A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Adventures, The Truth Behind The Oblivion Crisis Options

[Acadian]

Wow! By pinning them to the floor, unable to harm each other, the nature sort of forced them to talk and hiss to each other.

Mannimarco! I should have known perhaps the foul black robe was somehow involved. And Malan was desperate enough to trust the wormy necrodude!

Maxical sure gained lots of info here, but she’s also wise enough to realize that Malan doesn’t intend for the info to walk away.

I was glad to see Maxical piece together the holes in Malan’s lies. It wasn’t all Amelia. Everything good that Maxical is did not come from Amelia. Not Amelia. Not Amelia.

Flattened ears and thumping tail? No wonder! Grrrrr!

This post has been edited by Acadian: Feb 11 2013, 02:08 PM

[Destri Melarg]

Okay, let's see if I've got all this straight:

Fathis is a thrall.

Gils is dead.

Maxical was possessed.. then not. But her nature is still bound to Malan.

Malan has descended (or should I say ascended) upon Cyrodiil and truly wrecked some shop!

I'm not fully caught up yet, but I'm almost there. You once told me that you didn't know where to take Maxical's story beyond the Arena. Safe to say you have found a direction!

*whew* I'll have more to say once I've fully digested everything.

[King Coin]

I dug my claws into Malan’s neck and tried to cast the Enemies Explode


I’m so glad the nature protected her! I suspected that he wouldn’t be able to kill her directly… but I didn’t really know. Amazing that she could even get him to heal the damage his attempt at strangling her. Such a cool moment.

Maxical (and the Empire) got so lucky that Malan hadn’t seized the throne when he could.

Does Maxical have any of her talent with the blade still, or did all of that go with Amielia?

I liked the inclusion of her ears and tail. I don’t like whatever it is that Malan has in store for Maxical! Her attempt to distract him did not work… Maybe he’s finally formed a new plan and threw out his old one? Cliff hanger!

[jack cloudy]

In response to your pm, mALX. I scan the comments but have elected not to read the summary. Reading a story midway and at the end simultaneously would just confuse the hell out of me.


I'm still plugging along way behind the rest of your folk. So far I have learned that Jakben is a jolly good chap, even though he has the vampire thing. I have also learned that not all creatures of the night are gifted with the charm. That, or Hassildur should polish his ring before going out hunting. Make it nice and shiny. The fact that a prostitute was the only one to say yes was just the icing on the cake. And even she talked him down during it.


Then we had a family reunion. Maxi's virgin-status has been reconfirmed and both of her folk looked like they were drowning as they tried to get her back on the straight and narrow. That said, I can understand her frustrations. Fathis has a huge reputation for his ah, manly conquests. Yet no matter what she does, he turns her down. And he still tries to keep her to him at the same time.

Now I know that at least in part that is because he's been hypnotized up the gills, but that doesn't make it any better from her point of view. She already has a poor view of herself and being the only girl who can't make Fathis long for the bed doesn't help. (hell, thinking of it. The romantic feelings he may have for her could have been part of hypnotism as well. Maybe the real Fathis just wants to be a father or favourite uncle to her. Who knows?)

[Darkness Eternal]

This chapter dripped with negative and raw emotion between antagonist and protagonist. Malan Vs Maxical! And is the beginning, you say?

At first I thought Maxical was actually going to die and drag Malan with her, but the nature stopped it, didn't it? I totally envisioned the epic battle as they were transported to Theron and it was intense! I can see Malan snarling "damn you" lol. This part was vivid. You certainly brought it to life.

Malan didn’t hide how much he hated me now that Amiela wasn’t inside me anymore, but to his nature…to his nature I was the sacred chosen and it wouldn‘t let Malan kill me. Beyond that I didn‘t know, but for right now that was enough. Malan couldn‘t kill me.

Sucks for him. They'll just berate each other to death, then! Or she can just apologize . . .which she actually did! What's up? One moment they are at each other's throats and then "forgive me". Hehe.

That’s a lie. You don’t have that kind of good in you, proved that. What did you do to Dagoth-Malan the second she was removed? Deceit, trickery against me. You’re lying and sneaky, can‘t be trusted. Evil cat.”

As a supporter of "evil is a point of view," I must applaud this chapter! Malan is not painted as the "I am evilz for the hell of it" but a man with his point of view. So . . . he pulled off a Darth Vader? "From my point of view, Maxical is evil!"



But . . .isn't deceit, trickery and lies the same tools he used against her? Funny guy. And we end with Mannimarco's name! Good Daedra, what will happen now? Let the Necromancy commence!!!

This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: Feb 15 2013, 01:48 AM

[mALX]

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@ Elisabeth - Thank you so much Elisabeth! Lol, Malan trying to guilt trip Maxical, lol.

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@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB!

Maxical is evil...

GAAAAH!!!!!

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@ McBadgere - Thank you so much McB! I’ve heard of that with amputees, but it was like a sensation hey had of the missing limb. Isn’t it? I wonder if that would work? Hmmm! What a huge comparison to make, because to her it does feel like a part of herself that has always been there has been cut out. I really appreciate you bringing that out, McB! Thank you so much again McB!

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@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I guess the nature knows what it needs to do to force them to get along since chosen are supposed to live with the ancient for centuries, ROFL!!! And you’re right, it took her a while to figure out his choice of things Amiela took with her were selective, lol. But she thinks better mad, and the more he attributed things Maxical had done to Amiela - the madder Maxical was getting. In truth she doesn’t know anymore what was Amiela and what was herself. Thank you so much again Acadian!

