Old Habits Die Hard Part Six, some old habits never die Options

[SubRosa]

It is an irony that Alain and Valdemar would be at the opposite sides of the dungeon, after being so inseparable in life (Am I the only one who sees cupid's arrow there? )

Once again, more clever sword-fighting on the part of both combatants. Julian's holding back her sword during the first pass to avoid wasting a charge, and instead using her absorb health, was inspired. Likewise was Alain's use of his sword as a distraction before his shield bash.

It looks like her dai-katana has a disintegrate armor enchantment. Pappy's favorite. She makes good use of it to destroy Alain's shield. Alain of course shows his experience by adjusting her her tactic. Now I cannot wait to see how this duel ends!

[Acadian]

Another fight, and as interesting and exciting as the preceding three! You have really done well at making each of the fights here unique in their own way. And you, once again have given a surprising degree of personality to the Blades, even in their skeleton forms.

I thoroughly enjoyed Julian trying to evaluate her foe before the fight - and her challenge of trying to assess animated bones. You also painfully pointed out that Julian is somewhat battered at this point while her foe is fresh (well, for a 400 year old Blade).

'Argent magic swirled with blue as the enchantment of Matius’s cuirass interacted with that of the undead’s blade. Through the fur-lined tunic beneath my mail, cold sank into my flesh and numbed the bone. Damn! That’s frost magic! The impact of the strike, though glancing, gave me a hint of the strength the skeleton could wield.'
This was fabulous, particularly how you described the interaction between enchanted armor and blade.

I was quite disappointed in Oblivion during the days I played blade users, that the dai katana has the same range as a long sword or one handed katana. Assuming you are not binding Julian to that constraint, I hope she will be able to exploit the tip of her longer weapon.

As throughout Sancre Tor, you have my heart pounding for Julian.

Nit (not really, just a style question) -
'The skeleton, his bones limned in a faint blue glow, shambled loose-limbed around the wide brazier, his ancient katana glimmering in the cold light.'
There seems to be enough clauses and description in this that might you be better served by breaking it into two sentences? Perhaps giving the last clause its own sentence?

[Olen]

Good, this dai-katana is working on his shield. Apparently the bones also noticed the warning signal of metal fatigue

That worked well for me, disintegrate armour is always an effect I've had trouble imagining. How does it work? Having it fatigue the material makes perfect sense. One good knock and the whole thing will fall apart. I also like that she didn't just magic her gear better with a repair hammer, it always struck me as a bit silly in game that there were no problems working steel cold.

As Acadian said this fight is again different from the other three but just as exciting. She certainly knows her weapon styles, and you certianly know how to write about them. I'm really enjoying Sancre Tor. More please.

Subrosa - that thought had crossed my mind.

[mALX]

GAAAAAH !!! A cliffhanger !!! Urg !!!

[Grits]

A second assessment of Valdemar’s shield showed the damage from Casnar’s dai katana had not improved in the last few minutes.

I love it when Julian throws these unexpected wry comments in! I particularly enjoyed the description of the frost magic. That’s my favorite sword in the game. I also enjoyed the description of the disintegrate enchantment. For the repair hammers, I imagine them to carry an enchantment that is the opposite of disintegrate armor/weapon.

[haute ecole rider]

@SubRosa: No, you're not the only one who noticed the bromance in Interregnum. For my part I wondered if it was just the typical buddy system favored by so many military cultures or a true bromance. Only Destri knows the truth at this time, I suppose. I think this duel ended rather quickly, in spite of Julian's fatigue.


@Acadian: I doubt Julian is that skilled a fencer to utilize the longer reach of the dai-katana (I assume we're talking Japanese swords here, not Akaviri). It would take some pretty strong wristwork, and while Julian is a skilled blader, she is no Blademaster. I'm glad you are enjoying these fights so far. Personally, I'm glad it's the last one for a while, and so is Julian!

@Olen: I agree about the repair hammers. They're kind of useless for anything more than hammering out dents and straightening bent weapons without a decent forge. If repair hammers could repair anything in the field, then why do we have forges in Nirn? What kind of work would smiths have? The way I see it, these repair hammers have to have some kind of limitations. Full repair of Julian's armor will have to wait until she gets back to Cloud Ruler Temple.

@mALX: I decided I'd better go ahead and relieve Cliff sooner than I've been doing, if only to save your neck.

@Grits: Good, I was hoping someone would appreciate Julian's wry humor. It's surfacing more and more as she gets more confident in her new role as a Blade. Now that she is no longer an active pilus, she can let it rip from time to time. Northwind is a pretty decent blade in the game, but I find that I'm preferring a custom shock enchanted light sword. The katanas overall remain my favorite of all the swords, though the ebony blades come in a close second. I've always liked Goldbrand, though I hate having to do a Daedric quest to get it. Umbra is pretty cool, though the quest to get it is so somber and sad.


It's time to let Cliff off the hangman's noose and continue on with the fight, if only for mALX's sake. After freeing three of her Blade brothers, Julian is in the midst of her attempt to do the same for the fourth.


Again, many, many thanks to Destri for the inspiration of Interregnum, and D.Foxy for his combat expertise. Without these two I couldn't have raised the bar on the Sancre Tor quest. Judging from the comments this chapter has generated, it seems that I've been successful in doing so.


