the neat thing about your work, Jack. Since you have quite a few fics under your belt, you could cameo a few of them, I almost expected to see Aureus in the X-Scrolls one, just because he mentioned in. But this cameo is neat, just because he's merely referenced and not actually there.

This battle looks promising!

[jack cloudy]

Ah yes, cameos. Well I did have to pull them out somehow. I would have brought Gerard himself if it wasn't for the fact that humans rarely live to an age exceeding 200.

And about Aureus, well he's simply too powerfull to be there when the Daedra attacked. Gerard wouldn't get to do a thing. The old vamp would simply pop through the gate, blasting anything that dared interrupt him, and blow up the whole tower!

Now I failed to make the battle epic, so I just did this. It includes a bunch of one-liners. Have fun.


The two fighters approached with short steps. Luper reached out with his blade and immediately pulled back again even before the blades could make contact. He was merely testing his opponent’s defence. The Orc bared his teeth in grin.
,,You won’t find any gaps with me. I’ve seen you fight, Luper Alkad. Your technique holds no surprises for me.” He said, stepped forward and slashed downwards with the heavy sword.

Luper stepped to the side, sank through his knees a little and brought up his Glass blade under the right angle to make the Ebony broadsword change directions and plunge into the sand, without damaging the Glass longsword. The Redguard produced one of his own grins and whispered so low that only Arkming could hear it.
,,You think so? Sorry kid, but the technique you’ve been seeing is my ‘example-for-five-years-old-starters’ style. You won’t see my ‘Alkadtastic-behind-kicking-and-chop-into-a-thousand-pieces-in-the-blink-of-an-eye’ style. So if you win, congratulations on being as good as a little child. If you lose, well sorry I just crushed your self-image. Also, you might want to save your breath. People who talk all the time get tired early.”

Morvayn couldn’t help but smile. Lip-reading did have its uses.
,,Well he surely isn’t lacking confidence.” At the same time, he wondered just how true the Redguard’s taunt was. He watched how the Orc pulled his sword out of the sand and went into a defensive stance. Barely controlled rage was burning in his eyes.
Luper calmly waited, sword pointed towards the ground. He raised one of his eyebrows as if he was wondering why the Orc didn’t attack.

The stalemate lasted for several minutes. The crowd became restless and began to move. King Arthago stood up out of his throne.
,,May I please remind you that you are supposed to fight a duel here? Making your opponent die of old age may be a reliable method to win, but it does take a bit too long to hold the interest of the people.” He spoke with a humoured smile on his lips.
,,Oh, now I doubt that Greenskin will win that way. I’ll still be running around long after he got underneath the ground. Longevity runs in the family.” Luper replied loud enough for everyone to hear.

That did it for Arkming. Screaming a battlecry that would make blood freeze, he stormed forwards. Luper bend down again and waited till the Orc was almost on top of him. He then pushed forward himself, grabbed Arkming by his belt and used the Orc’s momentum to throw him trough the air. He walked over to where his opponent landed like a sack of rocks and made a light cut on his right cheek.
,,Don’t let your emotions control you. Berserking might be all fun and nice if you try to scare little kittens, but no one gets scared by a clumsy Orc. Now get up and show me what else you’ve got.”

The Orc got up again. He moved slower now, more controlled. He made a move to the right, a move to the left and another move to the right before attacking to the left side. Luper moved his head to avoid the Ebony and pushed the blade away with his free hand while he made another light cut, on the left cheek this time.
,,Oh, I forgot. Thinking too much isn’t good either. Everything comes in a balance.”

Half an hour later, Morvayn shook his head.
,,Right, this isn’t a duel. This is a lesson. Luper’s going to win so I won’t hire him I guess.” He muttered to himself. Right now, the two were moving around the ring, Arkming striking and Luper evading and stepping backwards. The Orc’s face was covered in light cuts while the Redguard wasn’t even scratched.

Arkming was sweating heavily and stopped attacking for a moment. He realized he was growing tired, not to mention frustrated. He was using up his energy much faster than the Redguard, who simply refused to attack. It was all dodging, parrying and emberassing.
,,Now I know. Psychological warfare. You can’t beat my muscles, so you attempt to beat my mind by making me act the way you want it. No, I shall no longer play this game. I shall do that which you don’t expect any longer. Meet the raging fury of the North!” He shouted a battlecry and lunged forwards, swinging with all his might.

