Agent, Ebonheart's finest Options

[The Metal Mallet]

Hehe, Nels is quite the character, I remember with my first character I ran into him a little bit too soon and he murdered me.

Great update buddy!

[jack cloudy]

I rarely talk to random people on the road. If they don't attack me, I don't attack them. So my Redguard was somewhere around level 7 when we finally met....with a silver claymore. I'd saved just before talking to him. The first time, I refused and pounded him into the ground. The second time, I paid him and got myself a useless trainer in Pelagiad. How nice. Anyway, update.





We set out again early in the morning. No bandits this time, though there was the lone encounter with a Kagouti which was soon promoted to fried Kagouti. Never mess with a mage who is eager to show off his skills. We came by the fort again and this time, we even encountered a few guards on the road. So it was only a small surprise when we were spoken to by a Legionnair while having lunch on an ancient bridge.
,,You two, who are you?” He said in a gruff manner that clearly showed who he believed to be in charge. Zarador was about to give one of his longwinded replies but I interrupted him.
,,This is Zarador of the Steel Tower. I’m Ro-El Frost. We’re just passing through.” I told the soldier who seemed unconvinced. In fact, he was gripping the hilt of his sword though he hadn’t drawn it yet.

,,That’s what they all say. It is my duty to keep these roads clean from any possible threat. So tell me why you’re here.” He demanded. I was unimpressed, especially now I knew what kind of cowards the guards truly were. When the Sixth House base was there, they all remained safely behind their own walls. Only after the threat had been taken care of by outsiders, did they go back to their patrolling. I bet that whenever they saw a bandit, they would rather hire a mercenary than get rid of the nuisance themselves.
,,Go back to your patrolling, soldier.” I told him simply.

With the hissing sound of a perfectly maintained blade, the man unsheathed his Broadsword.
,,I’ll tell you again. What is your purpose? Answer me now or I shall consider you two to be criminals and fulfil my duty.” He warned. Zarador finally had enough and paralyzed the man with a spell.
,,We could stand here and argue all day long. In the end though, that old fort is waiting for us. Stop standing there with your mouth open, Ro-El.”

The entrance to Arkngthand was less than a minute away. There came my first disappointment. The last time I passed the old fort, I wasn’t looking for a way in so I hadn’t noticed the big sphere covering the door.
,,Great, so now what? Are we supposed to simply blast a hole in that thing?” I muttered which brought a smug smile on Zarador’s face.
,,Look, our Dwemer doesn’t know what to do. Now allow a scholar to show you the mechanism behind this.” He said and pulled a nearby crank I’d ignored. Metal scraped against metal and the dome slowly split in two halves, revealing a Dwemer door.
,,That crank was placed here later. No self-respecting architect would block off the only entrance to a fort and then place the openingmechanism on the outside. It would defeat the whole purpose. So evidently, that sphere was to keep something inside, rather than outside.” I concluded.

The Dwemer door made an awful lot of noise. Evidently, it hadn’t been oiled since the Dwemer vanished. Unfortunately for us, that noise also alerted the fort’s current inhabitants. Small shapes whistled through the air. I ducked under the first one headed for me and jumped off the platform we were standing on, noticing that the object was a small dart as I passed. Zarador wasn’t so lucky and I heard the sound of his body hitting the floor. Any worries about the Altmer were forced out of my mind with the upcoming landing. I sank through my knees to bleed off the force of impact and turned my downward movement into a forward roll. A second later, I was back on my feet. Only to find myself surrounded by several very angry bandits.

,,Don’t move kid, unless you like getting holes.” Their leader told me. A dozen bandits wielding a variety of weapons stood around me. I would have to follow his orders, for now. I stood motionlessly as the leader shouted up towards the entrance.
,,That other guy, is he alive?”
,,Yes, the poison made him take a nice little nap.” A voice answered from above. I felt some relief knowing that the Altmer had cheated death again. Though how long could he keep cheating? And how long could I cheat death myself?

[The Metal Mallet]

It seems that Ro-El always seem to run into pests. Pesty guards and now pesty bandits. I wonder how he'll escape from this ordeal.

[jack cloudy]

Another short one. I bet you didn't see this one coming.



We glared at each other, trying to find our weaknesses. To an outsider, it didn’t look too good. He was a hulking mass of a Dunmer wearing battleworn Bonemold with a large Dwemer axe in his hands. Me, I was the smallest Nord ever seen, wearing nothing but my simple travelling clothes and with the rapier hanging from my belt. Unless I happened to be a powerful mage, which I definitely wasn’t, any battle would have me cut to pieces.

My eyes caught some more details, both of the man and of my surroundings. Starting with the surroundings, it was obvious that Arkngthand was even less than a shadow of its former glory. The pillars were rusted, the lights dim and part of the roof had come down. The doors looked like they were about to fall apart and even the two suits of Dwemer armour guarding said door looked as if they’d seen better days.

My Dwemer memories had been flowing back withing my mind almost constantly, ever since I entered the fort. Those were not suits of armour, the Dwemer never had any need for them. Why should they, when their Centurions were better warriors than any being of flesh and blood? They were Centurions themselves, fully humanoid ones and simply known as the type 1, albeit deactivated. Conceived to have the full flexibility of an organic warrior but with far greater strength. In the end, they offered neither. Slower and more bulky than a Spere centurion and less powerful than the gigantic Steam Centurion, they were about to be replaced by the newer type 2 when Red Mountain came.

The glaring contest had ended. The Dunmer pointed at one of his henchmen.
,,Take that little Scrib’s sword.” He barked. I did nothing and allowed the rapier to be taken. It was all part of my plan. Phase one of the plan unfolded as planned with the bandits all being rather surprised at seeing a silver blade being drawn rather than some crummy iron.
,,Give me that!” Their leader snatched the rapier out of his underling’s hands and tore off the leather I’d wrapped around the hilt. Phase two was completed as he stared in shock and fear at Ebonheart’s dragon engraved into the pommel.

,,Legion rule 04: Never let yourself be caught off guard!” With that bit of advise, I launched myself up and cracked his unprotected nose with a knee. His fingers loosened their grip and I retrieved my sword, giving him a quick stab in the wrist as a farewell gift. My kick knocked the Dunmer to the ground and allowed me to escape the encirclement. I headed straight for the two Centurions with their warhammers. I passed between them and then waited in front of the door. As I’d already expected, the bandits were in hot pursuit. I grinned and said a single word that hadn’t been heard for centuries. A word in a language that had been lost.

With a swift motion, the two Centurions swung their hammers, sending the two lead bandits flying and cracking a couple of ribs. The following bandits were knocked to the ground by their unfortunate companions, allowing the two Centurions to step in and end the whole battle with several swift motions. Outdated or not, the machines proved to be devastating when no one expected them to be active.

I gave them some more orders in the Dwemeric language and they took up position next to the leader. Being unable to give chase had saved his life. I walked up to the Dunmer and watched him hold his nose as he stared up at the two Centurions who simply stared back, as if they were silently challenging him to get up and fight.
,,Who are you?” He asked frightened. I leaned in close with a grin and gave him the answer.
,,Dumac Dwarfking. Now you and your friends were looting my property. May I remind you that both Imperial as Dunmeric laws are excessively strict regarding the theft of Dwemer artefacts?” With him immobilized, I could give his armour the examination it required and confirm my previous thoughts. What had first looked like battledamage was in fact the subtle removal of identifying marks. Unfortunately for him, Bonemold marks were not only unique in their shape but also in their placement.

