Our arrival in New Sheoth wasn't unnoticed by the populace. Warm greetings were given from the majority of the residents, or whatever the equivalent was in the case of some of the insane.
Nonetheless we moved on. The Mad God was still sitting upon his chair. His mood was jolly in the completion of the task. With a new Gatekeeper and the Xedillian up and running he was overjoyed.
He spoke to Throgor of what the Graymarch really was. How Jyggalag was him, or at least a split personality of him. He still kept his tone light hearted as he believed in Throgor.
Only the mood couldn't last that long as a Dark Seducer burst into the Throne room.
"Do you mind! I was having a moment here!" Sheogorath's voice echoed in the throne room. The dark seducer only just arrived at his feet and quickly went to one knee.
Interestingly enough it was a rare male seducer. The gravely voice sounded like a chain smoker.
"My lord, I come bearing news from Pinnacle Rock! We have been over run!"
That made Sheogorath pause his about to be punishment to the Dedra. The seriousness in his voice as he spoke his next word, "Speak"
The Seducer kept his head down and spoke. We were regulated to the sidelines for a moment.
"There has been a breach at Pinnacle Rock by the forces of Order. They are overwhelming the defenses as we speak. I can't say how long they will last."
The Mad God's mood worsened by the second, as noticeable by the ever-growing scowl on his face. With a sigh of frustration he spoke. "My Champion, It seems my subordinates need assistance. Gather the necessary information you need from this messenger and go... Hmph, stupid Jyggalag and his stupid knights."
The final part was whispered under his breath. One thing to remember is Jyggalag was able to see everything Sheogorath was doing, soooo he just told off his other self. Fun.
Throgor immediately went to work asking the messenger all he needed to know to get moving. I simply went to Haskell at Sheogorath's side to have him point out on the map where the stronghold was. Got to overhear one important detail I forgot about this part of the questline.
"The Fortress houses the wellspring where my people are reborn. The Forces of Order wish to stop up the wellspring, your Grace. If they succeed, all of the Dark Seducers will no longer be able to fight. You must hurry."
With a nod to Sheogorath and company we left once more. This time it was only myself and Throgor. Shirou was asked to get back to attacking the Obelisks everywhere once more.
Nonetheless that was enough. Moving once more without really a break.
Pinnacle Rock itself was almost a half a day away. Our Journey into Dementia wasn't all that hindered. The only snag was a nest of Gummites. Little goblin like things didn't stand much of a chance but they were numerous.
A snippet of surprise was felt when I was watching Throgor. He really had grown since we first met. He was strong no doubt, But now that he was truly mixing his magics with his swordplay, he was even deadlier.
A rouge like harasser at first when we met, now he showed his potential as a battlemage. Novice and adept spells left his hand as he moved through the enemies. His once leather armors built for stealth now featured some pockets of heavy plates in the mix. His arms and legs being the protected areas.
For myself with the Shroud, I had styled it like a windbreaker when it had accumulated enough shadows. Underneath I followed a similar style of Shirou's chest armor. The fitted chest piece was molded to the smaller body of mine. Like Throgor I wore a heavier gauntlet for my left hand. I kept light armor for my feet. My shroud was enough for my right.
The warmup of Gummites before we arrived at the fortress was tiring but nice.
As we arrived we were met with a contingent of Seducers stationed outside. The Dedra quickly noticed our approach and two stepped out to meet us.
The Captain among the two quickly bowed and introduced herself. "Your Grace, my name is Captain Adeo. Please come with me quickly. Commander Dylora is expecting you."
Throgor limited himself to nod and we jogged among the small army of Dedra. Reaching the front lines allowed us to see and feel the presence of the commander. Typical Dedra didn't hold up much to us overall. This woman was different.
The presence she gave off was one of a battlefield of corpses. The bloodlust and anger were coming off of her in waves as she stared forward at the front of the formation.
The signature black armor of the Seducers was accompanied by a half mantle that draped off of her shoulder. Commander Dylora was aching to charge ahead and with our arrival that presence skyrocketed.
"Your Grace! We are ready and waiting your orders to charge the battlefield!" A crisp chest salute was given as she spoke.
Looking the Dedric commander in the eyes he asked, "And how did they get in the fortress in the first place, commander."
Anger appeared even fiercer on her face as she scowled and said, "The traitorous Duchess is responsible, Your grace. She led the forces of order into the fortress under guise. We were unprepared for the subterfuge."
