The Northern Champion, a story of Eric Snowmane Options

[Lord Veneficus]

PART XX

Eric sped to the right and busted through a tower door. It was dark inside, but he decided not to light his torch. You would think the realm of Dagon to be very hot, but that was not the case; Eric was cold because of the fear of dying and that giant castle crawling its way to the outside world. If he did not hurry, the entire continent of Tamriel or planet of Nirn would become a charred battleground of destruction for the rest of eternity.

Eric told himself that he didn’t have enough time to fight, so he hid every time a Dremora came clunking down the hallway. They are the dumbest creatures I’ve ever met, Eric thought to himself. But as time passed, Eric realized he was wasting precious time trying to remain hidden from the vile men rushing past in a frenzy with their swords drawn.

He ran up the tower and threw several large Dremora to the surprisingly cool floor. They jumped from their backs and pursued Eric deeper into the monstrous tower. His heart was racing, both from running and the fear of the Dremora catching up to him.

He felt as though he had been running for ages, until he reached the top of the Sigil tower. He strained his arms to open the doors into the final room to the Sigil Stone, hoping he would get it pried open before the Daedric soldiers caught up with him. He heard them clunk past in the hall behind him. He gave a great sigh of relief, glad he would not die today. The door was reluctant to open, but Eric managed to squeeze through the door and reach the Great Sigil Stone.

He grabbed the stone and he felt a wind behind him. He spun around on his heels to see one of the very large Dremora glaring into his eyes. Eric chuckled and ran from the platform as the tower made a screeching noise. The Dremora was yelling, he was stuck in place by some invisible force. Eric figured he was stuck like that was because the Dremora’s world was crumbling down around him.

Outside, the giant castle was slowing to a stop. The many towers around him were falling into the hot magma and dust was flung into the air, making Eric choke. He pushed himself through the sulfuric air and dove through the portal. The blackened stones of the portal’s doorframe fell from the air and hit the ground.

The soldiers were still fighting off the remaining Dremora; Eric decided to help. He slaughtered a few of the Dremora and the cities’ soldiers finished the job.

Eric saw Baurus lying on the ground with twenty arrows piercing his body; one hit him right between the eyes. Eric fell to his knees and tears rolled down his cheeks. So far, all of Eric’s friends were dead, except for Martin, who was standing there. Tears were pouring from his face as well.

“Dammit, Baurus! Why did you have to die on me? You have been a loyal friend and I will continue this fight for you. You may have had altercations with the other guards, but you respected me. And that is more than enough,” Eric sobbed at the now lifeless body of Baurus. He had never cried over anyone before, but this was different; this side of him had just recently came out. He felt like Martin, who had witnessed thousands of deaths, including his friends. Martin knelt and said a prayer over Baurus.

“He was a great soldier and a wonderful companion, Eric. May he forever rest in peace,” Martin said sadly. He pulled his helmet from his head and put it under his arm. The rest of the Blades bowed their heads in silent prayer. Eric stood and wiped the tears from his face. The soldiers were staring at him. “What?! Have you ever seen a battle hardened Nord cry before? Quit staring at me or I’ll rip your damn limbs off,” he shouted. “I’m sorry, you all. You can return back to your cities, now.”

He and Martin rode their horses back to the secret mountain alcove to further discuss their plans on eliminating Mankar Camoran, the honoured user who caused all of this.

“Here is your stone, Martin,” Eric said. The tears that were released back on the battlefield had been building up since the death of Jauffre; he felt better to have done what he did.

“Thank you. I now have all the components to open the portal to Camoran’s Paradise. When you are ready, I shall proceed with the ritual.” Eric nodded and Martin drew a large triangle upon the floor of the alcove. He then waved his hands and the essences of the Daedric artifact, Talos’ armor, the Great Welkynd Stone, and the Great Sigil Stone combined forming a beautiful sphere of red and white. It touched the ground and a fiery portal opened.

“You must enter it now! We have only one chance at this!” Martin shouted over the whining of the portal. Eric stepped through the doorway into Camoran’s Paradise.

Eric was standing inside Mankar Camoran’s Paradise.I think it’s time to pay this honoured user a visit, Eric thought to himself. And he walked down the cobble stone path…

[Lord Veneficus]

PART XXI

The stone path that Eric was walking down was intricately carved with Daedric runes and so were the arches he strode through. Eric looked around and saw the surprisingly peaceful men and women from the Mythic Dusk. The natural beauty of the Paradise was beyond anything he had ever seen; it relaxed him in a way. But he quickly snapped back to reality.