,,Since you work for Orvas Dren, I believe it might be a wise idea if you gave him a message. Stay off of my lawn or you’ll be sorry. Signed, Dumac Dwarfking. Now get out of here.” I snapped and watched him go. Maybe it was a mistake, but minor servants like him rarely knew anything I could use. Besides, asking him more about Arkngthand was useless as well. If he couldn’t even recognize two fully functional Centurions, anything he could tell me was probably nonsense. After he’d vanished through the upper door, I turned back tot my new friends.
,,Go guard the door, but bring in the Guar first. I have a type 2 Centurion to fix. After that, I have an evil twin to hunt.” It was a bit annoying that they only took orders in Dwemeric. On the other hand, this flaw was also the only reason no one had managed to abuse them. So it was probably the best.





Notes: I plan on underlining the text whenever Ro-El speaks in Dwemeric/Dwemer/whatever it should be called. Also, why make the Morrowind Dwemer armour into Centurions? Well, there is the reason I already gave. Why would the Dwemer fight? They had a whole army of robots to do it. Besides, it does fit in with their obsession over machinery. It also makes the 'Trojan Horse' trick of the 'Chimervadimium(?)' more plausible. If no one knows that Dwemer are willing to fight themselves, then it is more likely that they never even think of the possibility of a Dwemer sitting in that thing.

The other reason is that the Dwemer armour in Oblivion differs too much from the Morrowind version. I heard that Morrowind's version is a pile of scrapmetal glued together by robbers, archeologists and other people who poke their nose in Dwemer ruins but that doesn't explain the appearance of Dwemer armour in untouched ruins. I figure that while turning them into Centurions would require internal mechanisms, any finder would probably rip out those mechanisms because no one knows how it works. So the armour we see in use by Bolvyn Venim's guards among others are simply the empty shells of stripped Centurions.

And for those who are wondering, I called Zarador's Centurion a type 2. So guess what, the type 2 looks like Oblivion's armour which I simply love from the screenshots. That helmet alone is wicked. The type 2 is also a bit better in performance than the type 1.

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Jan 10 2007, 06:36 PM

[The Metal Mallet]

I kinda always thought that "Type 1" referred to the Spider Centurions, but I could be wrong. I liked the little add on at the end of the update explaining why you did the underlining and creating "armor centurions".

Great update, with some nice crafty work as well. It's quite lucky of Ro-El to remember Dwermeric at the perfect moment to utilitze it. Cool to see someone actually commanding Dwemer machinations.

[jack cloudy]

Umm, I do remember that either Trey, Serene, Telina or one of the other fanfic characters referred to the three known types of Centurions as 1, 2 and 3. This won't work for me though. I've got a lot more Centurion types planned, as you'll see. If I would identify each Centurion by a number, I might end up somewhere in the double digits!




Zarador took a while to wake up again. Once he did, he was clearly in a bad mood.
,,Show yourself, you mindless bandits! Show yourself so I can finish your miserable excuse for a life with my great powers!” He shouted as soon as he got up on his feet. I was sitting a bit further away, near the door, amidst a pile of Centurion bits.
,,They’re dead, old man.” I spoke without looking away from my task.

Zarador said nothing for a few seconds.
,,Well, that’s a good thing. My skill would be sorely wasted on them.” He said in a funny tone. He then noticed what I was doing.
,,My Centurion! What have you done to it?!” He shouted in a panic.

This time, I did look up.
,,I removed all the malfunctioning and damaged parts. A Carrier is out to fetch me the replacements.” I began to explain when the door noisily opened. In came a Dwemer Centurion of a kind that was rarely seen by people. That was to be expected, as combat was not part of its duties so it took cover when the bandits invaded as opposed to seeking conflict. Its six legs supported a spherical body with two heavy arms at the front and a pair of smaller arms hanging underneath its belly. The small ones were designed for the handling of small objects such as a coin or a mug. The large ones were meant for heavy lifting like it was doing right now. Two more of the Carrier Centurions followed, each holding a steel keg. They carefully put their cargo down and then waited in a corner of the large room for further orders.

,,Thank you. I want some maintenance done on the construction facilities. Fetch the Type 2 blueprints from the library and have Construction hall A configured for Type 2 construction. I want production of the Type 2 to be started as soon as possible in Construction hall A. As for their equipment, go for an even spread between Halberds and Crossbows.” I ordered the machines and opened the first keg.
,,What were you babbling all about? And I’ve never seen those before! What are they? Why do they follow your commands?” The scholar in Zarador awoke.

,,I was telling them to start production on the Type 2 Centurions. I plan on spreading the blueprints among the Dwemer factories and have them all produce as many of the Type 2s as possible. We’re going to need an army if we want to battle the Sixth house, I’m not going to rely on a single mythical Centurion.” I answered and retrieved a heavy machine from the first keg. I rotated it around in my hands till I found the Dwemeric inscription.
Type 2 main power unit. Expected lifetime: 5 years.
,,As for your other questions, those were Carrier Centurions. They’re the ones who do all the heavy lifting around here. Not all Centurions are built for battle after all. And they follow my orders because I can speak Dwemeric. That, and maybe me being Dumac has something to do with it. I bet that as the leader of the Dwemer, he could give orders to all Centurions.”

Zarador scratched his bald head.
,,That sounds like a logical assumption. Just one more question, what is a Type 2 and did you find out anything about the bandits?” He asked me. I grinned as I placed the power unit inside the Centurion’s chest and connected it to the actual skeleton that would move the machine.
,,Those are two questions but that’s ok. A Type 2 is just like your Centurion over here, only with the exact specifications of the blueprint as opposed to someone’s guess. It is a humanoid warrior and the Dwemer’s attempt at versatility. So unlike all the other combat-oriented Centurions, it doesn’t feature any integrated weapons. Nope, this one can and will wield any weapon you and I can hold in our hands. They’re probably the best thing we can get produced fast enough to make a difference in the upcoming battle. And the bandits? They worked for Orvas Dren.” The last words came out as a sigh. That man had allied himself against his own brother and on top of that, his allies were monsters that could have walked straight out of Oblivion.

I was convinced that as long as he lived, he would continue to cause trouble. What I had to do was to convince him otherwise. But how?
,,Orvas? That man is a disgrace for his people. Say, you can’t stomp on his house with Pelinal, can you?” Zarador wore a gleeful smile at his idea.
,,No, we first need to find Pelinal for that. And even then, Pelinal is useless without the key. Worst of all, I’ve put some Administrator Centurions on the job but they have yet to find any information regarding a key for big Centurions.”

I detached myself from the conversation and focussed fully on my repair job. It was a bit odd, considering that I could just wait a few hours and get myself a brand-new Centurion but I figured that I might as well spent my time for something useful. That, and Zarador’s Centurion had already shown the ability to understand Cyrodiilic. The solution lay in its brain which had been merged with a Soulgem. That would explain the machine’s rather eccentric behaviour. I decided to replace its brain with a standard one, even though Zarador wouldn’t appreciate losing control over his toy.
,,So there are no clues at all?” Zarador continued to press the subject.
,,None, now let me finish this.” I answered bluntly.