She clenched her fist and looked down as she finished. Ashamed to even look at the current Duke as she said that.
Throgor was right there to pick up that spirit though. With his own fierce look he turned to the Fortress and said in a booming voice. "If that's the case... TO BATTLE!" Raising his sword and pointing towards the entrance. The commander's own spirit returned in a heartbeat and with a warcry she led the charge. Throgor following right behind.
I myself decided to take the more stealthy approach. Once everyone entered the tunnel I followed after. Only I stuck to the shadows, blending with them as we moved along the way through the underground.
Occasionally I would take out a lonely knight or Priest. Thinning the herd as the contingent moved through the fortress. There was no mercy for the fools as the Dedra and Throgor took to the vanguard. They could not do a thing when our forces arrived.
Reaching a larger room showed just how prepared the Forces of Order were. With around 40 knights and 5 priests spread about the cavities in the fortress our contingent met heavy resistance.
While the large scale battle commenced I took to the archways scattered about above the armies. Azazel joined me on my shoulder as I moved in the shadows. Using shadow manipulations we caused "Accidents" among the enemy forces. One trips here, a lucky block there, And a hanging from the celling in one case for Azazel.
The small feelings of sadistic pleasure coming from him was slightly worrying. Chalking it up to him hanging out and teasing Sheogorath too much I resolved myself to having a small talk with him. Though he was having fun... Meh he's a cat.
With our little interventions from the shadows we were winning the melee. Though our actions were ultimately discovered by a lucky priest as he looked up. Unlike gamers I suppose, they had situational awareness.
As such we now had to dodge spells casted by them as they sat in the rear of the room. But as the numbers were thinning it appears that reinforcements had arrived. A small contingent of knights, around 10, joined the battle immediately.
After a little flare of fire was ducked by me, I had enough of the little mages hiding in the back. With a look at Throgor cutting down the knights in his reach leading the charge into the deeper parts of the room, I knew it was only a matter of time before they would reach me. So I leapt forward, my little kitten by my head, right into their backline.
With my right hand I drew Amentia. My left reaching the small of my back to draw Fukanzen. As a knight gave a long swinging charge at me I pointed Amentia his way and fired. A Spark bullet discharged right into his face as the lightning chained to another at his side.
Fukanzen held in a reverse grip parried a chop from my left as I slid down the blade's length. My blade flicked into his waist as I moved forwards in that direction. Past the knight I moved my aim of Amentia to one of the priests. When it fired I was greeted by an illusion spell by the feel of it. The red bullet struck true.
The priest went berserk and started to fling his spells at anyone around him. Which just happened to be his fellow priests.
My intuition warned be of a strike from behind but the kitten on my shoulder was not for show as he felt the threat too. Shadows rose from the knight behind me and gripped the neck of the crystalline knight. A violent twist made the knight drop his sword as he fell.
With the backline in chaos our vanguard was upon my position in no time. The small corners of the sectioned room did favors for our invading forces. Our smaller numbers did well due to only a few people could fight at a time, even spread out.
I directed my focus on the remaining mages to quickly clean them up. Or at least I would have if a meteor of a man didn't barrel past me like a whirlwind and clean them up first.
The bloody mess of a man Throgor was revealed in the end quickly gave orders, "Continue forward, we have no time to lose!"
A resounding cheer from the Seducers as they regrouped and we continued forward.
Pockets of knights were what greeted us as we moved forward. They were no match for us in the end.
Reaching the final room we quickly dispatched a few more priests and knights but noticed a chamber of Order crystals surrounding a closed off section. Throgor immediately slammed a Magicka enforced fist into a nearby chime that tore into the crystal.
It revealed a Dark Seducer who wore robes instead of armor. The feeling she gave was stronger than the commander. With a commanding voice she spoke to Throgor as he approached.
"Speak mortal, Who are you!" her defensive stance told us she was a mage, ready to call her spells.
"I am the Duke of Mania, And I DO NOT have time for games." Walking past the stunned Dedra. My boy just cast, BEGONE THOT!
And by the look on her face that said oh shit, she just realized who she insulted. Her commander quickly went up to her though and said, "Matriarch Maranza, I am glad to see you safe."
My eyebrow raised just a bit as I just realized this was the one in control of the entire species of Dark Seducers.