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@ Destri Melarg - Thank you so much Destri! (It is Malan’s nature, it is implanted inside Maxical). Er...I hope that was a good thing, lol. Thanks again Destri! And Welcome back!!!!!

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@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! Oh, you said a mouthful here! Her Blade extraordinary Blade skills are gone now, if she tries to practice with her eyes shut now someone is going down. She can still wield it, but all the finesse will be gone. Not to mention all that high Magicka she had is now gone - that was Amiela too. That won’t come up till she realizes it though. And something else to wonder about will come out in this chapter upcoming. I think McB comparing it to losing a limb was very accurate. Thank you so much again KC!

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@ Jack Cloudy - Thank you so very much Jack! You nailed every bit of what was going on. Maxical doesn’t know Fathis is under spell, so all she can think of is (her fur is a turn off).

Also, Fathis was obviously reluctant even before the spell was cast on him. Being her guardian for eleven years left him feeling awkward about being romantic with her - so yeah, you could very well be right that his feelings are more avuncular than lover. He does love her, but maybe not in the way her schoolgirl crush was thinking when she made that promise to him.

In case you aren’t reading the comments up this far ahead, I’ll PM this to you. Thank you so very much again, Jack!

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@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so very much DE! Your kind words about that scene where he was saying “Damn you” - that meant a lot to hear, thank you so much!

Malan is a master of manipulating people, Maxical is just naive enough to feel guilty despite her anger, lol. That’s where the apology came from. That and she realizes for the first time how much of the things about herself she depended on were Amiela all this time. (not to mention he can’t/won’t kill her if Amiela is inside her). By apologizing, she’s hoping he’ll put her back. Thank you so very much again DE !!!


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[mALX]

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Chapter 195: Rare Commodities


“How long is your nature going to keep us mashed on this stone floor? Doesn’t it know how hard and cold stone is? I’m freezing, and ache all over.”

My spine felt raw from being pressed against the floor, and the cold dampness of the stones had long since seeped into my bones. I tried to shift positions, roll toward the soft looking carpet…even worm myself to it, but trying to go any direction was like trying to budge against all the forces on Nirn…any direction except toward Malan, that is. I wasn’t going to try that.

The nature would probably release us when the anger was gone, but…I’d never be released if that was the case. Between Malan’s insults and name-calling, it was as if he was deliberately keeping me enraged. Wait, was he? Why would he do that? Uriel said Malan never did anything without a reason.

As suddenly as the thought struck me I knew that’s exactly what he’d been doing. Keeping me angry so he’d be released first. Well, two can play that game.

A touch on my arm startled me. I turned my head to see Malan had stretched out one arm toward me, a bland look in his eyes that instantly raised my suspicions.

“Come closer, Dagoth-Malan is warm. You can lay your head on my arm.”

Dear gods I wanted the warmth and comfort right now, had to force myself not to move into his arms. But Uriel said when Malan is being nice to suspect him most. No doubt the second I cuddled in his warmth the nature would release us, and Malan would grab me and drag me to the dungeon. No doubt.

“No. I don‘t trust you.”

He drew his arm back as if I'd bitten it. “That’s the difference between you and Amiela, she would have trusted me.”

“You didn’t want to kill her. You can’t manipulate me anymore, Malan. Not now that I know how much you hate me.”

“What if I told you we have to mate before the nature will release us?” He didn't look me in the eye, and his voice sounded more like he was baiting a trap then trying to get something started. It had to be a lie.

"HA! This mangy sneaky cat doubts your ability to perform your duties under the circumstances. Remember, you said I can't be trusted. No telling what evil trick I may be plotting..."

His eyes flashed irritation and he cut me off. "Don't worry about Dagoth-Malan doing his part, getting off this floor will make the effort worthwhile."






***


“No sense forcing yourself, Malan. I'm sure you'll figure another way off the floor eventually if your reputation is accurate. I've heard that since your plots are always failing you've been forced to constantly figure out numerous other ways to get what you want accomplished."

Malan’s bland look disappeared into rage. He champed his mouth and ground his teeth in a visible effort to curb his temper. Even then his words came in panting gasps when he answered.

"Just thinking of your discomfort, Dagoth-Malan isn't the one complaining of the hard floor or cold."

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm sure Janus will come looking for me, didn't you just say that I'm his accepted chosen? Since he shares your nature and doesn‘t hate me, I'm sure it will let me leave with him. Then you‘ll be stuck here alone on the floor. I‘ll kick an urn closer to you on my way out.”

“GARRRH! Hassildor can’t enter my lair, vampires can’t cross the invisible barrier into another ancient‘s lair.”

“HA! I know Janus can enter your lair; he’s your split-apart, remember? He actually already has, he crossed your barrier that morning after we left the Temple of the One using that key you gave me. I gave it to him just in case he needed to rescue me one day."

“GRARGH!“ Malan roared and fumed. Within seconds his breathing had become ragged and labored, just as mine had done earlier when he was egging at my temper. Immediately there was a tangible releasing of the pressure on my chest.

I'd thought Malan tremendously strong to lounge comfortably under all that extreme force on him. Now I knew it was a question of balancing out the force between us, that the brunt of it would be wielded against the one who was angriest. That explained why Malan had been baiting my temper.