Fully repairing the Centurion took the rest of the day. Once it was fixed, I tried to activate the machine and carefully examined it for any flaws. There were none to be found. Satisfied, I had my belated diner. Zarador and I continued to discuss the whereabouts of the key. Zarador brought up an interesting theory, namely that the key might not be a key in the traditional sense. It could be something different, like a powersource. I remembered my vision in which Kagrenac complained about not having a useable powersource for Numidium. I ran to the library as fast as I could.

The library was a dimly lit room nearly as big as the entrance. Racks upon racks of scrolls, notes, books and other forms of recording filled it as far as the eye could see. Among them, dozens of the so-called Administrator Centurions moved about on their little wheels. Their body could extend to reach even the highest racks and the fingers of their delicate hands were coated in silk to prevent damage to the records. The most eye-catching feature were their heads, which contained at least a dozen eyes. I shuddered as I thought of the damage a single spark could do. An immeasurable amount of knowledge, all lost in the mistake of a single moment. I praised the Dwemer, who had thought about this as well and gave the administrators a closed system without any hot steam being shot out of their backs like the Spheres or the big Macewielders.

,,I want another search. Look for a power unit capable of powering a hypothetical Centurion of about two hundred metres in height.” I told the nearest Administrator that wasn’t busy. The Centurion rolled over to one of the racks and extended its body high above the ground. It withdrew a heavy book wrapped in black leather and flitted through the pages so fast that the moving paper was little more than a blur. After only a few seconds, it had moved through all the pages and carefully put the book back in the rack. It returned to me.

,,There is no information on a power unit that can meet those requirements. There are a total of 546 other potential sources of information on this subject. These sources will be examined immediately. The closest result is a power unit for a Centurion of about thirty metres in height. Any further requests?” It spoke with a mechanic voice. I shook my head. According to my visions, Pelinal was much bigger than thirty. A hundred metres was the bare minimum I was willing to consider.
,,Continue the search. I’ll be at the entrance to Arkngthand.”

I was about to leave the library when one of the other Administrators tried to gain my attention. I nodded for it to tell me what it had. I was hoping for information regarding the key’s location but I told myself not to get my hopes up. The Administrators had been searching the most obscure bits of information for hours with no results so far.
,,No information regarding the location of your key has been found. However, there is a known Centurion development facility located on a northern island. Your requested information might be found there.” It told me.

A Centurion development facility. This gave me hope. If there was any place that had information on oversized Centurions, it had to be there. But how to get there? Fortunately, Dumac’s memories came to my aid once more.
,,Prepare a map with the location of this facility. I also want to know the current location of the Cloudcleaver. You know where to find me.”

I walked out of the library and back to the entrance where Zarador was trying to start a conversation with the two Type 1s who had killed the bandits earlier. The two machines completely ignored the Altmer as I’d told them to. Having Zarador identified as a friend was one of the first things I did here.
,,I want twenty Type 2s, ten spheres, five Macewielders and two Wings to accompany us when we leave. Outfit the Type 2s with Halberds. I also want to take forty Spiders and ten Administrators. Replace the lost Centurions as soon as possible. Furthermore, I want to send a Wing Centurion to all known factories. Have it carry a copy of the Type 2 blueprints and deliver the order to start production of Type 2s till the force defending the factories has been at least tripled. Now get going.” The Two Centurions marched off as I sat down next to the perplexed Zarador.
,,Where are they going?” He asked me, scratching his bald head as usual.
,,To make a few arrangements.”




Edit: I forgot to explain something. In the update, Ro-El gives orders to what might seem to be the wrong Centurions. For example, he tells a carrier to go fetch a set of blueprints from the library. This is the job of an Administrator. So why did Ro-El do this? Surely he knows what the Carrier's job is. The answer is simple and it sounds like a good assumption. The Centurions can communicate with one another, even those that are not capable of Dwemeric speech. So the Carrier went to an Administrator which gave it a copy of the blueprints. I hope this cleared it up.

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Jan 14 2007, 10:00 PM

[The Metal Mallet]

I'm enjoying all these new Dwemer contraptions you're creating. Rather interesting stuff, though they must hid really, really well to not be found by those exploring the ruins.

I'm also curious in seeing if any Dwemer spirits are going to showup in this story. Since Ro-El knows Dwemeric, he should be able to communicate with them.

[jack cloudy]

They'll show up, soon. First though, it is about time that Ro-El goes pay a visit to the evil twin. Preferably on the back of a very stylish horse.

Hmm, with all the Dwemer machines I'm constructing, it seems extremely unlikely that the Chimer could ever win the war. Unless they had some dirty 'Centurion deactivation' tricks. Perhaps spies with authority over the Centurions? Anyway, update.





The next morning, I was quite pleased with myself. When I’d given my orders, I had not truly realized just how big the group of Centurions was. If I felt for some conquest, I could easily take on the neighbouring fort Moonmoth. Fortunately for the Legionnaires, conquest was not part of my plans.

Zarador was running among the group of machines like a child who has been dumped in a huge pile of toys.
,,Look at all these Type 2s! Were they all made this night?” He exclaimed, peering into the ‘eyes’ of one of the Centurions. I wore a rather proud grin while I answered his question.
,,Of course they were. This is Arkngthand after all. Those miserable bandits failed to find the elevator leading to the area where the real stuff is hidden. There are three construction halls, which I’ve labelled A to C. The Type 2s were all built by hall A, so that should give you an idea of just how big even one of the halls is.”

Zarador brushed a speck of dust from a Centurion’s kneecap.
,,Say, where is my Type 2?” He now asked.
,,The one who follows your orders I suppose.” I answered with a shrug. The mage tried it out, but none of the machines listened.
,,Hmm, must have gone down to this construction hall of yours for maintenance.” He muttered slightly discontent, stroking his beard.
,,Maybe. Anyway, the Cloudcleaver is likely in need of some repairs so I’ll send this group out to its current location. While they’re busy, we can go visit Dren and tell him to stay out of my business.”

As one, the Centurions marched out of the door and down the path. Zarador and I ascended one of Arkngthand’s towers and looked out over the West Gash from a balcony. Balmora and the Odai glittered in the distance. The force of Centurions marching north looked like a golden mantle spread over the ash. I had to force back a chuckle as I thought of the panic they would cause to anyone who happened to see them. I could already see that even the Cliffracers, who were normally aggressive to the extreme, kept their distance.

I looked behind me into the tower. Zarador was standing with his back against the wall, inspecting the floating Centurion that had ascended up through the shaft leading down into the Dwemer fort. I walked inside and inspected the Centurion myself. I already knew it from my memories, but seeing a real one was quite different.

The Wing Centurion looked like a male Netch coated in steel armour, though lacking the tentacles. An integrated crossbow was placed at the front, only a tube the bolt would exit from marked its location. Near the end, it featured two rotating pods equipped with a fan which were used for pushing it through the air.
,,And this, is our ride.” I told Zarador. Instantly, the old man’s face went pale.