She took a deep breath and spoke to the commander, "Thank you Dylora. We must hurry though. Syl has betrayed us and soon her forces will stop up the wellspring!"
Bypassing the panicky matriarch I moved to the door at the top of the stairs where Throgor stood by the door. With a nod we opened the door and moved forward. The Dedra quickly followed behind.
When we burst through the door we were greeted to the sight of Order crystals blocking the way, but a damaged chime was next to it. Just as he was about to ring the chime a distraught voice echoed behind us.
"NOOOO, no no no, This can't be!" The matriarch was freaking out, but she wasn't the only one. All of the Dedra were stressing out. The commander quickly looked to us and said, "They've stopped it, They have stopped the wellspring! You must make the waters flow once more!" She spoke as golden stone crawled up her and her kind that surrounded her.
When she finished speaking they were all turned to stone. Throgor clenched his fist hard, his gauntlets grinding in the grip. With a swift back hand he struck the chime. The tone echoed in the small room as the crystal shattered. "Lets go."
His words brokered no disagreement from me. We were on the move immediately. Rushing about the tunnels we moved across the bridges and pathways that were above a large room. The green fires allowed the shadows a lot of freedom here.
Abusing this, myself and Azazel traversed the place in our own way. We opened the gates baring Throgor on his war path. Like the Nord he was he tore into the knights that were left in my wake. My targets were the priests.
Small tricks of shadow magics allowed us to bypass the doors by triggering their mechanisms. Soon enough we went through the final door. The sight that greeted us as we burst through the door was a pyramid like crystal that covered the center of the room. Also a lot of eyes turned our way. Or at least the crystal head equivalent of them.
"Ill take the right?" I questioned my soon to be berserk Nord friend. A grunt and a warcry followed to show his thoughts on the matter.
Quickly getting to work I drew my own weapons. Firing shots into the crowded right side with Amentia. The myriad of spells was a fun lightshow to be had. The chaos the weapon brought was all the more fun. At one point I got the intuition about my lovely weapon and quickly turned the barrel to Throgor.
Pulling the trigger a burst of alteration magic flew through the air towards him. When it landed a black substance covered his skin. The next knight to be hit guarded a blow from his sword only to be thrown back by the force. The ebonflesh spell worked wonders for the man.
In my delay to help my stoic ally a few knights came upon my little place on the stairs. Only they did not expect my dangerous little kitten to go eldritch shadow god on them. Skewering them with shadow spikes. The little kitten was happy playing defense for me while I dealt with the long range.
Deciding to have a bit more fun, I holstered Amentia and grabbed the wrapped cloth of my right arm. Channeling Magicka into the Shroud gave me a view into the shadows of all of the knights around for a single moment. Selecting the few left on my side of the room I released my left arm and channeled a new spell.
A little project after my stint with my shadow. The spell was closer to mysticism in its workings. Using the shadows as a base connection I linked the 5 unlucky victims of the spell. This link was then exploited by a well timed "grip" into their very beings. I then "Stole" a part of their shadows with shadow magic to fuel the spell.
As the spell formed in my left hand a sudden feeling of dread fell upon the priest target. He was the only one who could "feel" after all. When the spell launched forwards the greenish hue illuminated along it's path. Arriving next to them it landed and changed form from a small green ball into my very own crystal knight of order. Only he was green in color.
This was my idea. By following my mother's idea of stealing a piece of shadow I could create a new construct. Alteration and illusion to fill in the gaps provided a limited time "summon" of whatever I was facing. While also debuffing the enemy by stealing a portion of their shadow.
My Knight instantly got to work and in no time all of the enemies were taken care of.
Once Throgor got his breathing under control we looked around and noticed the chimes in the corners of the room. I sent the Knight to one corner and Azazel to another. Myself and Throgor took the last two. Ringing the chimes at the same time the center crystal shattered, leaving a spring of twisted roots.
We regrouped together as my green knight was fading. Azazel took that as a open buffet and decided to chow down on the disintegrating shadow construct. Will admit to the small kitten pouncing and tearing apart the shadow was mildly traumatizing. Or it would be if i didn't know Sheogorath.
The Dark Seducers moved into the chamber after awhile. The commander Dylora spoke to Throgor and myself after her arrival. "Thank you, your grace. You have done us a great service and we thank you both from the bottom of our hearts."
