The Hero in Disguise, Chapter 3 Options

[Mazelure]

Man I dont know how you do it (since I suck at fist person writing) but I really like how you write... especially when you described how Xander felt when killing the mystic dawn cult... long live the king!... err... may he rest in peace is more among the lines... but you know what I mean...I hope you have the time to upgrade soon...

Kudos Taillus... Kudos

[Taillus]

I am back after a LOOONG leave of absense and hopefully I can continue where I left off. If it has been far too long for everyone to remember my story then I will have to create a new one but I have been anticipating coming back even if it is to read the stories of others... *Sigh* It feels sooooooo good to be back.

Expect the rest of this chapter and beyond for all those that wish to read it.

[The Metal Mallet]

Wow, what a coincidence that you return just when we bring up Clash of the Titans once more. You wouldn't know me, but I've been a guest on these forums long enough to have read the stuff you've released on these forums and I really enjoyed your work.

I look forward to seeing this story ressurrected. It won't take too long for this one to freshen up in my memory. Welcome back!

Also, now with Oblivion having been out for so long, you no longer need worry about the spoilers!! That was the reason you disappeared wasn't it?

This post has been edited by The Metal Mallet: Oct 30 2006, 02:34 AM

[Kiln]

Hey welcome back man I was wondering what happened to you a while ago because I hadn't seen you on recently...so many people that used to frequent these forums have left and haven't been heard from in quite some time but I'm glad that isn't the case with you mate.

It's good to know that you're alright and hopefully you'll continue this soon enough or start something new altogether, though I would like to see the end of this story I enjoy reading your work and I'll definately keep up with whatever you decide to write.

[jack cloudy]

Hey, welcome back. Yup, no more spoilers to worry about. I also don't have any spoilers left to worry about myself because I officially left the TES universe.

Anyway, I'd say you should just continue with this one. No need to start all over again.

[Tellie]

WOHOO :clap:

Now you KNOW that I would never forget your story tai....bad boy, you make me angry by even proposing such a thing

But seriously, I will continue to read the story, I kinda have to anyway considering the discussion you and me had for a few months back. Glad to have you back dear.

[minque]

Yes welcome back Taillus! It´s very good to have you back again......really..

[mplantinga]

I just started reading this story today, and finally got caught up. I'm enjoying watching as he rediscovers some of the skills he lost due to the body switch. I'm also fascinated by the haste with which he is pursuing the Mythic Dawn. Most of the fanfics take advantage of the liberty given by the game to meander through the game, getting distracted by every cave, ruin, and odd job in Cyrodiil. It is refreshing to have the story told with the haste that the story implies should be there.

[Taillus]

I am finished the third chapter after realizing that I lost my entire story due to a very bad computer. Thankfully I remember what parts I wanted to keep and what ones I wished to change. I hope you like it and have as much fun reading as I did writing!

The sun greets me as it barely finishes taking its seat at the crest of the horizon. Another day, another terror is the thought of the moment for me as I double check my equipment as my loyal paint horse speeds towards Bravil. The Blades as well as most of the city guards know me now as the “Gate Closer” a name fitting but the glory associated is sadly nowhere near as great as the dangers that come with the title. I can see the city in need slowly slipping from the morning fog to greet me as my horse and I jolt down the mountain path separating the Cloud Ruler Temple from Bravil and I can feel a scowl cross my face as I can imagine the task at hand.

As I abandon my horse, leaving him in the care of an armed guard at the city’s rear gate the smell of burning…well burning everything invades my senses. The heat given off by the fiery gate can be felt even at the other end of town. I look quickly at the panicked locals as they scurry to board up their houses, leaving men and older male children with whatever weapons they could borrow from the nearby adventurer’s shops. Thankfully for all the vendors gave up their weapons to all who could wield them and were not looking to make money in this time of need.

The front gates to Bravil opened to reveal to me that the majority of Bravil’s men were bravely fending off the hoards of demonic daedra that seemed to pour from the opened Oblivion gate. They were faring well but their lack of solid armor made even a swipe from a scamp deadly. I ran to the man shouting orders to inform him that I have arrived.