,,You’re kidding me. You want us to fly on that thing? How are we going to do that?” He stammered, struck with fear.
,,Simple, hop on top and grab the handholds. Have you ever rode a horse?” I laughed. Zarador shook his head.
,,Neither do I. It should be fun.”

After a lot of persuasion, I managed to get Zarador on top of the Wing. I followed suit and took up the front position. There, I pressed a concealed button and watched how two levers and a small panel with buttons appeared. Since flying through the air at high speed could make talking troublesome, the Wing included a manual set of controls. I gripped the two levers and slowly pushed the left one forward. With a slight shudder and a bit hesitantly, the Wing flew out of the tower.

I took the first half of an hour to practise with the machine. Perhaps I should have done it earlier, but my combination of reflexes, quick learning and some memories turned me into a capable pilot soon enough.
,,I can’t wait to see the surprise on Orvas’ face when we swoop in on this thing!” I shouted over the winds as we raced towards the Dunmer’s plantation at speeds no bird could match.
,,If it is so fast, then why don’t we just go to that research facility far up north with it?!” Zarador shouted back. Since he was stuck staring at my back, he could not see the slightly maniacal grin.
,,You want to sit on this thing all day? My behind would be all sore in the end. Not to mention, I want to get to the island in style, riding on Dumac’s luxurious airship! Now be quiet, I think I can see lake Amaya!”

[The Metal Mallet]

Well, it looks like Orvas will be getting a rude awakening once Ro-El arrives. I figure his first reaction will go along the lines of "What the [explentive]!?".

I found the decription of the wing centurion to be quite creative, a realistic since it's based off a native Morrowind creature. I found that really cool.

[jack cloudy]

Rude awakenings? Maybe yes, maybe no. Just read on.




We were hovering high above the ground. Even if the guards somehow felt it necessary to look up, they would only find a tiny black spot in front of the moons. The Wing bobbed up and down gently, its fans whispering as it kept itself stable.
,,Now I remember. I’ve felt a presence similar to this when I last visited Cyrodiil. It was in a shrine of the Nine Divines, I believe.” Zarador mumbled, actually stroking his beard again. His fear of falling had almost completely vanished. I looked down on the plantation and counted the moving torches. There were about a dozen. More than I’d expected. I closed my eyes for a moment as I struggled with an internal conflict. Slavers, I had no love for them. Part of me wanted to simply barge in and stab them in their rotten heart. The other part told me that it was suicide, even with the element of surprise and a powerful mage at my side.
,,I’ve felt this too, in Ald-ruhn. A Redguard who claims to be the Nerevarine. I wonder what he’s doing here. Ah well, I’ll find out soon enough.”

I brought the wing back around and landed it behind a hill. I whispered a few words to the machine before dismounting.
,,Ok, here’s the plan. I want you to stay behind and watch for any trouble. If you see that I do get into trouble, say the following to the Wing.” I told Zarador and whispered the command in his ear.
,,So I should say….” I quickly covered his mouth with my hand.
,,Not now. The moment you say it, that thing is going to barge down the hills and drive a bolt through every guard it sees.”

I made sure my rapier was secured and wouldn’t make any noise before descending the hill. I deliberately moved along slowly, crawling on all fours. I avoided the gate and instead chose to mover around the east side of the wall surrounding the plantation. Till now, no one had even a clue that I was nearby.

I was hoping to catch Dren unaware, preferably while the monster in mortal form was sleeping in his bed. How wrong I was, to expect the Dunmer to be off-guard. If anything, the Nerevarine’s spirit should have been the sign that made me realize that Dren was definitely not sleeping. I’d seen the signs, I didn’t listen to what they said.

Once I’d figured I’d moved far enough, I invoked my special scroll of clinging and began to scale the wall. The moment I popped my head over the wall, I knew that this would not go as planned. This was just my luck, to climb the wall right where I’d end up next to the guard house. And to make matters worse, a guard was standing on the roof, with a torch, and two crimson eyes looking at my direction.

,,Who are you? A tourist? There’s nothing to see here. Now get out of here.” He snarled, fortunately keeping his voice down. I realized that I was dealing with a really dumb guard here. My opinion of my luck had changed drastically with that realization. I hopped over the wall and landed lightly next to him.
,,Beautiful weather, don’t you think?” I told him with my hands casually in my pockets. The guard finally noticed the weapon at my side and decided to get suspicious.
,,Don’t draw that sword if you want to live, kid!”

The ‘kid’ reward made me laugh on the inside. Somehow, this was one of the first things everyone said to me. Kid. If only they knew my true age. I bet they would be scared.
,,Just because I have a sword doesn’t mean I need it.” I answered casually and hit the guard against the helmet with a foot. He flew off the building, screaming till he hit the ground. There was a loud ‘ow’ when he landed. So much for a stealthy entrance.

I turned to the hills and gave Zarador a thumbs up to reassure him before he would intervene. My plan had fallen, but the drop had not been fatal. I dove into my collection of scrolls and produced two. A jumping scroll and an invisibility one. I invoked the jumping scroll first and had already begun my jump to the roof of Dren’s villa before I’d used the other. The guards all rushed into the guard house, probably with the plan of catching me on the roof. Too bad for them for they were moving towards the wrong roof.

Once they’d vanished from sight, I swung down through an open window and landed inside a dimly lit room. The silence was disturbing. I crouched down behind the cover of a plant. When my fingers touched the floor, I withdrew them instantly. I held up one of my hands in front of my face. My hand was covered in a warm liquid of a red colour that could mean only one thing. Blood.

My eyes trailed the path of blood on the floor till they reached the armoured Dunmer who lay against a rack. A few broken bottles of Mazte accompanied him. I needed no explanation this time to read the signs. Orvas Dren was death. And I bet the Nerevarine had something to do with it. I felt the cold touch of a blade on the back of my neck. My opinion of my luck had turned for the worse again.
,,Fancy meeting you here, kid.”

[The Metal Mallet]

Hehe, neat. I all ready have a good idea of who has the blade against Ro-El's neck, but I'll keep my guess a secret. And it does certainly seem that Dren faced a rude awakening of some sort; just not from Ro-El.

I will wait eagerly for the next update Jack.

[jack cloudy]

This is called retconning I believe. The original Luper story never made a mention of Ro-El anywhere. Then again, it also never went into great detail. For example, it told the whole Redoran Hortator meeting in a single sentence. Ah well, here's the latest.





I made a mental list of the situation. One, since I was inside the building it was impossible for me to warn Zarador which removed any possibility of having a spellhappy mage and a Dwemer machine coming to my aid. Two: The guards would likely try to inform Dren of the intruder unless he’d ordered them not to disturb him. Well, no one would disturb him now but that was not so important right now. Three, Dren only had a single wound in his chest right where the heart was located. To get there, the Nerevarine had to slice through an Orcish cuirass. The cuirass had a single clean cut where the blade entered. So the Nerevarine could cut through high-quality armour with ease. That did not reassure my unprotected neck. The only good thing had to be four. We were potential allies, if I could convince him of my point.