***


Although I still couldn't rise from the floor, the easing brought the relief of being able to stretch and shift to a more comfortable position. I was able to rest my head on my arm just as Malan had done earlier. I did, then pressed on. Turnabout is fair play

“Janus said he was but a thought away, maybe I should start sending thoughts for him to come save me. Now that I’m the only chosen, I wonder if he’ll be able to track me?” I actually did send Janus a desperate plea for help within my mind. I also prayed to Akatosh that Malan would be stuck there long enough that I could escape.

“You think I don’t know what you’re doing, slave?“ Malan spat across the short distance between us. It barely missed my face, and only because I shielded it with my arm. I held my temper. I wasn’t taking any chances that he’d be freed before me.

“You can’t make me mad spitting and name-calling, Malan. You’ll have to do a lot better than that.“

Malan’s realization that I was onto how the nature worked was written in ludicrous clarity in his expression. He slumped onto his back, and from the teeth gnashing I heard was making obvious efforts to control his own temper. I continued pressing his rage to keep him off balance.

“Fifty years waiting for Janus to leave his lair, when any first year Mage knows blood duplicates. You could have duplicated Ur’s blood and had that immortal army anytime. Everyone at the Arcane was laughing about that.”

“You remind your little Mage friends that Ur’s blood held the divine essence of Lorkhan‘s heart, its power. Metabolically different from blood. It wouldn’t duplicate.”

His voice held the truth of remembrance. He must have tried everything possible to duplicate it. I turned around and watched his face, genuinely interested.

“Then how were you able to do all those experiments? Hannibal said you closed yourself up in the Crystal Tower for centuries trying to figure out where you went wrong in your own making, how to make an immortal. Weren‘t you experimenting with blood?“






***


“Aye, as you say there were centuries of experimenting. Used other rare blood with traceable properties, metabolic changes.”

“Centuries of...how could you possibly find that much rare blood?”

“Rare blood is a commodity, like anything else. Not something you’d find in Alchemical stores, brokered on the black market for prices you’d never believe. The rarer the blood, the higher the cost. Dagoth-Malan lost his fortune many times, had to be done.”

“Ew, people sell rare blood? Like who? How could they possibly get it?”

“Mannimarco, for one. Funded his growth many times over back then. There’s others. Movarth had a nose for finding them, and sometimes for procuring it without the expenditure.”

“Movarth? You mean Movarth Piquine? Hannibal said he was the one that gathered all the vampire bloodlines for your original cocktail, and that he was the first person you attacked after making yourself into a vampire.”

“Aye, that was Movarth. Assisted my experiments for over three centuries, both at the Crystal Tower and here at Theryon. Trusted him. Secrets Dagoth-Malan paid fortunes to learn, taught him freely.” Malan’s expression flickered hatred.

“Theryon! You let him in your lair? Is he your enemy now?”

“Not anymore. He was. Tried to wield power over Dagoth-Malan. Stole the soul gem, switched it for another." He touched the gem hanging off his breast plate, the one he said was where he’d stored Amiela so long.

“Thought he could get one over on Dagoth-Malan. Hid her, made me hunt Tamriel for her. He’s dead now. Caught up with him, cursed his soul before killing him so he‘d never see life again.”

“Maybe your curse didn’t work. That ‘Hero of the People‘ Azzan swears he killed Movarth and his whole clan in a cave outside Skingrad just before the war broke out.”

Malan‘s eyes flashed a momentary fear, but quickly recovered their bland expression. “Your friend Azzan was just trying to make a name for himself.”

“Probably. How did you find her?”

Malan turned his head away from me. I didn’t have to hear the answer, and he never gave it. Movarth working in Malan’s lab right above where my mother was killed. An orphaned Khajiit child of a slave couple no one knew existed here in Cyrodiil. Malan would never have found Amiela again if fate hadn‘t brought him to the orphanage five years later seeking young girls to farm.






***


What struck me most was that Movarth had almost succeeded against Malan. How quickly he must have acted, a snap decision…maybe that’s the only way to take Malan down. Act before he has time to realize anything is happening.

Malan plans everything intricately and to excruciating detail, his plots are overly complex. Like Uriel said, nothing Malan does has just one consequence. That’s why Malan can’t give up his plots, he works too hard on them to throw them out. That’s a weakness. It can be used to disrupt his plans. Better yet, it can be used to anticipate his moves in advance.

“Malan, why’d you get so mad at me? You could never have made anyone else your chosen since you’d already put your nature inside me. I don’t see how what I did changes anything for you. Just go be with Amiela like you planned and forget about me. How does what I did make any difference?“

“It makes a difference. As long as she was my only chosen, I could track her soul if it was taken. Same as young Hassildor tracked her. Now…”

“Now you can only track me? Then just put her back inside me, I promise I’ll do what you want Malan.”

“I can’t now, you’ve ruined everything!”

“I ruined it? Don’t blame me if your convoluted plots are going haywire! You’re the one that ruined your own plans by sticking your nature in me when I was supposedly just a diversionary tactic. If it wasn’t to make me agree to house Amiela forever, then why do it?”

“You can’t tell me you haven’t figured that out yet. Think, Maxical.“ He glared at the blank look on my face. “The mysteries! Don’t tell me you’re so dumb you didn’t figure that out! Gils would never have married you; I used mind control on him, sent him to you! I sent his mysteries to Amiela so she‘d have them.”