The man neglects to give his name but he shook my armored gauntlet and welcomed me aboard. He knew instantly by my blade’s gear that I was the esteemed “Gate Closer” and began telling me about the situation.

“It is a nightmare here my friend! We are trying to stay on top of these fiends but they just keep coming. I want to follow you in so that I can help Bravil next time. You seem like a busy man and frankly, the more men that know how to shut these portals the better!” The man shouts above the screaming and clashing metal. I motion for him to follow me and he grabs an experienced archer for backup before meeting me on the other side.

No matter how many times I visit Oblivion, I will never get used to it. The twisted and evil looking scenery, the deadly plants, the smell of molten rock and burning flesh will always send chills down my spine. I could tell that my comrades were almost scared stiff but could you blame a man? The sights in Oblivion should never be viewed by any man. I assured them that I knew what I was doing here and it would be best if we made double time to avoid attracting more unwanted attention then necessary. Let’s just say that I didn’t have to tell them twice.
Oddly, we walked through the winding maze of this certain part of Oblivion without so much as a clanfear interrupting us. It seemed like we had actually flushed this place out. The men of Bravil might have bled this portal dry but dropping our guard would mean certain death so we left our weapons in hand just in case. After a few minutes of walking and navigating the mind-wracking twists and turns we stopped for a rest on a large rock jutting out of the side of the path that gave us a good look of what was to come.

It seemed that there were three towers that stretched high into the blood red sky. Small paths connected each tower to each other at varying points and from what I could tell, the smallest tower unlocked the next largest and so on. The highest tower was tall enough that none of us could see the top which worried me but in letting on would frighten the others so I decided to keep my mouth shut and carry on.

The towers were as dark as the midnight sky. Twisted pieces of architecture that looked as though they were carved by Mehrunes Dagon himself. Evil looking, multi-edged spikes jutted out of the towers topped off with a sticky reddish colored liquid seeping from what seemed like pores made the towers seem alive as oddly as that sounds.

Entering the first tower proved near fatal when the edge of a large daedric battle axe met our heads just as the tower door opened. Thankfully our archer friend was quick enough on his toes and fired a previously loaded arrow into the face of an unsuspecting daedra warrior. The three of us laughed nervously, making light of our near death experience but if it hadn’t been for the young archer, Myself and the leader of the Bravil militia would have been searching for our heads.

The next few minutes was spent climbing what seemed like an infinite spiral ramp that was perfectly fitting for the décor. With large teeth-like razors sticking outward from the curved ramp before curling upward, it made every step potentially fatal. If one were to lose footing, these teeth would dice you into scrib meat in mere moments. I decided not to think about it and continued climbing upward with my team. The leader of the Bravil was quite thankful for me allowing him to come along which made me smile slightly. He is definitely a brave soul as well as his archer soldier as well. They both stepped along side of me as though this was common for them. It was nice to know that not everyone was hoping I would just save the world by myself.

Once we made our way to the top of the twisting ramp, a large circular door was all that stood on top of the smallest tower, the first of three towers. I was almost expecting some resistance but this Oblivion gate was making my stomach turn a different way. The air was quiet, the familiar sounds of Oblivion were not present this time and it seemed almost too quiet to ignore. This Gate should be filled to the brim with creatures considering the one that I had fought through not even months before was teeming with evil. I scratched my chin in concern but carried on none the less. I looked over my shoulder at my teammates and smiled reassuringly before sliding the large door before us open with moderate effort.

We found ourselves atop one of the tower’s small, uninviting catwalks that led to the next tallest tower and it seemed that our luck was going to start running dry from now and beyond. At the other end of the catwalk stood a daedra clothed in a deep grey hooded robe holding a thick chain. Making things worse was what the chain was leading to. Atop the other end of the chain and wrapped around it to a degree was a huge black and red ball littered with large, razor sharp blades similar to those that decorated the towers and before I could even hint as to what the setup was for, the cloaked daedra pulled hard on the chain, releasing the ball of serrated happiness on a one-way trip to my crew and I.