,,Luper Alkad, I presume?” I asked as politely as was possible while sitting on the floor in a pool of someone else’s blood with a sword against your neck.
,,Yeah. Why is that important to you? I’m quite convinced we haven’t met before. And even if we did, this is probably going to be the last time. If you thought you could kill me, you’re wrong.” The man replied. Ok, so apparently he’d forgotten about me and now considered me an enemy. Not that nice to hear.
,,We did meet, in Ald-ruhn, during the meeting of the Redoran council. I don’t think it is quite necessary for you to knock off my head. I prefer to keep it where it is, thank you very much.”

To my relief, the Redguard withdrew his sword. I carefully got up from the floor and turned to face him.
,,Now I remember. You’re the kid with the cultist. Well, don’t look all that surprised. It’s hard enough to keep track of the people who are out to kill me. I can’t possibly worry about those who are not going to stick a sword into my back given half a chance.” If it was meant as an apology, it definitely did not sound like one.
,,Why did you kill Orvas Dren?” I asked him while I did my best to get rid of the blood. I didn’t had a lot of success with it. I hoped that Dumac’s airship contained a place where I could wash my clothes.

,,You mean the Dark Elf who’s soiling the floor over there? Nothing special. He was going through this dreadfully boring speech about how he was going to kill me for the greater glory of his lord and blablabla, more of that Guardung. I slipped a sword into his heart while he was working his tongue. I’m a busy guy, I don’t have time for speeches.” Alkad explained to me with a smug grin. I frowned. This was not the most likeable fellow.
,,There’s not much honour in killing people who are not ready to defend themselves.” I noted. In reality, I didn’t care though my Dumac side protested loudly. That same side had been protesting against my own questionable form of honour so I ignored it as always.
,,I’m a bigshot Telvanni. I don’t remember the word ‘honour’ being used in the Telvanni dictionary.” He quipped, still with that smug grin of his.

The grin faded as he looked down at the corpse.
,,Well, so much for that. I needed him to persuade his friends into naming me Hortator. Oh boy, mommy is going to be pissed. Yup, add an angry Daedra to my list of enemies. If things keep going like this, I should build a waiting room back at my mushroom.” He noted grimly. This was a side to the man that seemed to be the complete opposite of his earlier personality.
,,You could claim it was an accident.” I said with a shrug.
,,Accidents normally don’t tear through Orcish armour as if through paper. They usually miss vital organs as well.”

,,Well…” I began but cut myself off. Something had just materialized out of thin air. My reflexes took over and I withdrew a pair of throwing stars from my sleeves which I shot at the form. To my surprise, the form actually managed to dodge the point-blank attack.
,,Invisibility! Behind me!”
I went into a crouch while simultaneously dodging to my left and spinning around to face the second attacker. A Glass blade stabbed the air where I’d been a moment earlier. I sent a fist towards the second man’s face but just like his companion, he managed to dodge though to do that, he had to jump away which gave me a split second to look for the Nerevarine.

The Redguard had engaged the first assassin. Despite his heavy suit of armour, he moved as if he was wearing a suit of mere air. He parried a Glass dagger with his left hand and summoned a Daedric longsword with the other. I had no time to watch any further for the second assassin had come back to strike at me. He lunged out with his dagger, I moved around it and countered with a kick towards his knee. He stepped around the attack and struck out with his fist which I pushed away with my own hands. It was as if we were moving through water, each blow seemingly dodged or pushed aside with ease. Neither of us managed to hit. This Dunmer was as good at fighting unarmed as I was and his reflexes were at least as good, if not better, than mine.

We kept striking at each other yet somehow only managed to hit air. In the tense battle, I could not draw my rapier which gave him an unfair advantage with his dagger. I took a step back. Unexpected, the ground vanished below my feet. Before I could lose my balance, I’d jumped up and aimed a kick at his nose. Like with all previous attacks, my opponent dodged though this time he managed to slice through the upper skin of my leg. My leg went numb for a short moment but I’d absorbed the daggers power so fast, it seemed as if I’d never even been effected by it.
,,Paralysis. Not nice at all.” I noted to myself as I landed at the bottom of the stairs. We stared at each other across the distance. Both of us knew that he who moved first would have to lower his defence and likely forfeit his life. If the sound of blades clashing was any indication, the other battle was still in full swing.

I let my eyes wander across the environment, never loosing sight of the Dunmer I was up against. I was looking for something, anything that could give me the needed advantage. In the meantime, I unsheathed my rapier.
,,That sword! You’re with Vedam!” The Dunmer spat. So he had been involved with Ephraim. I noticed an open window. I quickly figured out where it was directed at and knew I’d found my advantage.
,,Shoot him!”

During the last moment of his life, he looked at me with a questioning expression, as if he was trying to make sense of my words. Then, he was thrown aside like a doll and pinned to the wall by a bolt the size of my lower arm. Leave it up to the Dwemer to built a weapon capable of shooting through windows from threehundred steps away. It made me wonder how the Chimer ever managed to hold on long enough during the war for Kagrenac’s betrayal.

While this was an interesting question, it was unimportant right now. I rushed up the stairs as the crackling of lightning and the loud boom of thunder roared through the building. Zarador had arrived at the scene and was now in the process of giving the guards outside a shocking experience. I got to the upper floor where the Nerevarine and the second assassin were still fighting. Wasting no time, I picked a fallen Dagger from the floor and hurled it at the Dunmer. Perhaps he’d heard my footsteps, perhaps he was warned by the whistling of moving air. Whatever was the case, he turned around just far enough to see the dagger that would enter his face. He’d dropped death within a heartbeat.
,,Well kid, you stole my fun for a bit but still, nice throw.” Alkad admitted reluctantly. I mimicked his own smug grin from earlier and looked out of the window. A bearded man stood on the grass below, waving at me.
,,Your machine suddenly went berserk so I thought, why not give them a display of my might? Now what are we going to do with our spoils of war?” Zarador shouted up.

I looked at the Nerevarine who shrugged.
,,Every time I kill someone, I get to keep their house. I can’t handle another one so it’s all yours as far as I’m concerned.” He said and walked downstairs. I looked around the room. It required some cleaning but in the end, not bad at all. I leaned out of the window and waved at Zarador.
,,This place needs to be renamed! How about Frost Plantation? Centurions can replace the slaves and we can send those poor people home with a nice bit of gold in their pockets! I’ve always dreamed of my own house. Heh, looks like reality turned out to be bigger than my dreams!” I laughed.

[The Metal Mallet]

Great update Jack. It seems that an odd relationship is beginning to form between Luper and Ro-El; it'll be interesting to see if that develops further.

And the Dren Plantation is definitely a nice first house to own, complete with it's own daedric armour!

[jack cloudy]

Daedric armour? Where? Not on Dren, I thought he was wearing Orcish though it has been a while. But yeah, it is a nice place. Big and with some farming to help make a living.





The remainder of that night went without any further incidents. Zarador and I relieved the slaves of their bracers after which we gave them the best meal they’d had in years. Amidst the commotion, the Nerevarine vanished. I kind of missed him since I had hoped to talk with him. Since my whole mission was basically a distraction, I would really like to know just how the Nerevarine was going to destroy the Sixth House. Now that he was gone though, there was nothing left for me to do but try out Dren’s bed.