***

Dear gods, it can’t be true…

“Are you trying to say Gils didn’t love me? You‘re lying! He did, he loved me!” The hysteria in my voice was a hollow echo of the pain that went so much deeper through me.

Malan’s voice rang true, he wasn’t just being spiteful to wound me. He was telling the truth. My stomach lurched sickeningly till I thought I’d vomit from it.

Then it hit me. “Wait, you moved Amiela! Does that mean you‘ve given up on them? She doesn’t have them now, Malan. Those are mine, they would have stayed with me.”

The smug look on Malan’s face made me want to scream. Dear gods, had Azura attached the mysteries to Amiela’s soul inside me? Did I lose them too? A growing rage was building in me, despite the nature’s crushing weight on my chest. It could no longer be felt, it was nothing to what Malan’s words had wrung in me.

“If she’s got my mysteries from my marriage, you’d better find a way to break this chosen and put her soul back inside me, Malan! Those are mine!”

Inside me that hollow emptiness Amiela left behind felt like a gaping bottomless chasm. She’d stolen everything from me, even the only remnants left of my marriage to Gils?

“Wait, you are Chimer with mysteries of your own! Amiela would still have yours, they carry with the soul!”

“Aye, Givers same as your Fathis’s. Yours are the Gifts. Rare.”

Janus had said the same thing about his friend Jak, trying to use mind control on Gils...that he was obsessed with having Gils’ mysteries. They must be much rarer than Gils had realized, or made me believe. But why would Malan need Gils’ mysteries?

“Wait a minute! As Arbiter you’d have all the mysteries! Why would you need Gils’s at all?”

“Don’t ask what you already know.”




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This post has been edited by mALX: Feb 17 2013, 10:03 AM

[McBadgere]

Excellent stuff!!...

Loved the way she realised what Malan was doing and then turned his plan back on himself...Brilliant stuff!!...

Azzan!!...Excellent man!!...Always loved him...

Blimey...Morvath certainly gets about...But, always gets his handed to him...*Applauds*...

Loving the whole stuffing out of this story...

Sticking with the muscle memory theory for now though... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

[King Of Beasts]

Thank you so much KOB!

Maxical is evil...

GAAAAH!!!!!

From Malan's PoV, and I'm not siding with him, because I really hate him right now


Anyway.....


This was an excellent chapter mALX, I enjoyed reading about Maxical and Malan trying to piss the other person off more

I suppose this is where those anger management lessons come in handy.....unless you've failed them

“Come closer, Dagoth-Malan is warm. You can lay your head on my arm.”

Dear gods I wanted the warmth and comfort right now, had to force myself not to move into his arms. But Uriel said when Malan is being nice to suspect him most. No doubt the second I cuddled in his warmth the nature would release us, and Malan would grab me and drag me to the dungeon. No doubt.

“No. I don‘t trust you.”

He drew his arm back as if I'd bitten it. “That’s the difference between you and Amiela, she would have trusted me.”

Maxical made a wise decision there How will they ever get off the floor though?



EDIT:


WAIT, WAIT!

Malan almost got OWNED by Movarth?




Now I'm not scared of him anymore!

This post has been edited by King Of Beasts: Feb 19 2013, 05:31 AM

[Grits]

I have two chapters to catch up this time. Sorry, it’s a quote-fest!

I dug my claws into Malan’s neck and tried to cast the Enemies Explode, knowing it would kill us both. Immortal or not Malan couldn’t survive headless, he‘d die here in the void. We both would.

Maxical may have lost some things when Amiela left, but she still has her fierce heart. I think that's what I love the most about her. Despite all of the teasing, silliness, and machinations to get someone else to make her bed, she’ll blow herself up if the situation requires it. Thank goodness it didn’t work!!

I love how Maxical quit her own plotting in order to distract Malan as soon as she realized that he was doing the same thing. The nature pinning them both reminded me of telling children to sit in their chairs until they could work out their arguments.

Malan‘s lip curled back, his mouth hung curved open like he’d just tasted sour meat. He spoke with slow emphasis on each word as if they were boring through him an old rage from his memory of that day.

“Dagoth-Malan didn’t. Never would have.”

It is a testament to your tremendous skill that you make Malan’s pain and rage as real as Maxical’s. Where’s that bowing down emoticon?! Awesome!!

Malan glanced pointedly from the burning rage in my eyes to my ears pinned so tightly against my head that it felt like they may leave dents in the scalp. Then he made a deliberate show of watching my tail beating the floor with loud rapid thumps.

What an angry Khajiit image! I love it!

Malan propped one hand under his head like a king lounging comfortably, but his shallow breathing showed he was still pinned to the floor. I had the eerie feeling he’d come to a decision in his plotting, now was ready to just toy with me till the nature released him.

Here’s another image that I just had to quote. So very Malan!

“Aye, in Cyrodiil. Up almost on the Skyrim border just west of Bruma. Took over the old Echo Cave on the border. Quite an operation he’s got there, Dagoth-Malan funded it.”

Oh crap! If he’s telling her this, then… Yeah. What Maxical said.

I'd thought Malan tremendously strong to lounge comfortably under all that extreme force on him. Now I knew it was a question of balancing out the force between us, that the brunt of it would be wielded against the one who was angriest. That explained why Malan had been baiting my temper.

I just loved watching Maxical figure out how to turn the nature’s trap against Malan. Using his own tactics!