This post has been edited by Taillus: Oct 31 2006, 10:25 PM

[mplantinga]

An excellent update. I am intrigued by the relative lack of defenders in this realm of Oblivion. I'm worried about what they will find when they finally reach the tall tower.

[The Metal Mallet]

What a way to get back to the story, Taillus! You definitely weave suspense really well. Hopefully Xander and company are close enough to the door that leds back into the first tower...

Just as a side note. The town you're talking about sounds more like Bruma than Bravil, that is, if it's nearby Cloud Ruler Temple and all. But like you said, you lost your notes and stuff so stuff like that is understandable.

[Kiln]

Oh come on, why must you leave off in such an interesting moment? You still have your ability to describe each detail in a way that the reader can understand and almost 'see' what you're talking about.

I especially liked the description of the deadra in the tower and the mace he was using as well. After being gone so long your writing still retains the same overall style that you graced us with before, it seems that the way you write has changed very little and that is a good thing.

Anyways I'm wanting to find out what happens in the next part so please continue soon.

[Taillus]

.:. Here is another update for everyone to read. I think I am going to take tonight and just relax so I can read, catching up on everyone's works. Enjoy all!

Oh and I am sorry for the confusion but the large ball of spikes is not quite a mace By the way...You will see in this update, hopefully it is more clear Think massive spiked rolling ball, put in motion by pulling the chain. .:.



The trap was large enough to envelop the entire breadth of the small catwalk and beyond so avoiding it would be impossible and much to our horror, the door behind us was only a one way passage! It looked as though we were quite literally trapped between a rolling spiked wheel of doom and a hard place. Thinking quickly, even quicker than myself, the leader of the Bruma troops, the hardy Nord that he is, reaches into his Bruma crested platemail and pulls out a small amulet engraved with a fist. I watched as his whole body glowed red briefly and he growled at the incoming trap.

“A gift from me father boys! Watch and learn how we do it up north!” The larger man hollers before bracing himself and extending his opened palms in the direction of our impeding doom. Myself and the young archer gasp in amazement as the Nord shifts his weight and pushes back at the rolling device careful to avoid the sharp spines. With a rock of his waist and a powerful flex of just about every muscle in his body, another shimmer of red orbits his body allowing him to toss the trap over the edge of the catwalk with relative ease.

The archer decides to take on the robed daedra and with a quick and precise shot, he did just that. The arrow almost moved in slow motion as I watched it arc before landing squarely into the Daedra’s shoulder by his neck. A thick, dark red blood stained his robe and he clutched the wound before falling first to his knees, then off the edge of the thin bridge.

I congratulate both men on a job well done and I almost feel bad that they did all of the dirty work. This may just be the first time that I didn’t have to take on everything myself. I really have to learn to give others a moment in the spotlight. Maybe it is just me biting off more than I can chew most times. I chuckle to myself at my lack of effort this time and extend a hand allowing them to take the lead. I was beginning to feel more confident that these men could actually close this gate without my help but considering that the last door we passed was one way only, I was forced to go along for the ride regardless.

It took us really no time at all to clear the middle tower and again I watched as my friends cleared room after room of lesser daedra. I did my share of slayings but a certain level of comfort engulfed me knowing that my back was covered giving me a sense of security that I had not felt since I was surrounded by my greatest friends, The Blue Lions.

Finally we were standing in the last room of the middle tower and faced with a crucial decision. It seemed that this tower had three different doors leading to three different potential one way paths. It was oddly ironic that there was one door for each of us but with the possibility of the door locking behind us, it made our decision a very difficult one.

We soon found out that the burly Nord hadn’t dealt with the trap as well as we had thought when he began favoring his right arm. It seemed that one of the spines had pierced his armor leaving a deep gash just below his shoulder. He seemed to be doing quite well considering his situation but I knew that if we spent too much time here, we would find him bled dry. The wound was dripping blood quite badly and even with applied pressure from a torn piece of his Bruma attire wrapped tightly around the site, he would be in trouble if we were here for more than a few hours.