No visions or dreams came to me during my sleep which did surprise me a bit. This surprise faded quickly, replaced by the worries of the day. The first thing I did was to unlock the little chest that had been tempting me all night sitting there on the rack all sparkling with the gems covering its surface. The expensive container did not disappoint. All it contained was a letter, an important letter. I let out a whistle once I’d finished reading its contents.
,,I believe I’ve said it before. What is it with all the bad people writing about their crimes and then storing the evidence in a location where I get my hands on it? At least this might reduce my punishment for killing the Duke’s own brother. We already knew that he was in league with the Sixth House but this, is pure treachery.”

I went upstairs and sat down at the table. I took a sheet of paper and the quill. While writing my own letter, I stabbed the quill in the direction of Orvas Dren’s corpse.
,,Killing your own blood. You should be ashamed of yourself.” I chastised the Dunmer and jumped up when a loud explosion occurred outside. I ran to the window and looked down at the crater Zarador had just made.
,,What are you doing?!” I shouted down. The mage looked at me, shrugged and went inside. A moment later, I could hear him ascend the stairs.
,,It appears that our enemies are quite capable of tracking you. I just removed one of those Ash zombies from existence.” He explained with an air of authority. He then noticed the sheet of paper lying on the table.

,,What’s that you’re writing? Making notes on your visions?” He asked me. I shook my head.
,,No, I’m actually explaining Orvas’ plan to kill his own brother if he continued to interfere as well as his allegiance with the assassins I took out last night. Judging by their weapons, I think they are the ones who ambushed Ephraim Serius. I also intend to include a formal request to turn Dren plantation into my base of operations after this crisis has been resolved.” I told him as I sat down again and continued where I left off.
,,As for my visions, nothing. It’s odd. Maybe I’ve already regained to much of Dumac’s memories? Right now, the visions seem to have been replaced by external stimulation. Seeing the Centurions for example made me remember the Dwemer language.”

The mage took off his hat and scratched his head.
,,Quite peculiar. Well, we have to get moving soon before more of those fiends come. Shall I send the slaves to Ebonheart?” He asked me. I sealed my letter in an envelope and also added Dren’s note. At the last moment, I decided to remove the Dunmer’s signature ring from his finger.
,,About that, I sent out the Wing. The rendez-vous with the Cloudcleaver has been changed. We’ll meet at lake Amaya instead of the Dwemer fort. It shouldn’t be that long of a walk. Well then, let’s go meet the former slaves.”

Outside, we greeted the grateful band of Khajiit and Argonians. Those who knew how to fight had taken up the guard’s weapons and armour. They would protect their brethren during their journey. A sandcoloured Khajiit bowed in front of me.
,,Greetings, friend. It’s been an honour to meet you. How can we ever repay you?” He spoke solemnly. It was as the bards told. Khajiit and Argonian were capable of unwavering loyalty to those they considered their friends. If I’d told them to storm Red Mountain, they would have done so happily. I didn’t ask them to storm anything. Instead, I pressed the envelope and the ring into the man’s paws.
,,You can repay me by living a happy life. I’d also like to ask you for a favour right now. Before you board the ship at Ebonheart, could you please deliver this letter to the Duke? If the guards stop you, show them this ring. I’m sure you know who that ring belongs to. They’ll surely let you pass then.”

The whole group of slaves bowed.
,,It would be my pleasure. Once more we thank you. May you walk warm sands.” With those words, we said goodbye and I watched how the former slaves left. Once they’d passed beyond the gates, Zarador and I left the plantation as well, in the opposite direction.

Two hours later, we were lingering at the beach. A few Mudcrabs were grazing in the distance and a Scrib had chosen to sit in my lap.
,,I’ve been thinking.” Zarador suddenly spoke up. I looked at him questioningly without saying a word.
,,If you’re Dumac, then how did you die? Tell me.” I don’t know how he did it, but the mage somehow managed to stir more memories awake. In effect, he’d just forced out a vision.

[The Metal Mallet]

Well, I do know there are daedric greaves in Dren's plantation. Also a tower shield as well since one of the body guards carries it.

Anyways, this vision sounds like it's going to be a doosy since you're stopping the update here. I can't wait to see the likely demise of the original Dumac. Bravo for the this update sir!

[DarkHunter]

Well, I do know there are daedric greaves in Dren's plantation. Also a tower shield as well since one of the body guards carries it.

Yes there's greaves, but its only a basic shield

And I'm loving the Dwemer-robotics here Cloudy!

[jack cloudy]

I was sitting on a throne. Several Dwemer were gathered around me. Each and every one of them wore a unique set of armour, which revealed them to be generals in the Dwemer army. Being the ones who led the Centurions into battle, they were also the only Dwemer who knew how to fight.
,,Milord, the mountain has been surrounded, all escape routes have been blocked off. The Chimer number in the thousands. Men, women and even children have joined their crusade. We are outnumbered and will never be able to win this battle. We need the help of the shield, we need Pelinal. At your command, an elite team of warriors on Wings will perform a raid to retrieve the keys. With the keys, we can awaken its true potential and turn the tide in our favour.” One of them told me.

I shook my head forcibly.
,,No, Pelinal is not meant for this. It is meant to protect, not to destroy. And you know very well that any attempt to retrieve the two keys would be suicide. Tell everyone who is not fit for battle to seek refuge in the inner chamber where Numidium is kept. If needed, we can block off the opening with the steel god’s hand. Kagrenac told me he’d found and implemented a suitable powersource.” I told him and got up out of my throne. I walked towards a large table which carried a miniature representation of the island. Countless red figurines were arrayed around the miniature mountain.
,,Any news from the other settlements?” I asked though I already knew the answer.
,,None. The few scouts we managed to send out all told us the same thing. A complete annihilation of the inhabitants and the entrance sealed by a metal sphere they could not breach. Without the factories, we cannot build an army to match theirs.” One of the generals answered.

I felt tired from the endless bloodshed.
,,Nerevar is a charismatic leader, but he knows nothing about how to lead an army. This is the work of Vivec. I must admit that he knows our weakness. The Centurions do not see the Chimer as enemies. It was a simple matter of entering at night and slaying all the Dwemer in their sleep. By sealing the entrance, he has secured his rear for we cannot reach the Centurions and tell them about their new enemies.”

I looked at the miniatures again. The situation was indeed hopeless. One on one, the Centurions were a match for the average Chimer soldier and more than a match for the women and children who had joined the army. Against a veteran though, they had to rely on strength of numbers. A strength we had during the Northern invasion but a strength which we’d since lost. The first general interrupted my thinking.
,,Lord, please. Think about it. We need Pelinal not only to win, but to survive. Even with one key, it will be of great help.” He pleaded. I fingered the hilt of Forgeheart and shook my head again.
,,And destroy one race to save another? Then how would that make us any different? No, we’ll entrust the future of our children with those protected by Numidium. As for ourselves, we’ll fight with what we have, inside this fortress. Besides, Pelinal is unable to fight effectively with only its mobile aspect awake.” I looked up at the steel door that was the only access to the throne room.
,,Nerevar, why?” I whispered.