Malan turned his head away from me. I didn’t have to hear the answer, and he never gave it. Movarth working in Malan’s lab right above where my mother was killed. An orphaned Khajiit child of a slave couple no one knew existed here in Cyrodiil. Malan would never have found Amiela again if fate hadn‘t brought him to the orphanage five years later seeking young girls to farm.

Oh my gosh, I had to take a moment here and let it sink in. You already put the clues there, but now so much about Maxical’s life is out in the open.

And then a flood of revelations from Malan. The momentum here is heartbreaking. The more Maxical realizes the truth, the more she is staggered by it and also angered and hungry to learn more. What a powerful chapter! And your characters haven’t moved off the floor!!

[Acadian]

It was pure magic as you displayed how the nature was at work here – balancing itself between the two based on the level of anger each felt. But Maxical figured it out, much to Malan’s chagrin. Our kit is doing pretty darn well for herself considering the credentials of her foe.

Heartbreaking to review how and when Amelia was stuffed into Maxical.

Malan is really pulling out all the nasty stops to try and manipulate and piss off Maxical, but I’m pleased to see he may have met his unlikely match! Maxical may be the ‘chosen’ of Malan, but she is also the CHOSEN of Akatosh. . . .

The last part of this episode must have hit her like a ton of cobblestines. She has figured out that Malan is not the Arbiter.

[Darkness Eternal]

What a thrilling chapter! Sprinkled with humor!

but trying to go any direction was like trying to budge against all the forces on Nirn…any direction except toward Malan, that is. I wasn’t going to try that.

The two are just inseperable, aren't they? Oh gods!

As suddenly as the thought struck me I knew that’s exactly what he’d been doing. Keeping me angry so he’d be released first.

Oh Malan, I see what you did there! Smart cookie! And then he wants to warm her a bit . . .

“Come closer, Dagoth-Malan is warm. You can lay your head on my arm.”

Warm vampires, eh? He must be lying.

That’s the difference between you and Amiela, she would have trusted me.”

Hmm. I start to see Malan painted in a different light. He does love, of course. He has his methods which us humans would argue are bad, but he does have some different sides to him. That . . .or he's trying to use those words to put Maxical into a guilt trip for not trusting him. Make her feel inferior by comparing her to his dearly beloved Amiela. Though in the recent chapters he is getting far more upset and prone to anger when Maxical starts to show signs of enlightement. One of these moments made me laugh. Below:

“HA! I know Janus can enter your lair; he’s your split-apart, remember? He actually already has, he crossed your barrier that morning after we left the Temple of the One using that key you gave me. I gave it to him just in case he needed to rescue me one day."

“GRARGH!“

I found this amusing in the story because, of course, it shows how Maxical is attacking him personally by outsmarting(or should I say not falling for his schemes) him. I know his frustration because as an older cousin I always sought to prank my younger naive cousins back in the day and got extremely upset when they didn't fall for my schemes. I enjoyed the fact that Malan's own plan backfired against him. It was Maxical who made him angry and thus she felt the weight on her chest lessen.

Movarth? As in Puqine? The man in Immortal Blood(the book Malan wrote?) who he also turned? Woot! And then the chapter ended with the horrible revelation: Gils was under mind control? Egad! Or is it a load of Malan-crap?

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Too bad Movarth didn't succeed in killing Malan...

[ghastley]

I'm just thinking "Maxical has no skill in archery or destruction magic that requires aiming, her blade mastery was all Amiela's and that went away when she was removed. So all she has left is her wits."

Maxical - start to panic NOW!!

But it occurs to me that she's probably learned a lot of that Blade by doing it. And who knows how much of her other inabilities have now been removed. If she gets the chance, she needs to test the real Maxical, and find out what she's become.

[King Coin]

Gah! The intro sent chills up my spine.

That honoured user was just trying to choke her to death, and now he’s trying to convince her to have sex with him again. I’m glad she is overcoming the nature and not going to him.

Smart girl baiting him like that to make him angry. Well, crap she gave it away, not that he wouldn’t have figured it out on his own. She needs to learn to keep her mouth shut about certain things!

Wait… does this mean Movarth put Amiela inside of Maxical?

Well, she’s about to figure out he was lying again.

[Zalphon]

Poor Maxical. It's always hard to find out that someone didn't care about you

[jack cloudy]

It's the cage match! Well, the promotion for it anyway. Heh, having mister bad apple as a virgin makes more sense than it should. Might explain why he's always so cranky what with being holed up with sexbombs Vicente and that orc whose name I always forget.

Incidentally, I saw that scene in a dream. The awkwardness was hilarious. Then there was a zombie apocalypse.


And speaking of Vicente, the vampires keep spiralling closer together which promises lots of fun conflict. I also liked the addition of the nameless vampire hunter. And finally, Fathis has his sword back! Woot! Wait did he ever lose it?.......Oh, that sword.


PS: Raminus in Arch-mage clothes is funny. And obstructive.

[Burnt Sierra]

Seeing as I'm miles behind, this is from page 61. Out of 97. *whimpers*

Damien’s voice floated quietly across the quad as I was walking away. “Uriel, are you sure she said ‘sister‘? I’m quite positive I heard her say ‘sisters‘.“

I looked back to wave at Hannibal and his eyes bulged when he saw the troop of cats at the gate.

He mouthed the words, “Oh no.”