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Chapter 26.9 The Witchman's Son

I now stood with the stairway behind me. Did I do him real harm? He's hit me twice already, and I've hit him only once. Is this enchantment effective against bone as well as armor? My questions were answered when he charged me again, that katana flashing as quickly as ever. White magic and red sparks mingled as I parried his blow on my stronger blade. As he brought his full strength to bear against my dai-katana, I could see the Akaviri steel of his weapon nicking, spitting scarlet sparks beneath the enchantment of Casnar's gift.

Somehow I managed to step sideways, letting his blade slip off of mine. For a brief moment he was over-extended, and I seized the rare opportunity and struck him again with Casnar's weapon. This time the blade sparked against his spine and ribs before his recovery knocked it away.

My own recovery was quicker, as I had remained careful to keep my body centered over my own hips and knees. My feet found the lower steps of the stair and I darted upward into the darkness. Without hesitation the skeleton ran after me, almost as fast as I. Again I struck at him, the red enchantment catching his shield and gouging yet another deep gash in the blue enamel. He swung it away from his centerline, forcing my blade to my right. Time lengthened as my eyes tracked the silver sparkle of his weapon arcing toward my left hip.

He's going low, but his head is exposed. The bones's shield was still sweeping backwards behind the skeleton's body, its momentum briefly overcoming his control. I can parry that sword in time, but he'll recover before I can take advantage of his exposure.

"Take a cut to break a bone." Once again Jelin's voice saved me. All right, Blademaster. You're right. Resist the urge to parry. Go for the greater strike.

Now I brought my dominant side to bear as I snapped the dai-katana back toward him, my left arm pulling it in a vicious arc toward his head. His frosted katana struck my hip, but this time it was his turn to stagger as Casnar's weapon split his ancient helm from his skull in a shower of scarlet motes. I screamed at the frozen agony that surged through my hip, bringing back old memories of crippling pain.

The skeleton leaned his right shoulder against the wall as the clattering faded away. My teeth ground from the frost magic surging up my flank as I took advantage of the brief quiet to limp up and back another step, bringing the dai-katana back in front of me. Now. Finish him off. Ignoring the injury, I used the height advantage to leap toward him while Casnar's weapon darted toward his head from his left in an attempt to pin him against the wall.

But the bones wasn't finished yet. He blocked my slash with his shield and bashed me away. I flew over the side of the stairway and landed on my right side on the rough stone below. The bluish glow from the brazier dimmed alarmingly as pinpoint grey flecks danced in the blackness of my vision. Gasping for air, I managed to shake sight back into my eyes and looked up toward the stairway. My left fingers twitched another healing spell into swirling motion.

I expected him to follow me over the side of the stairs, but the skeleton descended to the floor in the conventional manner. I picked up the dai-katana, which had landed nearby, and struggled to my knees before he was on me, the shield hanging in two pieces from his left arm. His katana rose in a silver blurred arc above me. Desperately I swung Casnar's weapon in a sidewise slash toward his knees, using the momentum of my strike to fling myself away from that descending blade.

The dai-katana shattered both legs at the knees as sparks flew from the weapon striking the ground next to my boot. I gained my feet as his bones fell to the floor, Casnar's blade moving of its own volition toward the exposed neck of my crippled opponent. The skull spun away and landed in the brazier, disappearing in that mystic flame as my left hip screamed in protest. Both of us collapsed at the same time, the bones losing the pink glow, and me my breath and magicka.

I struggled to my feet as the final phantom appeared. He rose to his full height and started past my left side. "Yield or pay the price! I must go to do my lord's last bidding." The Breton accent confirmed my suspicion that this was Alain. He stopped shoulder to shoulder with me, his gaze on the round shield still resting on my nearby pack. "Wait, that's the shield I gave Valdemar!" His gaze roamed over me, lingering on the Kvatch Wolf on my chest before fixing on the dai-katana in my right hand. "And that's Casnar's cleaver! I can feel Rielus's amulet on you as well. What did you do to them?"

"The same -" I managed to get the words out between gasps, "- thing I did - to you!"

Alain turned and glanced behind him, seeing his own bones for the first time. Ghostly brows rose beneath a transparent helm. "You - you freed me? Freed my brothers?"

"Yes, all three of them await you at the Shrine," I answered, my breaths slowing and deepening.

Alain's brows rose beneath the helm. "Valdemar too?"

"I promised him I would do my best to send him to Sovngarde," I answered. "Though how, I'm not certain. I'm just an old Redguard pilus who joined the Blades only recently."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Just because your mother was a Redguard does not mean you lack the magicka necessary for it." He pointed a ghostly finger at my left wrist, hidden behind Valdemar's shield. "I can sense a magical connection there, on your wrist."

"What?" I stared at him. "That is my mother's bracelet, but what the enchantment is, I don't know."

Alain regarded me a moment longer. "You will find out someday. I see pain and loss in your past, and in your future. But beyond that, joy and hope awaits. Get through the dark times ahead, and you will find light and freedom." Now he indicated the katana laying discarded among the bones. "Take my katana. I'd tell you to keep it, but you already have a pair of your own. If you like mine better, carry it in my stead. Otherwise hang it in the Hall of the Blades."

I picked up the weapon and bowed to him. "It will be done, sir." Involuntarily I held out my hand to stop his departure. "But how is it you know of me?"