As one, the generals drew their weapons. Dwemer steel shone in the light cast by tubes mounted on the walls.
,,At this point, there is no further use for a detailed plan or for leaders. There’s only one entrance, only one path to take which is blocked by every single Centurion we have, even those who are not meant for combat. The Chimer’s only choice is to charge in with everything they have. The women and children are likely to stay behind as from what our scouts told us, they are tasked with sustaining the army. As for the men who will fight, the grunts and inexperienced ones will likely lead.” I frowned at the explanation. It was heartless, though in the end, it was the right choice. By sacrificing the inexperienced troops first, the greatest warriors could fight against the final opposition at their full strength.

I drew my own blade as well. I could feel the Forgeheart’s cold touch which made me shiver. For those on the wrong side of the blade, this bitter cold would be even worse.
,,It is time for this nightmare to end, though in which way, I do not know.”

For the next few hours, we waited in a nervous anticipation. We didn’t dare to open the door and see if the Chimer had already began but we also did not dare to relax. After three long hours had passed, the sounds of combat reached our ears. Clanging of metal on metal, the screams of the wounded. If possible, the next two hours were even worse than the first three. Indeed, the waiting is the hardest part of any battle. Finally, five hours after the battle had started, silence returned. We looked at each other uneasily. Had the Centurions claimed victory, or were the Chimer standing outside the door, waiting for someone foolish enough to open?

As we’d done up till now, we waited. Another hour passed. At last, the nerves of one of us cracked and he wandered to the door.
,,I think they’re gone.” He whispered. The others and I gestured wildly with our hands, telling him not to open the door. He did, and was promptly slain by a flaming sword. A sword I knew. Trueflame.



Note: There's something different with this vision when compared to the earlier ones. Can you find it?

[jack cloudy]

Nerevar walked through the door, followed by four other Chimer. Three of them I knew. They were Vivec, Sotha Sil and Almalexia Indoril. The fourth one, I did not know. The generals moved up to meet them. There were four of them left. Each one matched blades with one of Nerevar’s aides. Unobstructed, he stepped past the battle and met me at the center of the hall.
,,It’s been a long time, Dumac.” He spoke, sadness in his voice.
,,I know. Yet somehow, I can’t help but wish it had been longer.” I replied with the same sadness. Forgeheart and Trueflame were raised up into the air. I noted to myself the irony of the whole thing. Trueflame, Hopesfire and Forgeheart. These three blades were forged as a sign of friendship. Now, they would serve to undo this friendship.

,,True. This peace should have lasted till long after our bodies had crumbled to dust in a tomb. It was not meant to be. Now, I must destroy you. I’m sorry, my friend.” Nerevar said and stepped forward. Trueflame came down in a flaming arc. I blocked the strike with Forgeheart, feeling the elemental power of fire and ice colliding and shattering into a wide wave that spread around us.
,,Likewise. My apologies.” I shouted over the howling of the two blades.

Again and again, the two swords met. Each time, their power would touch us in an embrace that both chilled and charred. With each strike, we weakened from the power our weapons contained. Nerevar was known rightfully as a great warrior among the Chimer, an expert in all weapons. He knew and used countless techniques that appeared impossible for a mortal to perform. I had been his most devoted student and he’d taught me everything about fighting with a sword. Together, we’d stood as an impenetrable wall of steel against the invaders. Gold and snow they called us, after the colour of our skin. During the final days of the war, just our appearance on the battlefield had been enough to make all but the strongest of heart flee. Now, we stood against each other and finally got to see our skill for ourselves.

We both disengaged from battle at the same time. My skin had been blackened by Trueflame’s fire and cracked by Forgeheart’s ice. Nerevar was not doing any better and his skin had lost its golden hue entirely. Around us, his four aides had formed a circle. My generals all lay on the floor in a pool of their own blood.
,,You don’t fight with all your strength, Dumac. Does the friendship we shared slow your blade?” Nerevar asked me.
,,Yes, it does. You have been holding back as well, my friend. Why?” I replied. Our swords pointed at the ground. A sign of our unwillingness to fight yet ready for it if needed.

Nerevar refused to look me in the eyes.
,,Voryn Dagoth here has told me. You are trying to turn yourselves into gods and rule not just Resdayn, but all of Nirn. He told me that if I did not stop you, all Chimer would be sacrificed for your immortality.” He explained, gesturing towards the Chimer whose name I did not know.
,,Preposterous! We would never! I’ve considered you to be my friend for as long as I live! Why would I try to destroy my friend?” I shouted angrily. Nerevar hung his head in shame.
,,Yes, you would. Isn’t it true that Kagrenac has experimented on the heart of a fallen god? Immortality is a great power. Power corrupts those who do not know how to handle it. Only those who are worthy should be allowed to wield this power.” Voryn interjected.

I glared at him.
,,Let me guess. You consider yourself worthy? If Kagrenac indeed wishes to become a god, it is my duty to stop him. My duty alone. Now tell me, where did you learn of this?” I demanded. Voryn sneered.
,,I do not have to tell you, Dumac. You’ve already failed to keep your priest under your control. He’s already made contact with those he deems worthy and revealed his plan to them.” My expression changed from one of anger to one of disbelief.
,,He contacted you, didn’t he? Now I see. Those who survive this war are worthy of becoming gods. Is that it? Is that why you strived to be the spark that ignited the flames of bloodshed? Let me tell you, immortality is something that is not given to us mortals with a reason! We are meant to live our lives during a limited timespan. Our souls simply cannot cope with eternity! We would be driven mad. And Kagrenac, has he tried his technique? Is he sure that this fool’s plan will work? Well, is he convinced it cannot fail?” As I continued to talk, I stepped closer and closer to the Chimer till I was staring him straight in the eyes.

He looked embarrassed.
,,You’re right. It is something we are not meant for. How could I have been so foolish?” He admitted. His eyes focussed, telling me that his resolve was now stronger than steel.
,,We must hurry, there is still time. The key to Kagrenac’s plan is Numidium. That is where he keeps Lorkhan’s heart hidden! If we stop him now, we may yet save our people of their eternal doom!” He claimed and moved towards the door at a quick pace. Nerevar and I looked at each other.
,,Let’s fight together once more, my friend.” He offered, holding out his hand. I gripped the hand firmly.
,,Yes, once more. For our people, for Resdayn!”

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Jan 27 2007, 11:14 PM

[The Metal Mallet]

Wow, this vision is really cool. And I think the change you're hinting at is that the vision is now in first person rather than third as it previously was.

I'm enjoying your interpretation of the "final conflict". I can't wait to see this conclude.

[jack cloudy]

Correct, first person. Let's just say that Ro-El has accepted his heritage now. Anyway, update time.





As we ran through the winding passages, I shed tears for the fallen we passed. Too many had died for this. My muscles ached from my duel with Nerevar. I knew that I could not fight with all my strength at this moment. We turned around a corner and skidded to a halt. In front of us, a Centurion of unknown design guarded the entrance to Numidium’s chamber. It was big, with heavy plates of armour covering every potential weakness. It had no weapons but it did not need any. The heavy weight of its hands was enough to crush flesh and bones.
,,Step aside and let us pass!” I ordered it. In response, the Centurion slammed its hands together, making the corridor tremble. I pointed Forgeheart at it.
,,Looks like it only listens to Kagrenac. Fine then, we’ll just have to go through it. Charge!”