Hehe

Very quick post at this point, partly so I can find my way back here after This story is huuuuuuge now!


You always did the humourous side incredibly well, and there are still moments that make me literally splutter with laughter. For which my laptop screen thanks you

What's really impressed though is the sheer SCALE of what you've been writing here. The city under attack, confusion, multiple characters - just utter havoc - yet you've kept it understandble, exciting and dare I say? Yes, I believe I dare:

EPIC

In all senses of the word... I honestly don't know how you managed to keep all these strands together, but you have!

Now, food, then reading on...

[mALX]

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@ McBadgere - Thank you so very much McB! I am def going with your 'muscle memory' theory, Awesome idea!

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@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! SPEW! Malan in an anger management class, ROFL! You'll see this chapter coming up, lol.

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@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! ROFL! You owe me a monitor for this: "I'm sorry, Malan can't come out to play right now. He's in a 'Time Out'" SPEW! The rest of what you said, your kind words - that meant so much to hear, you captured everything she was feeling at the end too - thank you so very much again Grits, you really made my day!

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@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! You are so dead on about how the news about Gils hit her, and also that Malan has led her to believe she's lost her mysteries from her marriage to Gils too. Malan's rage is causing him to strike back at Maxical with some truths that have her reeling right now. She can only take just so much before her mind closes down and stops absorbing before it puts her in danger. She's not ready for the full impact of everything yet, but it is coming soon. Thank you so very much again Acadian!

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@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so very much DE! Oh yeah, Malan was def trying to guilt-trip Maxical by throwing how Amiela would react in her face. Most def trying to make her feel inferior to Amiela. You nailed it!

Anyone who interferes with Malan's plots will enrage him. Maxical is not the brightest candle in the sconce, and so whenever she figures stuff out and upsets his plots - his rage is that much greater because she shouldn't be able to discern the real stuff he is doing. It kind of makes him feel like his plots aren't as good as he thought if someone as dumb as her can figure them out, lol.

The last part = the truth. Malan was enraged and spewing truth, just like he did that night in the Temple of the One, and just like he did that day with Janus when he found "Amiela via Maxical" walking alone in a city full of ancient vampires. When Malan loses his temper, the truth comes out. Thank you so very much again DE!!!

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@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so much Liz! Lol, Movarth isn't done in this story yet.

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@ Ghastley - Thank you so much Ghastley! You are absolutely right, and most definitely test them before facing off with Dagon/Daedra/or even Malan. Yes, a good part of that huge magicka she had is gone now, along with some other skills. Hopefully, her personality will improve? BWAAHAA! Thank you so much again Ghastley!

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@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! She didn't have to overcome the nature to turn down sex with him, he was so obviously plotting that even she could see it, lol. You're right, she does need to learn to keep her mouth shut. Movarth did put Amiela inside Maxical, that was the truth. So was Gils being mind controlled to marry her. Thank you so very much again KC!

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@ Zalphon - Thank you so much Z! You're right, that will tear her up bad inside - hopefully it will make her stronger when she finds out the truth that he is dead. Thanks Z!

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@ Jack Cloudy - Thank you so very much Jack Cloudy! ROFL! Yes, his grumpiness had to come from somewhere, lol. I got that from his name, actually. The WIKI on says the "M" or "Ma" in front of a Khajiit name implies that person is a virgin. (and his name is M'raaj-Dar). ROFL on your dream!

Raminus - I don't know how he has come across to everyone else's Player character, but in all my games (except one) he was quite obnoxious to my Player character after they became Arch Mage - kind of sarcastic in his welcome. Figured he must have expected the Arch Mage position and was disgruntled by the Player getting it. Couldn't let something like that pass by in a story! Lol.

Loved your comment, Thank you so very much again!

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@ Burnt Sierra - Thank you so very much Burnt Sierra! Your kind words mean the world to me, thank you so much! This really made my day!

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@ EVERYONE - Last Chapter Update:

** Malan and Maxical were still stuck on the floor of Theryon's bedroom, being held there by the nature till it was sure neither one would kill the other (since the nature was in both, it had to protect itself).

** Maxical realized Malan planned to lock her in his dungeons. She figured out the way to get released before Malan was to enrage him.

** Enraged Malan began striking back at Maxical with some truths to hurt her - technically things he didn't want her to know but was too enraged to stop himself.


1. Maxical learned the King of Worms Mannimarco is in Cyrodiil and where, and that Malan funded Mannimarco's expansion.

2. Maxical learned it was Movarth Piquine that stuck Amiela inside her, that he stole Amiela's soul and hid it from Malan, making him go on a Tamriel-sized treasure hunt for the soul. It took Malan 5 years to find Amiela, and then it was by accident (kidnapping orphans to farm).

3. Maxical found out that Malan used mind control on Gils to make him marry her - that is the truth.

4. Malan told Maxical that Azura bound the mysteries to Amiela's soul instead of her s. Malan believes this is true, is sure of it. It has not been tested yet, he may be in for a surprise.


5. Malan almost gave it away that he lied about being Arbiter of the Dunmer mysteries. Had Maxical not been reeling so badly from (2,3, and 4 above) she may have caught it right away. As it is, something did strike her as not being right (but she couldn't put her finger on it).