Alain was silent, his gaze on the stone wall beyond us. "I was never much for magic," he remarked softly. "Though my father was a Witchman, the talent did not come down to me. But being undead lets me see both the mundane and the magical." His eyes moved to me. "And I see much that is magical about you." He shrugged. "I believe you will somehow keep your promise to Valdemar, and free him from that ancient curse. For that, I am -" he paused, then smiled slowly, "- forever indebted to you. Now I must go to join my brothers. We will wait for you there." He turned and walked away from me.

There is much that is magical about me? I stared after his departing shimmer. Of course, between Daedra Slayer, Valdemar's shield, Rielus's amulet, Matius's cuirass and Casnar's cleaver, I'm loaded down with magicka! Or did he mean more than enchanted gear? No, he can't have - I have little magicka of my own to speak of. I glanced around at the empty chamber, then followed the trailing afterimage of Alain's passing.

[Olen]

And so she frees the last blade, exciting stuff. I thought she had him when she took the slash on the stairs but you kept the adreniline going a bit longer. If those cryoburns hurt now she's in for a world of fun later...

The conversation after worked very well for me. His confusion made sense after 400 years being undead and his interaction with her was spot on. More prophesy too, and that mysterious bracelet, I'd forgotten about it. I wonder if her being reminded means something is immenent or if you're keeping that little mystery on the boil. Either way good stuff, it added to their interaction and to showing Alain's magical ability. In turn that was the perfect point to prophesise about Julian after the crisis.

I look orward to the shrine and her recovering the armour.

"Valdemar too?"

Indeed it appears this had been widely noticed. Nicely inkeeping whichever way Destri takes that.

[Grits]

The dai-katana shattered both legs at the knees as sparks flew from the weapon striking the ground next to my boot. I gained my feet as his bones fell to the floor, Casnar's blade moving of its own volition toward the exposed neck of my crippled opponent. The skull spun away and landed in the brazier, disappearing in that mystic flame as my left hip screamed in protest. Both of us collapsed at the same time, the bones losing the pink glow, and me my breath and magicka.

Whew! What a way to end the battle to free the four greatest Blades ever! Alain had a lot to say, all of it intriguing.

Alain's brows rose beneath the helm. "Valdemar too?"

I took this as a reference to the curse Valdemar received from the stranger in his village when he was a teenager. I’m looking forward to what comes next in Sancre Tor.

[SubRosa]

This time the blade sparked against his spine and ribs before his recovery knocked it away.
If only he were mortal! Julian would have won the fight there.

"Take a cut to break a bone." Once again Jelin's voice saved me. All right, Blademaster. You're right. Resist the urge to parry. Go for the greater strike.
As Captain Adama would say: "Sometimes you gotta roll the hard six."

Alain's brows rose beneath the helm. "Valdemar too?"
Yep, you certainly keep the ambiguity here, while at the same time maintaining the implications as well. If Destri never gets around to finishing Interregnum and letting us know which way they swing, someone is going to have to write a Valdemar/Alain slash...

Those last four fights were simply stunning. *Phew* I feel as if I have been through the ringer as much as Julian has. Thank goodness she has gotten past the Fab Four, umm Fantastic Four, I mean eX-Men. She had to be one Iron Woman to become their Avenger.

Hopefully things will slow down a bit now for Julian, and she can just go pick up the bloody tin suit and be done with this place. She has already moved Aetherius and Nirn as it is!

But, even her current mission aside, I noticed the pitter-patter of foreshadowing feet. Once again in the form of Julian's bracelet.

Or did he mean more than enchanted gear?
Methinks he did Julian... I so love to see her squirm like this. After such dazzling displays of heroism, it keeps so well grounded in her humanity.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Jul 19 2011, 12:48 AM

[Acadian]

'Now I brought my dominant side to bear as I snapped the dai-katana back toward him, my left arm pulling it in a vicious arc toward his head. His frosted katana struck my hip, but this time it was his turn to stagger as Casnar's weapon split his ancient helm from his skull in a shower of scarlet motes. I screamed at the frozen agony that surged through my hip, bringing back old memories of crippling pain.
Riveting passage, this!

Nice descriptions of magic and other things woven into the fight. Julian's assessment and description of her own near loss of consciousness was spot on.

This final fight did not disappoint. Even better however, was the conversation with Alain that followed. I'm quite intrigued by his foreshadowing type comments, particularly regarding that mysterious bracelet that came from Julian's mother.

All powerful stuff!

[haute ecole rider]

@Olen: Glad you liked the ending of the fight, even more glad you liked the conversation afterwards. Yes, I'm keeping that mystery on the boil. I never considered Alain much of a mage, but I figured being undead gave him a little bit of an edge.

@Grits: "Valdemar too?" actually has two purposes – it highlights the relationship between the two men – typical of the buddy system – but also (you're right) refers to Valdemar's curse. For those readers who are puzzled about curse that is unique to Valdemar, please read Interregnum. You won't regret it!


@SubRosa: "Take a cut to break a bone." That actually came from a K-drama I watched last summer. I loved the implications of it so much, and it totally fits in with Julian's character, I've been waiting a long time to use it! So it makes me happy that you called it out. If you feel exhausted after finishing that last post, then I've done my job. Yes, Julian will continue to protest that she has much in the way of magicka. But things get bigger better with use, and hers will too.

@Acadian: That confrontation was a pretty violent one in game, and Alain's bones was the only one to knock Julian out. So I'm glad that you felt the punishment Alain dealt out, and the ripostes Julian served up in return. Alain was the perfect vehicle to call further attention to Julian's mother's bracelet and remind us all of the mystery surrounding her family.