The Nord was beginning to feel slightly faint and with good reason. I insisted that he take a break and sit down but he was adamant that we continue. In all fairness, he was exactly right. We would save no one taking breaks of any kind for any reason. I made sure to cast a healing over time spell on his arm to make sure the pain didn’t increase and hopefully would start the healing process early.

Each of us decided on a door and collectively took a deep, nervous breath before opening the door and stepping on to the three separate catwalks. At first it looked promising, all three paths did lead to the last tower. There were no traps that we could see waiting for us at the other side, maybe each path just led us somewhere once we entered the final tower but we all remained cautious.

The young archer took careful steps forward, the Nord kept his thick blade drawn, slung over his left shoulder ready to swing at a moment’s notice. I decided on a totally different tactic. I thought it best to keep my weapon sheathed, keeping my bare hands ready for some sort of trap. Who knows, maybe I will have to grab a ledge with both hands. If all else fails, I do have magic to use if my weapons find themselves too far away.

Just as I thought the coast was clear for all of us, A loud, gravely noise caused me to look to my left just in time to see our young archer friend clamoring to find solid ground. The catwalk was falling under his feet and before I could even blink, he plummeted downward, through thick, dense fog leaving only his screams trailing behind.

“There is nothing we can do lad. He came here under his own power and he died a true soldier of Bruma. I could only hope to die with such honor as him. He was a valiant man with a heart of gold. Now we must do him the ultimate favor and close this gate to hell so we can give his body a proper burial.” The Nord says as he clutches his injured shoulder.

As much as I was angered by the death of such a talented young man, I had no choice but to agree. It was trivial to mourn when there are still countless lives to save. His death contributed to the possible salvation of hundreds, thousands even. A true soldier could only wish as much...

[The Metal Mallet]

Excellent update Taillus. I really like the humanizing characteristics you give Xander and the Bruma soldiers, it makes them relatable, which makes for an enjoyable read.

I hope they'll be able to avenge that archer's death.

[mplantinga]

I especially liked how the Nord dealt with the trap. It is good to see Xander depending on others for a change.

[jack cloudy]

Wow, was that an NPC who saved the day? Goody, I love it. Too bad for the archer though. Let's hope that our mighty Nord survives to pass on the knowledge of closing Oblivion gates.

[Taillus]

Ok people, This marks the end of Chapter 3 but I would love to leave you with this final update to get you through until tomorrow afternoon. I hope you all enjoy this!


I told the Nord that I would meet him on the other side of the door and an agreeing nod sent us both sprinting to the other side. I pushed my thick black door open only to find that there was only one true passage to the final tower and it was mine. The Nord must still be stuck out there seeing as how only one door connected this room to the previous one. I though that my best plan would be to hurry and collect the Sigil Stone that held this piece of Oblivion to our world and transport myself and any other foreign bodies out in a hurry.

A Sigil Stone works in mysterious ways. With me removing it from its pedestal, anyone in that sector of Oblivion that didn’t belong would be removed and placed outside of where the Oblivion Gate met our world as well as breaking down the gate and shutting it permanently. In doing this, I would be able to get out of here, save the Nord and we could collect the archer’s body and leave it for a proper soldier burial.

I broke into a sprint up another eerie, spiked and twisting ramp until I was before a large, circular double door. It stood more than twelve feet tall and was decorated with red, glowing Daedric inscriptions. I realized that if this wasn’t the end of the road then I will never find it and I pulled two levers back causing the doors to slowly creep open revealing a torch-lit room.

Immediately I spotted the Sigil Stone humming and spinning within a column of raging fire but something else caught my eye as well. Dug into the remains of a Daedroth Skeleton was a large, razor sharp daedric broadsword. Thicker than a claymore and almost as long, the menacing blade pinned the broken daedroth to the wall with its ribs and skull broken in many places.

I knew this to be highly out of the ordinary seeing as how the daedra usually got along for the most part and mostly kept busy tormenting mortals rather than bickering amongst themselves. An odd feeling washed over me as gears began to grind beneath my feet. I watched as chains began running upwards and downwards as if pulling something to meet me. Sure enough I watched as the chains quickly pulled a lone figure dressed in complete Daedric armor to my current level of the final tower.