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This post has been edited by mALX: Mar 9 2013, 10:12 PM

[mALX]

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Chapter 196: Revelations From Akatosh


As Arbiter Malan would have all the mysteries. They bond to the soul, Amiela's would still carry them. Why would he need mine? Malan had spoken in rage, but was it truth? Before he turned away I caught his expression, and instinctively knew he'd said more than he wanted me to know. What could it mean?

He couldn’t have lied, he had to be an Arbiter. How else could he have taught me my husband's mysteries, or even known which they were? True, he didn't give the sacred teachings for them, but since he still owed me three mysteries he could have been holding them out to teach later.

Suddenly there was a loud rushing sound in my ears drowning out every thought and making everything seem to be moving in slowed motion. The void, that was how Akatosh brought warnings!

Within seconds an image flashed in my mind, the inside of some kind of prison cell. A man shackled against the wall was clasping Malan’s raised hand to vow. Malan was kissing him on the mouth violently, ramming his head back and pressing him solidly against the wall with his massive body. I couldn’t see the other man at all...didn't want to, but somehow I knew he was naked and that Malan’s loincloth was pressed hard against the prisoner's naked privates.

Dear gods, was Malan mating with men? Is that what Akatosh was warning me? Malan mated with his prisoners? Ew! He couldn't have tried that with Fathis, or Malan would have been speaking in falsetto like Ocato. I'd have noticed that.

What could it mean? It couldn't be something I'd seen before, surely Malan wouldn't mate a prisoner in front of me...but somehow it did feel like a memory just out of reach. Where would I have seen anything like that? When could I have?

My left wrist suddenly had an excruciating pain. When I held it up to look at it there was a flash image of it ravaged and bloody. That image and the pain both disappeared instantly, and it was normal again.

That injury happened when Malan was bringing me to Theryon the first time, he said his bird's talons did it carrying me.

There was another flash of a vision, this one I remembered. It was waking from a nightmare about dogs attacking me just hours before Malan took my virginity. I'd sat up screaming and looking at that wrist, feeling my neck.






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What could all that mean? Dear gods, why couldn’t Akatosh just tell me what to think instead of making me figure everything out? Has he never looked at my school records? I can't solve puzzles and riddles in dire circumstances! What kind of god doesn't just say the warning? He sure managed to go into explicit detail with Uriel over my vow to him...

The rushing sound of the void was suddenly filled with a mighty roaring, as if a terrible beast was enraged. Beside my ear was a clicking of what sounded like a claw and then something smote me on the head the same way S'Jirra used to duff me when she wanted me to think. Wait, was Akatosh trying to tell me to think harder about the vision he gave me?

I looked up from staring at my wrist to find Malan watching me so intensely that I don’t think he even realized I was looking at him yet. His eyes and aura gave off fear. Why fear? He must have read my mind and realized I was getting too close to knowing something he didn't want me to. Dear gods, had I really seen him doing that?

Baurus’s words suddenly struck me with sickening clarity. That hideous Elf wanting something from Gils, kissing him violently in Owyn's office. Baurus said Gils' head had been rammed back the same way. Malan must have been the repulsively ugly Elf Baurus saw molesting Gils!

Malan was obviously a man chaser, and both my husbands were prime bait being Dunmer with mysteries. No wonder Gils ran off with Renault, to escape Malan's attentions!

Another terrible roar echoed in the howling wind of the void, then the void receded abruptly.



***


Malan was staring hard at me, and I tried but I couldn‘t wipe the rage and fear from my face. Sucking it up wasn’t working, not when my worst fears about him hadn't even scratched the surface of what was being confirmed. He reached out his hand and tried to stroke my arm and I all but smacked it away.

“What's wrong now? You’re going to make yourself ill getting this upset, Maxical. Let me heal you…” He reached for Fathis’s ring, but I yanked my hand back and tucked it deep into the pocket of Eyja’s dress.

“No Malan. No more tricks, you‘ve lost my trust. I don’t fall for your cons anymore. You aren’t supposed to harm a chosen, remember? You tried to kill me, and I know you plan to put me in your dungeons. Oh; and I know what you've been doing with your prisoners."

“You’ve got me wrong, Maxical.”

“No I don’t. I've seen past your charms to the real Dagoth-Malan now. How DARE you take me from Fathis who loves me just to use me as some diversionary tactic! If it was never me you wanted, then I want my husband back so I‘m not left unprotected. Give me Fathis back and we part ways."

"You vowed never to see him again, remember?"

"Yes, but since everything you said to me was lies I need proof that YOUR end of that vow is being kept. Remember, Fathis was supposed to be released with his soul safely intact or I destroy Amiela. Break that vow to me and by Akatosh I'll ensure Amiela never makes it to the throne by your side like you promised her. This is no bluff."

“I have to keep that promise to her, Maxical. A vow to a chosen is sacred."






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As if it were an extension of my own anger, Malan's nature roused inside me like a savage beast suddenly. I felt singed by its rage as it leaped hard into battle against Malan. I could feel the weight of it crushing Malan to the floor with the brunt force of its balance. It all but released me, I was barely pinned now.

“I’m your chosen, Malan. That vow you made to me not to harm Fathis is the one that is sacred. Remember, you made it after placing your nature in me.”

“She was always my chosen, still is. Your poaching trick can't change my heart...never will.” He was almost strangling from the crushing force of the nature, his breathing was so ragged I could barely understand him.

The nature obviously did, it answered him through me. I was naught but a spectator in the argument between them.