After fighting and freeing the four Greatest Blades ever, Julian finally reaches the goal of the whole adventure. This is also the last segment of Chapter 26. Many, many thanks to Destri for the inspiration of Interregnum and D.Foxy for sharing his combat expertise.

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Chapter 26.10: In the Tomb
After fighting my way out of the Catacombs and wading through ice-cold water to return to the mezzanine, I finally returned to the crypt where the Reman emperors rested in their final sleep. As Alain had promised, the four phantom Blades waited, on their right knees in the traditional Dragonguard homage, their right hands resting on the hilts of their drawn weapons propped before them. Ahead, the magical barrier that blocked further progress into the crypt shimmered, then began waxing and waning in brightness.

When it waxed brighter, the temperature in the chilly crypt dropped further, but when it waned dimmer, I could feel the hint of warmth that indicated I was still alive. The four Blades showed no sign of strain, but kept their heads bowed. I could feel power surging around the stone walls and swirling above the sarcophagi as the psychic tug-o-war continued.

With a silent clap more felt than heard, the mystical barrier winked out of existence, and for the first time the way to the far end of the crypt was clear. I could see a tall tunnel of rough-hewn rock between the smoother stones of the nearer crypt and the Shrine at the far end.

After a few moments more, Rielus rose first, sheathing his katana. He stepped past Valdemar on my right and stopped before me. His form shimmered, seeming more insubstantial than before.

"Julian of Anvil," his wispy voice somehow echoed around the chamber. "You have freed us from slavery. But you did not come here for us. No, you came on behalf of another, the last descendant of Tiber Septim. We who are sworn to the Dragonblood shall serve him beyond death."

"That is right," Casnar said from behind me, his spectral dai-katana at his back mirroring the real one I carried at mine. His voice sounded even more feathery. "We are now bound only by the Blades oath we swore. Why did you come here? What do you seek?"

I looked from phantasmal face to phantasmal face, meeting the ghostly gaze of each in turn. "I come for the Blood of Tiber Septim," I said finally. "The Dragonfires are dark, the Amulet of Kings is lost, and the blood of a Divine is needed to restore the balance of Nirn and reestablish the boundaries of Oblivion."

Alain's faint visage clouded. "It sounds grave. And you seek the Blood of Tiber Septim? He is one of the Gods now." His face shifted around the circle of Blades before returning to me. "You have wrought an end to the evil that has desecrated the Shrine of Tiber Septim. After - how long did you say? - after four hundred years, only the Divine Talos himself could have given you the strength and courage to brave the evils that have infested Sancre Tor for so long."

"I don't know for certain," I shook my head. "The keep had been sealed after you were lost, and the current Grandmaster gave me the only key -"

"But it still took much courage and willpower to confront the undead of this place, and to do what was necessary to free us," Valdemar's tone took on the thinness of the atmosphere in the High Jeralls. "Go, pay homage at the Shrine, and take the armor that holds the Blood you seek."

The circle of Blades separated into two pairs, Rielus and Casnar on my right, Alain and Valdemar on my left, leaving the way to the Shrine ahead clear. I hesitated doubtfully. "I don't want to do anything wrong here," my voice matched theirs in its wispiness. "Would taking the armor desecrate the Shrine once more?"

"If what you say is true," Rielus whispered. "These are desperate times. The Shrine of Tiber Septim becomes meaningless if Oblivion is not held back, if the Dragonfires are not lit, if the Amulet of Kings is not recovered. All of these things must be done, and none can be done without taking the armor." He jerked his head toward the far end of the crypt. "So go."

I walked slowly toward the rough-hewn tunnel. As my feet left the smooth stone floor, I hesitated and glanced back. The four spectral Blades remained near the entrance, their shimmering forms much harder to see than when they first appeared above their shattered bones. One of them, Casnar, gestured sharply for me to continue.

Feeling the fatigue and depleted magicka in my bones, and the weight of the Blades' gear I carried, I moved forward to the far end. The rock tunnel let me into a high-ceilinged chamber with carvings of skulls, bony hands and dragons on the walls. Before me stood a round altar on a raised dais, flanked by giant statues of cloaked and hooded battlemages holding immense stone swords before them. A sarcophagus with a stone plaque rested between the two guardians. Reman III. Something glimmered in the spectral light on top of the altar.

I walked up the steps and stopped before the structure. An ornate plated cuirass, enameled in blues, greens, and rich browns with gilded curlicues, rested on the golden marble surface. I could see dark brown stains splashed across its right side. I slid the Blades shield up onto my forearm. Careful to avoid the ancient blood, I reached hesitant hands out and picked the cuirass up by its shoulders. It was surprisingly light, but I knew it was strong for its weight.

Tiber Septim must have been as big as Captain Burd, at least! The plate cuirass was wider through the shoulders than I was. Before I turned away from the altar, something made me look up at the two stone battlemages. Thank you Talos, for seeing me this far. May you and Akatosh continue to give me the courage I need to finish this. May the both of you watch over Martin, and through him, all of us. Please help us recover the Amulet of Kings and close shut the jaws of Oblivion.

I didn't hear anything in response to my prayer, but somehow the moment felt right to carry the cuirass away from the altar. Slipping my right arm through the armholes, I made my way back to the antechamber of the crypt.