It seems that the daedra knew I was coming and they sent their Sigil Stone bodyguard to stop me from closing the gate. I reached for my Akaviri Katana given to me by the Blades but when I looked up, the figure was gone. I wasn’t up for playing games so I cast a magical detection spell and immediately ran for the Sigil Stone. Time was not on my side and I knew that if things took too long, my Nord friend would suffer the same fate as the Archer.

I sprinted upwards to fetch the stone but stopped short as a burst of purple stood before me. My detection spell was alerting me that the Sigil Stone bodyguard was right before me and I wasn’t about to fall for his game. With a quick swing of my katana I wished to lop his head clean off but that wasn’t the case. I met a stiff resistance stopping my blade short just before the silhouette launched a fist catching me in the stomach, doubling me over.

If my detection spell was serving me well enough, I was before someone either overflowing with magic, or someone with a fully enchanted suit of armor. My luck it would be both cases but either way, I was going to have to get that stone because fighting was just not in the schedule.

“That is it pal, I don’t have time for this! Get out of my way before I fillet your face!” I shout as my lungs finally fill with air once again and I hop to my feet. I stand with my blade close to the figure’s throat letting it know that I was fully aware of where it was. I was then insulted by a deep, throaty chuckle that was as evil as a blighted cliffracer.

“You wouldn’t do such a thing to a face like this would you!?” The figure hisses as its chameleon spell faded away before me. I watched as semi-transparent hands lifted the daedric helmet off of a still unrecognizable head. As the remnants of the spell wore off, the figure fazed slowly into view. First I could see the eyes, then the rest of the face. I began to lose feeling in my limbs as the figure before me quickly came into view. It was impossible, it was preposterous…It…was…Taillus!

Looking at my own face made it so. As if ripped out of my worst nightmares, here he was. Staring at me with my own eyes, grinning maniacally with my mouth making my whole body shiver violently with each breath forcing me to drop my sword by my side and fall to my knees. I was unable to move from the shock of even facing him.

Time was not kind to Taillus. His eyes were deep and dark. Sunken back and cold along with wild and unkempt hair complete with a mess of stubble. He stood over me with a full suit of custom enchanted daedric armor only missing the helmet which landed on the floor beside him. It was almost like seeing the evil version of myself but I knew that even at my most evil, I would be a saint compared to this man.

I had no idea how I was going to confront him, let alone beat him in the shape I was in. I knew he wanted to savor this moment. To make me fear him as I should. Not any man can walk from one sector of Oblivion to another and survive. I had no clue how he did it, and no idea what he did to get here but I could tell it was a long and horrifying journey. Luckily with him wanting me to tremble in fear, I would at the very least have a chance to come up with some sort of plan.....

END OF CHAPTER

[The Metal Mallet]

Oh noes!!!! He's back!!!

What a frightening cliffhanger you've left us at Taillus! I had a feeling we'd run into him sooner or later, and it certainly seems that Xander doesn't have the abilities that he previously had, so I am quite worried for him.

Hopefully he'll pull out. Thrilling work as always!

[mplantinga]

An amazingly unexpected confrontation. I'm looking forward to seeing how he gets out of this predicament.

[jack cloudy]

Gasp! AAAAHHH!!!!!! *teleports to a safe place.*

I knew that Taillus was somewhere, but I never thought he'd come here to this plane of Oblivion at this time. I mean, what are the odds?

More bad news, Xander only managed to get a draw through trickery last time. He still hasn't released the full potential of his new body. Taillus on the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if he's fuelled his new body with a few Daedric souls. So in short, Xander has to run like hell um.......I mean he has to perform a tactical retreat. (Yeah, that sounds better.)

Questions I hope that will be answered soon.
Is that Daedric broadsword Taillus'? (It would explain what happened to the real guard.)
Seeing as how Taillus is not native to Oblivion, will destroying the Sigil stone bring him back to Nirn? (That would be seriously bad news.)

Well, I can't wait for the update.