Eric came upon a giant statue, over seventy feet high, of Mehrunes Dagon. He had four arms, a great battle axe rested in one and three claws protruding from another. Eric turned away from the sculpture before Mehrunes’ corrupting ways entered his soul.

He was ten yards away from a cove with the markings of the Daedra on it, when a Dremora sauntered over in his direction. Eric’s hand shot to the hilt of his katana, heart racing.

“You are the one my brothers spoke of. They said you were the one that destroyed our gate of doom at Ganonah,” he said. Eric eased his hand off of the hilt and put his arm down by his side. He was still a bit tense. “My name is Kathutet and you would think that speaking to our most hated enemy would bring me punishment. But no, it would bring me great honor if you performed a service. If you complete this task, I will give you the Bands of the Chosen, which will get you into the Forbidden Grotto; that door behind me. If you refuse, I will kill you.”

Eric thought about the proposition and said, “No, I won’t do a service for a foe. I choose to fight.” Kathutet merely laughed and shook his head.

“You will regret that mortal.” He pulled the Daedric long sword from its sheath and rushed over to Eric. He had just enough time to pull the katana from his belt.

Kathutet’s sword whistled past Eric’s head as he jumped to the left. Eric spun and hit Kathutet with the flat of his blade. Their blades collided, Eric leaned forward; Kathutet was about to lose his footing but he twisted out from under Eric’s sword. Eric shot his shield in front of him as another attack hit him. Kathutet kicked dirt into the air; Eric closed his eyes to keep himself from being blinded by such a dirty move. Eric flailed his blade around in an attempt to hit Kathutet. But Kathutet was behind him; he knocked him to the ground. Eric rolled over on his back. “I believe it’s time for you to die. Also, I think you should know that I slaughtered your friend, the Redguard,” he said. Eric’s blood boiled; he rolled from the ground and thrusted his sword into the leg of Kathutet. He shouted in agony and fell to the ground. He pulled his blade from his leg and put the sword on the Dremora’s neck; he gave it a great pull. Blood spurted from the wound. Eric stood and wiped a tear from his face. He had a small amount of happiness knowing that he had avenged his friend’s death.

Eric took the Bands of the Chosen from Kathutet’s bleeding body and put them on. He felt them lock into place and a feeling washed over him. He entered the Forbidden Grotto.

Inside, the grotto was very hot. He walked further down the cave’s hall and noticed he was inside a volcanic cave. Screams could be heard from all over; they were being carried by the warm air that flowed throughout the cavern. Eric felt pity for them, even though they killed the emperor. He snuck about the dark, fiery cavern until he came upon an Altmer wearing grey robes. He made a gesture to say that he was no enemy and began to speak.

“You are not one of the Chosen. What are you doing here?” He asked with a strange look.

“I am here to kill your master,” he said with disgust. His hatred for Mankar Camoran ran deep into his blood; along with Mehrunes Dagon. The Altmer’s face changed immediately after hearing those words; his face lit up with pure enjoyment.

“You can, really? If you want, I can help you get past those Dremora in the next room,” he said happily. Eric nodded and the Altmer began to walk to the next room; he turned and whispered, “Jump across that gap there.” He pointed to a deep and wide crack in the floor; it was filled with molten lava. He had no choice.

He ran and pushed himself into the air, but he could not make it. He grasped for the ledge and held on for dear life. He pulled with all of his strength and managed to hoist himself up and over the ledge to safety. He heard fighting in the room behind him; the Altmer was fighting the Dremora in there and doing a good job of it. Until, everything went quiet and a Dremora yelled.

He entered the next room and snuck past the lumbering daedroths. He pulled his dagger from his boot and shoved it into an assassin’s back. He fell with a heavy thud; Eric dragged him into the darkness. He continued on his way.

He ran into the same Altmer. He was flabbergasted that he was alive. The Altmer caught his expression and told him, “I used the master’s gift of eternal life to my advantage. Ha!” Eric understood. “Let me get those bands off of your wrists.” He waved his hand across the bands and they fell from Eric’s wrists. They exited the Forbidden Grotto and into the beauty of Camoran’s Paradise.

They sprinted up the slope and saw a grand palace, sitting on a rise in the hill. It overlooked the entire Paradise. Then they saw Mankar walking into the palace.

They bounded after him. When they were inside the stunning palace great hall, Mankar was sitting on his throne; the Amulet of Kings around his neck, taunting Eric to go and snatch it from him.