The spectral Blades were still waiting for me when I returned. I looked at each in turn. Then Rielus stepped forward. "Thank you for all you've done, hero," he said. "Our duty is complete, we have accomplished what we were sent to do. You hold the thing you seek. We go now to Aetherius." With a bow, his phantasmal form shivered into nothingness. Suddenly the space he had once occupied felt empty.

Tears stung the backs of my eyes at his disappearance. Before I could think of something to say, Casnar drew my attention to him with a Blades salute. "Farewell, Duneborn," he said to me. "Keep your hand steady and your blade true. You are truly our Blade sister." Then he too, shimmered away.

"It is getting harder and harder to remain on Mundus," Alain's fading voice matched his fading appearance. "But I am glad, for it means our long suffering is at an end. Blade sister, as long as you do not forget us, we shall never forsake you." He disappeared before the last of his voice echoed into the darkness.

Valdemar stood with his eyes lifted beyond the stone walls of the crypt. A smile bloomed across his insubstantial visage. "Ah, I see the halls of Sovngarde!" His voice was lighter than the lightest of snowflakes. "All the old heroes are waiting for me."

I finally found my voice. "Have a drink of that mead for me, Valdemar. And may all eternity be free of any curses on your soul."

Valdemar's only response was to meet my gaze with a grin before he dissolved into the dimness. I let the tears flow as I felt the emptiness of the crypt surround me in its cold embrace. Slowly I gave in to my fatigue and sat down on the stone steps.

The force of my feelings left me puzzled. Why do I feel so strongly for these four? Is it because they were cursed for so long, enslaved under an evil influence for over four hundred years? I looked down at the cuirass on my right arm. All that suffering, all that pain, for this? Certainly it's a beautiful piece of armor, but it's just armor. Why make a shrine out of it? Why risk eternal damnation for it?

Julian, you know the armor itself is worthless. But it's what it stands for that counts. This armor holds the blood of a Divine, and that is what you came here for. It's like what Rielus said, the shrine loses all meaning if Dagon succeeds in overcoming Tamriel. And that is something Talos Stormcrown the man would not have stood still for. He would have fought it with everything he had. In that sense, Martin is truly a Septim, he holds the indomitable spirit of General Talos.

Finally I made my way out of the fort, making time to collect the two ancient katanas left by Valdemar and Rielus's undead bones. As I stepped through the door into the courtyard, I blinked at the bright sunlight. Snow had stopped falling, and the shadows told me it was mid-morning. I've been in there a whole day, and I feel like it, too! I stumbled across the keep to the campsite tucked beneath the stairs. Blanco was nowhere to be seen. Is he out grazing? Did he tangle with a bear by himself? Or did he give up waiting and start heading back to civilization?

After I unloaded all the gear next to the saddlebags, being especially careful with Talos's armor, I moved to the entrance and looked out over the ruins. The central keep stood on a slight rise in the middle of the destroyed town, and the half-defined street ran down the slight slope away from the sun. I saw no sign of either a white horse, or the dark brown blanket I had left on him.

I breathed on my numb fingers to warm them, then blew a sharp blast through them. I listened to the silent morning, then exhaled slowly when I heard hoof beats in the distance. At the end of the ruined avenue, a brown-blanketed white form appeared, powdery snow flying around galloping hooves. Blanco cantered up the broad path, his ears pricked forward and his eyes bright. Bits of yellow dried grass bristled out of each side of his mouth. I stepped back into the keep as he slithered to a trot, then a walk by the time he passed through the arch. He stopped beside me, snorting and blowing and examining me all over with his nose. He paused with his breath at the base of my neck, where Rielus's amulet rested against my bare skin beneath my tunic.

Can he detect magic? I wondered. I recalled how he had identified my mother's bracelet back in Anvil. Maybe there is something about those Witchmen stories. Still I was glad to see him, and his obvious joy and relief at seeing me again brought a smile to my weary face. He began chewing again, gathering in the last of the grass with his lips and tongue as I checked beneath the blanket to make certain he hadn't become chilled. Instead, the underside of the heavy wool was so toasty that I stood there for a few moments, reveling in finally feeling my fingertips.

I moved back to the campsite, Blanco following me closely. As I brought the fire back to life, he nosed among the gear I had brought out. I moved to chase him away, but noticed how careful he was not to touch any of them, especially Tiber Septim's elaborate cuirass. Then he turned toward me and sighed deeply. I laughed, my voice weak and dry.

"I'm going to eat, drink, and sleep. Tomorrow's soon enough to get back on the road, friend," I murmured to him. Blanco tossed his head as if agreeing. I must look terrible to him. That's why he isn't pawing to go.

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: Aug 4 2011, 10:57 PM

[Olen]

Good part (as ever), the end of the four worked well for me, not overstated but effective. Their relief at ending was also a good touch.

I also like the power you've given the armour, makes sense that such an artifact wouldn't just be an old bit of metal. Her malease at taking it until she had taken a mental step back and realised why she had to added a lot to the sense of its power. As did Blanco not touching it.

Now some well deserved rest and back to civilisation. I'm looking forward to Cloud Ruler, the only thing this section missed was dialogue. Julian will be needing some company.

[SubRosa]

It sounds grave
Am I the only one to see the irony of Alain's choice of words, considering that they are in a tomb?

So the curse has indeed been broken, and Julian's own trials (for now) finally with it. *Phew*! Like I said before, that was quite an ordeal! Finally we are back out in the light of day, with a well-fed horse for company.