She bowed her head to us as the others saluted around us. Raising her head she continued to speak. "This is the spell to summon one of our kind. This is the least i can do, your grace. For you Lord Mysteries, I have been informed of your kinship with one of our kind, Naze. I have tailored the spell in your case to her, should you have need of her assistance."
I felt the realm granting us the spells. Feeling the Conjuration spell implanted into my magic circuits was always an interesting feeling.
The Matriarch came forward and apologized to Sheogorath's Chosen after the commander was done. Her political BS-ing aside, I chose to look into the Wellspring. A little Structural Analysis and Arrodes probing before we left. No telling if it would be useful after all.
We were walked out by a few of the Dedra. They flaunted themselves to Throgor a little bit as we walked. He seemed in a better mood as we neared the entrance. With all the steam he let off I was sure of it.
The way back we ended up making camp in the wilds. The campfire talk was interesting as we spoke about some of his deeds back in Cyrodil. I decided to tell him about Earth a little more. Some of the history of wars and such of the medieval period. He especially liked the stories of the Vikings and the Norse.
The morning came and soon we were back to New Sheoth once again. The streets of Crucible as dreary as ever. It had it's own charm though.
But not much can ever prepare for what we saw when we entered the throne room. Sheogorath was standing off to the side of his throne. Looking into the celling. Briefly when he saw us a twitch of a smile showed, only to go away immediately.
Haskell was in the center of the throne room near Sheogorath. His stern face was changed out for a grave one now.
Throgor and I walked up at that moment and the Mad God spoke.
"Time, Time is an artificial construct. An arbitrary system based on the idea that... events occur in a linear direction at all times." The thousand yard stare accompanied his words as he continued to speak.
"Always forward. Never back. Is the concept of time correct? Is time Relevant? It matters not. One way or another... I fear that our time... has run out... As I feared it would. My plan has failed. The Graymarch is upon us, and I, must go."
Some semblance of emotion came back to him. While his face stayed the same his voice showed his feeling of depression.
"I thought we would have more time. I thought we had a chance. My plan has failed. And we were so close..."
Throgor hearing the distraught tone asked while clenching his fist, "What happens now?"
Sheogorath with sadness said, "What happens is what always happened... What always will happen. I crumble. I fade. The realm dies... And you with it... Flee while you can mortal. When we next meet, I will not know you, and I will slay you like the others.
With gritted teeth Throgor looked into the Mad God's eyes and said, "But we haven't Failed!"
"Ha Optimism! How adorable! I love it! Even at the end. you make me laugh. Hahaha... I'm Lying. That wasn't funny at all." Was his retort.
waving a hand he continued, "No matter. Soon you and everyone else will be dead. And I will be left a mad god. Ruler of a dead realm... again."
I chose to speak up for Throgor who was still reeling. "What do we need to do?"
Sheogorath looked to my eyes when I spoke. He saw clarity and purpose with my words. Cracking a half sad smile he said, "I intended to give him my staff. The symbol of my office. But life has gone from it, as it goes from me. It is now dead wood. A useless twig."
He looked to the celling as he spoke with a twinkle in his eyes. "With the staff there was hope."
Only for the twinkle to dim as he finished, "But now. Hope is dead. I am Dead. The realm..."
He looked at me one last time before it happened. I could feel him slipping as he spoke.
"Thank you for your time, Mysteries. Ughh, The realm is dead! Sheogorath is dead! All Shall crumble before, Jyggalag!"
As he spoke he grew in size writhing in pain, shifting, glowing. When he finished his statement a flash of blue light radiated from him and with a snapping sound that echoed across the realm he disappeared.
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We back in action!
Tornados couldn't keep me down!
AN: was dealing with computer issues the past few days and tornados as well decided to ruin the fun as well. Nevertheless we have our next chapter!
I wanted to show the difference in how Throgor has been changing with this chapter. In the past he was a thief. Even when he was helping Martin Septim. Thus with the influence of Shirou and Azarius, he changed. Can't forget the crazy grandma either. Thus a spell blade or battlemage style of combat.
For our MC we got to see a little more of Azazel's ability to use shadows as well as Azarius's own combat style. Unlike the normal squishy beyonders of LOM we have a beginner magus. Thus the combat is more magic based with acrobatics. Then there's his new spell. Hope you liked it.
Stay safe out there!