“I knew you would find a way to this place, Eric. Soon, Dagon will step onto the verdant soil of Tamriel and crush those who opposed him. The timid shall be cast down; the mighty shall tremble at his feet. If it is the Amulet you want, I shall burden you no longer. Come and take it!” He shouted. He pulled his staff from his back and pointed it at the Altmer.

Eric charged at Mankar with his sword drawn. He arced his sword back and swung. Mankar blocked the blow with his staff; it was surprisingly strong. Then again, it was infused with great power; Eric could feel it pulsing through his blade. Mankar waved his hand and the spell he cast threw Eric into the wall. He was dizzy from the impact; he scrambled back to his feet and he wobbled to Mankar once more. The Altmer was behind the throne. Eric scoffed at his cowardice, until he noticed what he was doing. The Altmer ran up behind Mankar and dug his dagger into Mankar’s thick skull. He dropped his staff and fell to the floor. The Altmer grabbed the Amulet and handed it to Eric. The Altmer’s final words were, “Good luck, friend. Send Dagon back to Oblivion.” He fell dead and the Paradise crumbled down around him. Everything went black…

[redsrock]

Hey, man, don't worry about the lack of replies, this place can get pretty slow sometimes. I've already posted at TESFU, so I'll just let you take a look there.

Well, just so this doesn't look like spam, I'll say this.....you've come a long way in balancing your dialogue and body-type. You're doing good, V. Keep it up...

[jack cloudy]

Oh yeah, I consider this quite an exciting read. Sure, Eric doesn't seem to take a break ever, but I'll be the first to admit that my characters rarely take breaks themselves.

You have a lot of fighting in it. Most of the fighting is short and to the point, but some clever finishes stand out. I really liked how the Altmer hid behind the throne and then put his dagger in Mankar's skull. Sure, it's cheap but hey, it works!

[Lord Veneficus]

PART XXII

Eric was falling in an abyss. He fell for what felt like hours, but in all reality, he was actually falling for a few seconds. His heart was beating so fast, he thought it was about to beat right out of his chest. He closed his eyes.

He opened them to find he was in the mountain alcove and Martin was standing there, wearing the most amazing silks he had ever seen. Martin walked up to him.

“You’re back. So that means that Mankar is dead?” Martin asked. He was beaming; he was happy that Eric had prevailed in his most recent expedition. The Blades were preparing themselves for the journey to the Imperial City.

“Yes, Martin. I have the Amulet of Kings as well. Please put it on,” Eric pulled the red diamond from his pack and placed it into Martin’s open hand. He slid the ornately shaped chain over his head and rested the beautiful crimson colored gem on his chest. It glowed and Eric was relieved that it did not slip off. “You see, you are Uriel’s son.”

“I did not need the Amulet to tell me that. I believed you when you first told me back at Kvatch,” Martin replied. “Are you ready to go to the Imperial City? We must get there as soon as possible. I have sent word to Chancellor Ocato and he is waiting for us. From there, we… I can relight the Dragonfires.” Eric nodded and they left the alcove and mounted their horses.

Along the way, Eric and Martin talked about how their lives were no different from one another. They had become close friends since that day in Kvatch, when Eric had saved all of the people trapped inside the chapel from a fiery gate of hell. Martin was glad to have such great warrior protecting him. “Over the days, I have noticed you are quite knowledgeable with the plants and animals. While you were in Camoran’s Paradise, I read some of your literature. The way you describe things and the way you give emotion to your writing makes you seem less of a warrior and more of a scholar.” Eric told him of a story he had not yet finished. He felt as though this would be the last time he and Martin would have a conversation on things other than the Mysterium Xarxes. The entire time, they talked of stories and scriptures written by priests of the Nine. How Arkay was thwarted by Molag Bal by creating vampires, immortal creatures that walk the land by night. They talked to one another like it was their last day walk on the verdant soil of Tamriel ever again.

Eric and Martin, along with the rest of the Blades, had arrived in the Imperial City at noon. The sun was shining and the White Gold Tower was glistening with last night’s rain. It was beautiful, as though the God’s were rejoicing that we finally had an emperor to rule once more.

Inside the Imperial Palace, Eric and Martin entered the Elder Council Chambers and were greeted by an Altmer man; Eric had a feeling it was Chancellor Ocato.

“My lord, you have arrived. I have spoken to the other council members and they have agreed to let hold the thro…” He was interrupted. An Imperial Legion soldier ran through the doors.