I loved Blanco's sniffing of Julian's neck, and her wondering about his ability to sense magic. A Witchhorse! It is a lovely idea. I suspect we might see more of that after Julian's current tale has ended, and the sequel begins.



nits:
I could feel power surging around the stone walls and swirling above the sarcophagi as the psychic tug-o-war continued.
This is purely a flavor-based comment, so feel free to ignore it. You might consider going with a term like magical, or mystical, as psychic is word usually associated with science fiction rather than fantasy.

[Acadian]

This was well done throughout, but the quote below is surely some of the best and most powerful writing you have done. As fine as the episode was, nothing can stand against this magnificent passage:

'The spectral Blades were still waiting for me when I returned. I looked at each in turn. Then Rielus stepped forward. "Thank you for all you've done, hero," he said. "Our duty is complete, we have accomplished what we were sent to do. You hold the thing you seek. We go now to Aetherius." With a bow, his phantasmal form shivered into nothingness. Suddenly the space he had once occupied felt empty.

Tears stung the backs of my eyes at his disappearance. Before I could think of something to say, Casnar drew my attention to him with a Blades salute. "Farewell, Duneborn," he said to me. "Keep your hand steady and your blade true. You are truly our Blade sister." Then he too, shimmered away.

"It is getting harder and harder to remain on Mundus," Alain's fading voice matched his fading appearance. "But I am glad, for it means our long suffering is at an end. Blade sister, as long as you do not forget us, we shall never forsake you." He disappeared before the last of his voice echoed into the darkness.

Valdemar stood with his eyes lifted beyond the stone walls of the crypt. A smile bloomed across his insubstantial visage. "Ah, I see the halls of Sovngarde!" His voice was lighter than the lightest of snowflakes. "All the old heroes are waiting for me."

Bravo, Rider!

[Thomas Kaira]

A most wonderful ending to a most wonderful quest.

I fear my own quest in my own game shall soon come to an end, but where one man's story ends, another begins. I wish Julian luck with her next endeavour... the ancient magicks of the Ayleids are matched only by their indomitable will drive for power. And Julian will have to witness firsthand what happens to any who try to remove that power from their grasp.

But that's in due time, I'm sure Martin still needs to work out exactly what needs to be done next. Until then, I wish Julian a relaxing time off!

[mALX]

GAAAAAH !!! I'm dying to know about the bracelet from her mother !!!! ARGH !!! Great Write !!!

[Grits]

The interactions between the five Blades made a moving end to this quest. I have been enthralled throughout. Now we have Cloud Ruler Temple to anticipate, where the company is as warm as that big fire. Hopefully Julian will make the journey under an azure sky.

[D.Foxy]

With a deep sense of satisfaction do I read the end of the quest, and the masterly exposition of Julian's sword skills which it has been my humble privilige to have contributed slightly to...

Julian has grown much in these last ten chapters. Make her character deeper, hautee, and your writing skills will show a commensurate increase!!!

Two thumbs up for you my girl!!!

[haute ecole rider]

@Olen: I remember how powerfully this quest affected me when I first played it. Seeing those four spirits depart for Aetherius was bittersweet and nearly made me cry (and I usually don't cry at games). I wanted to convey the emotional impact without being too sappy. And yes, I can only write so much dialogue when it's just Julian and Blanco!

@SubRosa: I'm glad you felt the exhaustion along with Julian by the time she lugged all that gear out of the ruin. And your suspicion that Blanco will be part of a sequel is pretty spot on. That's about all I will say.

@Acadian: I have to admit that I got very teary-eyed writing that passage you quoted. I'm glad you were affected by it too.

@TK: I'm not sure just how much time off or how relaxing it will be for Julian before Martin sends her off again. We'll have to see . . .

@mALX: We won't find out about the bracelet before the end of the Main Quest, and as this story ends with the Main Quest, well –

@Grits: Yes, Julian is really looking forward to being back at Cloud Ruler Temple, where the company is indeed as warm as that big fire. And I think you will soon see that the sky is azure indeed.

@Foxee: Slightly contributed to? Slightly?? Surely thou jest, our vulpine friend! And yes, Julian will continue to grow, now that her physical condition is back to what it once was (as fit as she was in treydoggie's story).

The story so far: Julian has recovered the Armor of Tiber Septim from Sancre Tor, as well as solving the mystery of the four Greatest Blades. Now she returns at the end of her Grand Circuit of Cyrodiil to report to Emperor Martin and Grandmaster Jauffre. And we get to see a little more mystery that is the white stallion named Blanco.

*********************
Chapter 27.1: The End of the Grand Circuit
After resting and repairing armor for much of the day and sleeping through the night, Blanco and I made an early start the next morning. The sun glowed between the grey clouds ahead of us as we walked through another snowfall. This time, the wind blew from the mountain peaks to the north of us, sending cold fingers down my neck. It's colder than it was at Cloud Ruler two months ago. I'm not looking forward to finding out just how cold it is now! I had left the horse-blanket on over the saddle to keep Blanco's haunches warm against the wind, and I had one of my own blankets wrapped around my shoulders and covering my bare hands. It was arranged in such a way that I could shrug it off and draw my katana in a hurry if needed.

Sunrise on the Golden Hill

Valdemar's shield, the four weapons of the Blades, and Tiber Septim's armor were wrapped in the other blanket and arranged over the saddlebags behind me. I had apologized to Blanco for making him into a pack horse, but he had only shaken his head as if to shrug it off. I recalled his interest last night in the gear. He had seemed very interested in the enchanted items, but had lingered the longest over the elaborate cuirass with the blood on it. As far as I could tell, it held no enchantment.