Luper couldn’t parry the assault without breaking his own sword. He did the only thing he could possibly do. He stepped away to stay out of reach. One step, two steps, three steps. On the fourth step, the Orc stood still, lowered his sword and laughed.
,,Look below you, Redguard! You have lost!”
Everyone looked at Luper’s feet. He’d stepped out of the ring.

,,Aw man. Oh well, remember what I told you. You’ve got potential, it just takes a while to grow. See yah.” Luper waved and walked away from the arena. He left the Glass longsword behind. It still belonged to the king and would be returned to the armory.

Morvayn stood dumbfounded. Pure luck, the Orc had won through pure luck. He thought over the situation and shrugged.
,,Who cares. Luper should have won but he didn’t and as a result isn’t the champion. I’ll get to hire the better one and he won’t be famous. Perfect.”
He didn’t stay to watch the fanfare surrounding the new champion. He had more important matters to deal with, including hiring a certain Redguard at a certain tavern.

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Aug 15 2006, 07:02 PM

[The Metal Mallet]

It all worked out nicely for Morvayn it seems. Though I would personally find it embarassing to lose by falling out of the ring. But that means we get more Luper in this fic! Wee! I wonder if him and Morvayn will have conflicting relations...

One liners! Gotta love 'em!

[jack cloudy]

Sorry, just a short one today.



Luper wasn’t sitting at a table to drink. Morvayn wondered if he should ask the bartender which would probably involve money or if he should just use a life detection spell. He chose the latter. As he’d expected, the Redguard had locked himself up in a room. As if the door of a tavern could keep out someone like Morvayn.
,,Hey, calm down you ashloving idiot. The door wasn’t even locked, no need to go kick it in. It’s a damn waste of fine wood.” The Redguard said with an annoyed voice.
,,Well I am very sorry to hear that. If you promise you won’t fool around like you did in the arena today, I’ll consider hiring you.”

Luper stood up.
,,Why should I? You’ve already made your decision. I can guarantee that I won’t lose a fight if that’s what you want to hear. Besides, give the kid his fun. Any questions?”
Morvayn didn’t need to think of one.
,,Why are you wearing Indoril boots?”

Luper laughed.
,,Oh, the boots? There was this Ordinator once in the Black Marsh. He kinda got bitten by a snake and well, he forgot to stock up on antidotes. He won’t be needing his boots any longer.”
The Dunmer frowned. Luper was once again telling the truth, but there was this odd feeling he couldn’t explain or get rid of.
,,I don’t feel right about this but till I find a better guide, you’ll do. Meet me at the East gate later. You have two hours to get prepared.” Morvayn turned around and left.

Two hours later, Morvayn was standing at the gate together with his two mercenaries.
,,Alright, let’s get the introductions straight. This here is Jarik. He’s apparently quite experienced at looting Daedric ruins.” He pointed at the tall Nord who nodded.
,,Nice claw tattoo, pal.” Luper mumbled with one of his grins.
,,Hi, I’m Luper Alkad. Your guide into Argonia. So we’re going to loot a Daedric ruin? Sounds like fun!”

Morvayn rolled his eyes.
,,No, we’re not going to loot anything. I’ve just heard that there is this really large Daedric shrine somewhere in the Black Marsh. A shrine dedicated to all the Daedra. We’re not going to loot it. My master has requested that I retrieve a single specific object for safekeeping. As far as everything else is concerned, you may pillage and plunder as much as you like. It won’t be my fault if the Daedra get your souls.”
,,Wow, you must have had a bad youth or something. Cheer up man, no need to be so freaking serious about your religion all the time.”
Morvayn shot a furious glance at the Redguard.
,,Don’t speak about my religion if you value your life.”

Morvayn soon came to regret his choice of companions. For some reason, the Nord and the Redguard just couldn’t get along. The insults flying back and forth gave the Dunmer a headache and provided prove for the barbarism of nonDunmer.

[The Metal Mallet]

Hehe, a bit of a comical (and frustrating for Morvayn) startoff. I'm liking Luper all ready! I wonder what perils they'll discover roaming the swamps of the Black Marsh?