We dashed forward as one. Vivec unleashed a barrage of spells to weaken its armour before we met. Voryn used his spear to leap high into the air and landed on the Centurion’s head. Standing on its shoulders, he began to stab at its skull, aiming from the brain inside. I ducked underneath a swinging hand and hammered away at the legs. At my first strike, a minor dent appeared. At my second, the dent tore open and exposed the internal mechanism. At the third and final hit, I severed the knee and sent the hulking beast to the floor. Even in this position, it continued to flail with its hands and I pinned one of them to the ground with Forgeheart.

The Centurion was an incredibly tough opponent, but too slow to truly pose a threat. Nerevar and I assisted each other, fighting as a pair as we struck at whatever weakness presented itself. Trueflame and Forgeheart bathed the thing in an elemental storm. Vivec and Sotha Sil stood behind us and flung spell after spell into the Centurion, adding to the damage while keeping it from regaining its balance. Finally, Voryn managed to penetrate the skull and shatter its brain. The silence after the battle felt strange.

The door was still closed yet this was no problem for us. As the king of the Dwemer, I had a key for every door in the complex, including this one. We stormed through and found ourselves standing on a ledge high above a pit of boiling magma. A winding path descended downwards to a platform where the Dwemer who had not fought in the battle were hiding. The room was dominated by Numidium, a great Centurion formed into the likeness of Kagrenac himself. Its chest area was open, revealing a strange stone with an aura that promised endless power. Kagrenac was standing in front of the heart.

,,Kagrenac, come down here!” I shouted at the old smith. The Dwemer laughed at me.
,,Do you truly believe that I would listen to you? You’ve come here to stop me, haven’t you? I won’t let you do that, Dumac.” He answered and struck the stone with the hammer he wielded in one hand. A loud chorus like the singing of birds echoed from the stone.
,,If you want to stop me, you must defeat a god!” With a loud hiss of escaping steam, the hatch covering the chest closed, sealing Kagrenac and the heart inside.

Suddenly, Numidium’s hand began to move, descending onto the ledge where we were standing.
,,Jump!” Nerevar shouted and flung himself over the edge, dragging his wife with him. The rest of us followed suit. Above us, the platform was shattered by Numidium’s hand. We aimed for the wall and tried to get a grip. A heavy rock the size of my head impacted with my shoulder, crushing part of my ribcage. I was about to fall but Vivec reached down and grabbed me. Together, we managed to reach the bottom of the chamber where the Dwemer were trying to keep as much distance to the Centurion as possible.

Vivec carefully lowered me to the ground. The pain of my wounds was nearly enough to kill me on its own. The pain numbed at the touch of the Chimer’s finger though he couldn’t repair the damage that had been done. From my current position, I saw how Numidium smashed a hole in the ceiling and dragged himself out of the mountain.
,,Curses! He’ll destroy everyone with that thing!” Voryn roared. Before the great Centurion vanished from our eyes, it turned around and looked down upon us.
,,I know you, Dumac. You’d rather die fighting than let me do as I please. Go ahead, try to awaken Pelinal. You’ll find that I’ve destroyed its powersource. Now it is nothing more than a statue!” Kagrenac’s voice was multiplied a thousand times in strength. Then, the machine left us.

,,Nerevar.” I whispered, straining my battered lungs. My old friend knelt down beside me.
,,Dumac is right. Without a suitable powersource, Pelinal is powerless.” I continued, coughing up a large amount of blood.
,,Don’t talk, my friend. We’ll stop him for you, no matter what it takes.” The Chimer warleader urged.
,,No, we’ve been blinded for too long. Numidium is not a normal Centurion, not powered by a mechanism of our own. It is powered by the heart of a god, by life, not by death steel. Pelinal will move even without a powersource, if we make the right sacrifice. I’ll be that sacrifice. Take me to it, you know where to go.” Darkness encroached upon the edges of my vision.

My wounds had numbed my senses and I lost consciousness multiple times as Nerevar carried me further through halls filled with magma. When we arrived at Pelinal’s location, Vivec’s powers were needed again to keep me alive. They took me to Pelinal’s head and lowered me into a throne located inside its head. Safe for the throne, the only features of the chamber where three slots arrayed around the throne.
,,Put Trueflame in the right slot, Hopesfire in the left” I instructed them. I did not know where my plan came from. It was as if someone else was hiding in the shadows, playing me like a puppet. Nerevar and his wife did as I’d told. Sotha Sil helped me lift my arm and place Forgeheart in the third and final slot.
,,Take my soul. I beg you, Shield of Resdayn. Take my soul and come to life!” I no longer had the strength to say a word so my request was only spoken as a thought.

I could feel my soul leaving my body. I willed my soul to move into Pelinal, to become its lifeblood. The god refused me somehow and I was cast back into my dying body. I could hear voices, vague as if they were speaking from the other side of a very large room.
,,We won’t stand by and watch how everyone is slaughtered by Numidium. This is our curse, we shall lift it by our own strength. Better for one race to die than for two. No more shall we be known as the Dwemer, a mortal race. We shall be known as the Centurion’s blood!” Once again, my soul left my body. I was swept along by a tidal wave of souls all trying to merge with the Centurion. Again, the barrier refused us but this time it collapsed under the combined strength of our souls.

Now we were in Pelinal. No, we were Pelinal. All our memories, our emotions, our very identity, it was all stripped away from us. Our souls became one featureless mass as silent as a frozen sea. From this mass, a single new soul rose up. The soul of Pelinal.

I opened my eyes slowly. The scene had changed since I’d closed them. The sun was about to make place for the night and a large Dwemer construct hovered above the lake. The airship had arrived. Zarador pulled me on to my feet and brushed the sand from my pants.
,,And after that? What happened after Pelinal’s awakening?” He asked. I shrugged.
,,Don’t ask me. Technically, I was death by then. The first memory after that is located in a babycrib somewhere on Soltstheim. All I know is from the information we’ve managed to gather. Pelinal trashed Numidium but suffered heavy damage in the process.”

We boarded the Cloudcleaver in silence. The army of Centurion’s I’d sent out to retrieve and repair the vehicle had all gathered on deck. I thanked them for their service and made the preparations for our trip to the northern island. Back to the place where Ro-El was born. Solstheim.

,,We now know more about the powersource though. Pelinal doesn’t have one. It is fuelled by the souls of the Dwemer who were at Red Mountain during the event. Just how my soul was separated and brought into a Nord’s body, I don’t know. I also did some research on the swords. Trueflame has been lost, broken according to some accounts. Hopesfire is still in Almalexia’s possession and Forgeheart is hidden somewhere. If we can find Forgeheart, retrieve Hopesfire and somehow find the current location of Pelinal, we can revive it with two of its three aspects.” I reasoned as we made ourselves comfortable on deck. Zarador looked towards the rear of the ship and pointed at Red Mountain.
,,We need to make haste, I’m afraid. It appears that the Sixth House no longer wishes to play with us.” I looked out towards Red Mountain as well. We could no longer see the actual mountain. It was hidden under a cloud of ash. And the cloud was moving parallel along our course. We were being followed.

This post has been edited by jack cloudy: Jan 28 2007, 09:54 PM