“Chancellor Ocato! Chancellor Ocato! Daedra are pouring into the city. They are searching for Emperor Martin!” He shouted. The palace guards unsheathed their silver long swords and rounded up around Martin.

“Let’s get to the Temple of the One, NOW!” Martin said. They all ran outside.

Outside, a large contingent of Dremora and Daedric creatures rushed toward the twenty or so guards around Martin. The sky was red and lightning was striking the White Gold Tower. A clannfear managed to break through the circle surrounding Martin. Eric grabbed it by the tail and dragged it closer to him, where he dug his blade into its head. The palace guards were quick in butchering the Dremora and their little companions.

They were in the Temple District; they didn’t see any of the abominations called Daedra anywhere, but they could hear stomping. Eric, Martin, and the guards and Chancellor Ocato made their way around the Temple of the One, looking for the door. Instead, what they found was Mehrunes Dagon. He was one hundred feet tall and was carrying the battle axe; his clawed hand was in the air.

Then, the Mythic Dusk assassins rushed from a gate, wearing the same armor as before. Then, Eric saw the same great man from Bruma behind a few of the assassins. Eric rushed at him, sword drawn. “Ah, Champion. I knew I would see you here. Haha. Time to die!” He had the same claymore. He swung it back and their blades collided.

Eric rolled under him. He twisted around and swung again. Eric’s shield shot above his head. Sparks flew from the impact and Eric bent his knees to reduce the shock of the attack. It was hot and Eric’s sweat was burning his eyes, but he merely ignored the pain and fought the deadly assassin. The man grabbed Eric and tossed him to the side like a tattered old doll. He jumped back to his feet and cut the man’s back; he shouted and swung the claymore once again. Eric jumped backwards and the claymore whizzed past his head. It missed him by centimeters. He cut him again.

The man thrusted his sword; it went straight through Eric’s armor. He coughed up blood and he became dizzy. His hands held the sharp of the blade as his began to fade. He heard the giant of a man laughing hysterically. His agony went on for what felt like ages and ages; his life flashed before his eyes. Birth. Wrongful imprisonment. Helping Martin become the emperor. Eric gave on last prayer to Talos and went limp. He was dead. The man pulled his claymore from Eric’s lifeless body and disappeared in the fight.

Martin did not know what had happened to Eric as he made his way to the door of the Temple of the One. He entered and Mehrunes ripped the roof from the temple.

Martin grabbed the Amulet and shattered it. A light burst from Martin’s chest and a great shockwave blew the columns from their fixed positions. He became the avatar of Akatosh, a great, fiery dragon. Mehrunes paused for a moment and swung his battle axe at the avatar.

The Avatar flew around this attack and returned one of his own. He bit Mehrunes’ neck. He roared and shoved his claw into the Avatar’s torso. Akatosh swiped at Mehrunes and cut him deeply. A sickly ocean of blood poured from the wound, flooding the temple.

Akatosh gave Mehrunes a blast of fire. The heat was too intense for Mehrunes to handle. His body cracked all over and he shattered into thousands of pieces. The Avatar huffed for several long moments and roared into the heavens, confirming his victory. After that, the Avatar cooled and became a beautiful marble sculpture.

Martin, Chancellor Ocato, Eric Snowmane, and several of the Imperial Palace guards were dead. The Septim bloodline was broken and no one could hold the throne. The deaths were many, but Eric and Martin’s deaths were the most sorrowful of them all. Eric was a hero to many and now he will be remembered in the hearts of all. Martin was a great leader and a kind pious man. They will both be missed.

I end this book with complete gratification for Eric, Martin, and the many men and women who died to protect our world from ultimate destruction. This book was dedicated to the Nordic man who delivered us from evil. If he had lived, he would have been forever known as the Champion of Cyrodiil, the highest rank that can be received in the Order of the Dragon.


May the Nine be with us all,

Travian Hiltor, priest of Akatosh

[redsrock]

An absolutely GREAT ending to a GREAT story. It was so awesome, with all of the emotion and everything else. I give you major kudos for a job well done. It was sort of an abrubt ending, but I kind of like those. You literally have NO clue what's going to happen. Great job, V, I can't wait to see your next story...

[Burnt Sierra]

I'd like to echo what Reds said there. This story really improved by leaps and bounds as it went on - huge leaps and bounds at that. It's great to see you made such an effort to improve, and took suggestions the right way, and I'm delighted to see the results. Well done, and I look forward to reading what you come up with next

[Lord Veneficus]

Thanks you guys