The rest of the High Road was mostly uneventful. We encountered a few wolves, all of whom faded away into the wilderness when Blanco challenged them. We found Applewatch without much trouble, and soon entered the maze of trails northwest of the Bruma walls. A Legion forester watched us from his vantage point on a rock-strewn hillock, but did not approach us, though he waved briefly in greeting.

Suddenly I couldn't take the slow pace anymore. I clucked at Blanco, who leaped gleefully into a canter. We wove our way through the web of faint paths, always working eastward, until Blanco's feet found the clearer road running up to Cloud Ruler Temple. He kept up the pace until we reached the base of the mountain. I slowed him to a walk, and he bounced a couple of times as if protesting the enforced slow gait.

"We always walk the first mile out, and the last mile back," I chided him softly, struggling to keep the laughter out of my voice. I couldn't believe how much I was looking forward to seeing my Blade comrades again. And I couldn't wait to see the look on Martin's face when I unwrapped the cuirass of his legendary ancestor. Briefly I wondered how that plate armor would look on him, then reminded myself he didn't want it to wear, he wanted it for Talos's blood.

Blanco marched determinedly up the steep road. By now the sun was well past its zenith, and the blue sky shone brightly above. White diamonds sparkled everywhere I looked, and no breeze disturbed the snow on the pine boughs.

The Last Long Walk

When we reached the last bend in the road before Cloud Ruler Temple, I craned up at the watchtowers. A silhouetted Blade waved at me from the eastern tower, just as the huge gates began to creak open. Blanco snorted and swiveled his ears as the two Blades turned from the panels to salute me with fists to chests.

"Welcome home, Julian!" Caroline greeted me. "I see you have a fine new horse!"

"We heard what happened to Paint," Roliand spoke from the left as I dismounted. "I hope he recovers."

"He's home at Weynon Priory," I answered. "And in much better shape than he was. Still not back to his old form, but I think he's content and comfortable now."

"And do you return to report success to our Emperor?" Caroline asked as I motioned for Blanco to follow me through the open gateway.

"Yes, I have success to report," I smiled in relief. I waited as they closed the gates behind us, then started up the steps. Blanco followed behind me without hesitation. Roliand eyed the stallion as he fell in at my left shoulder.

"Quite the horse," he remarked. "We had also heard about him, so I've got a stall prepared for him."

I faltered at the thought of Red and Jasmine. "Will Red give us a hard time about Blanco?"

"Jasmine's out of heat for the winter," Roliand shrugged. "And she has a mind of her own. I doubt she'll let the boys quarrel over her."

"If there's a problem, we have an alternative stable ready," Caroline volunteered. "So it shouldn't be difficult to keep them separated if we must."

"Blanco got along fine with Paint," I glanced at her. "But Paint's gelded, and Red isn't. And Blanco has flirted with every single Black Courier mare we've met on the road."

"Of course he did!" Roliand exclaimed. "He wouldn't be worth his balls if he didn't!"

"Typical male," Caroline muttered under her breath. I wasn't certain if she meant Blanco or Roliand, and smiled at the quandary.

We reached the plaza and I looked ahead to see Captain Steffan, Grandmaster Jauffre, and Martin Septim gathered near the top of the stairs. Evidently they had left the warmth of the Hall at the news of our arrival. Blanco and I walked to them.

"Sire," I greeted Martin with my fist at my chest. "I come in success." I faced Jauffre's twinkling gaze. "And to report success to you as well, sir." I turned to Blanco and moved to take the wrapped bundle off the saddlebags. As I stepped back with the gear in my arms, Blanco stretched his neck out toward Martin. He blew vigorously as the Septim uncertainly held his hands out. We all stared in shock as Blanco tossed his head, then dropped to his right knee with arched neck and bowed head in an equine version of the Blades homage before a speechless Martin.

Jauffre tore his gaze from the white stallion and glared at me. "What in Oblivion is this?"

"I - I don't really know," I stammered. "But he was very interested in Tiber Septim's cuirass last night. I wonder if he can detect traces of Talos Stormcrown in Martin."

Martin's hazel eyes moved from Blanco to me in amazement. "Really? Where is he from?"

"High Rock," I answered as Blanco rose from his bow. The stallion stood quietly as Martin walked around him. He barely flinched when the Septim brushed his mane away from his left shoulder to reveal the elaborate symbol branded just in front of his withers.

"This is the symbol of the Reachmen," Martin murmured wonderingly. "Hmm, this raises many questions." Then he shook himself and turned back to me. "But you've been gone a long time, and look at me, keeping you standing out here in the cold!"

"And it certainly is colder than when I left, Sire!" I complained softly. Martin laughed and stepped toward the Hall.

"Then see to your horse, and join us in the Hall when you're finished!"

Captain Steffan took the heavy bundle from my arms. "I'll take these inside for you. Go." He turned and strode away before I could respond.

I obeyed the tacit command and led Blanco to the stable. As Roliand had said, a stall was prepared in the corner nearest the door. Red pealed a challenge as Blanco entered his stall, but the white ignored the chestnut, his eyes instead on lovely Jasmine. The bay exchanged breaths with him, then shook her head and pinned her ears at his throaty whickers. Blanco accepted the clear rejection with good grace and turned instead to the manger, heaped high with fragrant hay. He began working on the green stems as I stripped the saddle and bridle from him. Quickly I brushed him down, then set the tack on the nearby rack.