[jack cloudy]

Not a lot of perils. Remember, Luper is pretty much a native. He knows what to do and what not to do. Inside the Daedric shrine though......MUHAHAHAHA


Fortunately for him, they reached the Black Marsh in the end. Once his mission was over, Morvayn would get back to New Vivec and civilization as soon as possible.
,,stop your bickering for a moment and tell me what you know about the shrine.”
Luper threw out one last insult before responding.
,,The shrine was built by some Aldmer fellow whose name I don’t know. There is a room for each of the Daedra and a large room for all the Daedra together. Natives stay away from the place at all costs and all adventurers who did go there never came out. So, do you want to pray to Vivi for protection?”

,,It had better be you who prays to Vivec for protection against me! You may not believe in the Tribunal but you could at least show some respect!” Morvayn snapped at him. Luper simply grinned.
,,I suppose I could show respect but that would be so boring. Nah, Vivi and I are not exactly good friends. I’m more related to Akatosh and Azura. Especially Akatosh. Long story and I won’t tell you now. By the way, that Nord fellow is going to be in trouble.”

Morvayn stared at him.
,,You will call my lord Vivec, not Vivi. And why is Jarik going to be in trouble?” He asked with barely contained anger.
,,Maybe cause I don’t trust him? I’m telling you, he’s got plans of his own. But at the moment, his biggest problem is that snake that is trying to strangle him. It’s so hard to fight snakes if your hands are unavailable and your axe is still strapped to your back.”
Morvayn looked and saw that the Nord was indeed struggling with a snake that was slowly pulling him underwater.

,,Do we really need him alive?” Luper asked, sounding like a spoiled child.
,,Yes.” Was Morvayn’s simple reply.
Luper rolled his eyes.
,,Right. Time to earn my pay I guess. I’m telling you, I will regret this.”

The Redguard unsheathed his sword and launched himself forward, using the large treeroots as stepping stones. He landed on a root near the snake and the Nord. After a short hesitation, he stabbed the snake somewhere behind the head. The huge snake instantly went limp.
,,Don’t thank me. Thank the Dark Elf. If it was my decision, I’d have let you rot.” Luper stated as he walked back to Morvayn.
,,And one more thing. Try not to touch the water. Here in the Black Marsh, there are plenty of deadly critters.”

They began moving again and the silence was soon scared off again by a constant stream of insults flying back and forth. Morvayn shook his head as they trudged through the swamp.
,,Barbarians.”

By the night, Luper began to display unusual behaviour. He was not talking. Jarik threw a few more insults but after noticing that the Redguard didn’t react, he also shut up. Morvayn gave a few silent words of thanks to Vivec.
,,Ah, that’s it.”
Morvayn’s mood instantly became sour again.
,,There goes the silence.”
,,What, Luper?” He spoke angrily.

,,Nothing. Just hold on for a sec. The ground seems to be a bit soft here. Wait for me.” The Redguard went ahead and was soon out of sight. For a moment, Morvayn thought he saw a purple glow in the distance but he ignored it. Luper was clearly not capable of any spells, so it had to be his imagination.

An hour went by.
,,Do you think he drowned, sir Dres?” Jarik couldn’t mask a hint of hope in his voice.
,,Hey, I grew up on a ship. Don’t think I drown that easily. I’m a better swimmer than most Argonians.” A familiar voice called out from behind.

,,Trying to surprise us, Redguard?” Morvayn responded without turning around.
,,Not really, I just found a path to the local village. I live there.”
The Dunmer and the Nord exchanged pained expressions. If there was a village that could stand having Luper in their midst, it had to be a part of Oblivion.

[minque]

Luper Luper! Always fun to follow his adventures....nice nice Mr Cloudy!

[Kiln]

,,Trying to surprise us, Redguard?” Morvayn responded without turning around.
,,Not really, I just found a path to the local village. I live there.”
The Dunmer and the Nord exchanged pained expressions. If there was a village that could stand having Luper in their midst, it had to be a part of Oblivion.

Lol, hilarious ending to that part there. I quoted my favorite part of this update above. Great work mate and keep it up.