“No Malan. I'll prove it. The reason you removed her was because your own nature was protecting our union against her. Poaching trick or not, when you put your nature inside me I became your chosen because your nature didn't consider Amiela anything anymore. Your vow to me is the sacred one."

"We had no union to protect, that was YOU trying to keep Dagoth-Malan for yourself!" He rolled onto his back panting heavily.

"That wasn't me, it was your nature striving to create the union your poaching trick robbed it of. The nature gives but one chosen at a time. You petitioned your nature for a chosen the night Vicente attacked me. She was dead or you couldn't have done that, nor put your nature inside me."

"NO! It was her I petitioned for! She was inside you, that's why the nature let me put it inside you!" Malan forced out in gasps, then choked off into heaving panting breaths.

"You removed her, remember? Your promise was made to me alone. And you couldn't petition your nature for Amiela because it draws the souls for your chosen from those marked for you in the Dreamsleeve. Your necromancy kept Amiela from ever being selected again, she wasn't where your nature could reach her locked away in that black soul gem for a century. You should have trusted your nature to bring her back to you, it would have. It knows the deepest desires of your heart, Malan."






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Malan's head rolled toward me gaping like a fish, either from trying to breathe or finally beginning to realize it was his own nature talking to him. I couldn't tell which.

"Amiela is the chosen, Hassildor followed her just as I planned she would."

"How much of your secrets did you teach Movarth Piquine, Malan? Centuries as your assistant he probably learned a lot of your plotting and manipulation. Maybe Hassildor followed me because of one of his plots instead of yours."

"LIAR!" He glared at me, the hatred and venom in his eyes filled his tone even through the panting breaths it took to get the word out.

"Then explain why YOU couldn't find the soul for five years when Piquine hid it? It was by accident you found her, had you not been farming children at the orphanage that night you might never have, and it but miles from Theryon!"

"GRAAAAAHGHR!" Malan roared and gnashed his teeth. For a minute I thought he may die from lack of air his breathing was so strangled.

"You need more proof? The chosen takes the bloodlust away. Janus doesn't have it anymore, but you still had the bloodlust every minute of the time Amiela was inside me. If she was your chosen still, you'd have no bloodlust; it would be gone. I'd bet you still have it now, you wouldn't have lost it this soon after my poaching trick."

With Malan's nature guiding my hand I reached inside my pocket and pulled out the vial of my virgin blood, popping the cork and tipping a drop of blood onto my fingertip. I reached my arm out so the fingertip was almost under his nose. .

"Smell that Malan. If Amiela was your chosen it couldn't be driving the madness in you now."

"STOP! Put the cork back in!" Desperation in his voice made a lie of the words, and his fangs had fully extended and were already dripping rivulets of wine colored juices.

"This is the last virgin blood you tasted, Malan. My blood, not Amiela's. This is the blood your nature holds sacred now. Your nature wants you to make a shrine to the sacred chosen with it before it is all gone, this is the blood you should be honoring now."






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"I'll never make a shrine to you! I'd spill yours on the ground first!"

"Would you then?" I touched the dot of blood on my finger to his lip, then withdrew my arm quickly and watched him struggle with himself to keep from tasting it.

"ARGH! This is torture! Cork that...give me that bottle!"

"Oh no, Malan. You might spill my sacred blood on the ground." I tipped another drop on my finger and wiped it on his lip, quickly withdrawing my arm before he could grab it.

"Damn the drops, give me the bottle! Damn you!"

I kept the bottle uncorked to keep him weakened. "You said your nature won't let you put Amiela back inside me. It's not going to let you kill me, and you can't take it out of me now either. I'll offer you a deal so you can be free of me. Give me Fathis back, and I'll end this chosen for us both. You can go to Amiela wherever she is, and it'll be over between us forever. Is it a deal?"

"[Censored] you! Give me that damn blood!"

"No. The only way I'll give you up is if you give me Fathis back, otherwise you'll never be rid of me.” I wafted the bottle, and for good measure sang a tune in my mind.

So I try to get through to you,
in my own special way,
as the barriers crumble,
at the end of the day.
Do not take for granted,
powers out there,
don't step into the demon's lair.

“ARGH! STOP! I need time to think.”

”You mean plot, don’t you? My eyes are open now, so yours had better be. This is no bluff, Malan. If you lied when you vowed Fathis's soul would be safe and intact, you and your Amiela will spend the rest of your eternities looking over your shoulder; Akatosh and I will hound you till you drop. I won’t put the blade in your back so you don’t know who did it, I want you to know it was me behind it when the time comes.”

With a shock I realized the nature had released me. I scrambled up and ran, all but tumbling down the stairs trying to activate the Recall amulet Hannibal had given me. With a huge sigh of relief I felt the weightlessness just as Malan's bellow roared behind me.

Within seconds I found myself in Uriel's vault. Before the void had even dissipated I popped out of the vault, scaring everyone. Eyja shrieked, Hannibal blanched, and Uriel's face reddened like he may explode.

"Hannibal, you’d better sit down. Mannimarco is here in Cyrodiil"

“Mannimarco!” Hannibal gasped, crumpling in slow motion. His face paled till he was whiter than me. Janus helped him collapse into a chair instead of the floor.

“I told you to sit down…”

“You’re supposed to wait till he does before you finish, Maxical.” Eyja handed a quill and parchment to Uriel, signaling for me to continue.



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This post has been edited by mALX: Apr 23 2013, 06:00 AM