"I'll clean the tack, Julian," Roliand said from the doorway. "Best not to keep the Emperor waiting too long."

I picked up the saddlebags and my pack. "Thanks a lot, Roliand. I'll see you later."

Belisarius met me just inside the entrance to the Hall. "They're waiting for you by the fire," he took my personal gear. "I'll just stow these in the barracks for now. There's hot klah waiting."

I looked ahead to the wide hearth. Past Martin's study table, the floor immediately in front of the fire had been cleared, and red marks had been painted on the stones. A shiver passed through me as I recognized some of the more familiar arcane symbols. A magic circle. Martin's making progress. The wrapped gear from Sancre Tor lay on one end of the table nearest the hearth, with Martin, Jauffre and Steffan gathered near it. Baurus stood a few steps behind Martin. The captain poured klah into their cups. As I approached, he filled a fourth mug for me.

"We waited for you," Martin greeted me. I noticed that his demeanor was less that of a humble priest and more of an emperor. "You've been gone a long time, and we've been anticipating your return with -" his gaze drifted around the others with a hazel twinkle, "- no small anxiety."

I hesitated, then moved to the table. The others followed me, Martin and Jauffre standing across from me, and Steffan at my right side. I cupped my hands around the mug the captain handed me and inhaled the aromatic steam appreciatively. "It's been a long time, Sire," I replied. "And there is much to tell. But first," I put my cup down, reached for the bundle before me and flung the blanket back.

Both Jauffre and Steffan inhaled sharply as the brilliant blue and gold enamel of the Blades gear glimmered in the daylight from the clerestory windows above. "This is Valdemar's shield," I touched the deep blue, before I lifted it and handed it to Steffan. The look on his face was full of awe as he examined it closely. "The four Blades that never returned had been cursed to spend eternity as undead bones," I continued. "I had to fight each one of the skeletons before I could complete my task in Sancre Tor. When I shattered their bones, their souls were freed." I stopped, feeling the tears rise up again in my throat.

In an attempt to retain control, I turned my face away from the others and searched in the bundle. Rielus's amulet gleamed a deep, warm gold in my palm and gave me a little bit of comfort. I handed it across the table to Jauffre. "This was Rielus's amulet. He was the first one I met." I told Jauffre what Rielus had told me about the Underking. Jauffre listened in silence, his eyes on the amulet in his hands. "I had to tell him that his Emperor had been dead for nearly four hundred years. He said that did not absolve him of his duty. He made me take this, asked me to either wear it or return it to Cloud Ruler." I touched the round shield, still in Steffan's hands. "Valdemar was next. He was deep in the prison quarter. He told me to take the shield."

I turned back to the bundle and located the ancient katana, recognizable as his by the pattern of wear on the grip. "This is his katana. I promised him it will hang in the Hall of the Blades." I handed it hilt first to Steffan. "And I took Rielus's sword too, for the same reason," I handed the other to Jauffre.

I looked up to see several of the other Blades surrounding us. "Fortis," I reached back into the bundle. "This is Casnar's weapon, Mishaxhi's Cleaver." He paled at my words, but his hands cradled the dai-katana reverentially. "Please see that it takes its place among the other blades," I tilted my head toward the katanas suspended from the rafters. I made certain his partner Pelagius received Alain's Northwind. "They deserve to be remembered alongside their brethren," I turned my gaze back to Martin. "If not for them, I could not have progressed past the barriers left by the Underking. I would not have been able to retrieve this." I placed the armor of Tiber Septim, still wrapped in the waterproof groundsheet, before Martin.

A hushed silence fell over the Hall, broken only by the crackling of the fire in the hearth, when Martin reached for the edges of the canvas. Slowly he unwrapped it. A collective sigh swept around the Hall as the brilliant colors of Tiber Septim's cuirass appeared, sparkling like jewels on the table. Martin stared at it for long moments, then his hazel eyes met mine.

"The blood of the Septims may flow in my veins," he spoke in a hushed tone, "but you have the soul of a hero." His gaze encompassed the Blades gear I had brought back to Cloud Ruler. "While I am not a Blade, I truly appreciate what you have done for Tiber's own Blades."

"We may have been separated by four hundred years," I whispered, feeling the tears surge again behind my eyes. "But they were still my brothers. They have made me proud to be counted as a Blade."

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: Jul 26 2011, 10:48 PM

[Acadian]

"We always walk the first mile out, and the last mile back," I chided him softly,'
I like Julian's wise warm up/cool down policy. I'm also pleased to see using miles as your unit of measure here.

Fabulous screenshots!

'When I shattered their bones, their souls were freed." I stopped, feeling the tears rise up again in my throat.'
Gosh, I felt that too. I know that was hard on Julian.

A wonderfully fitting 'unveiling' of the Blades' equipment and finally the armor of Tiber Septim. And a very powerful ending. Julian has indeed found a place and group of comrades where she truly belongs.

Nits: Paragraph spacing. The first few paragraphs are normal with a space between each. Then the bulk of the story has two spaces between paragraphs. Interspersed however, are a couple of cases where two paragraphs have no spacing at all between them.

"We waited for you," Martin greeted me. I noticed that his demeanor was less that of a humble priest and more of an emperor. i. "You've been gone a long time, and we've been anticipating your return with -"
It looks like the 'i' is left over from a previous edit?