Chapter 38: Sovngarde
Lucius and Ciri covered their sensitives eyes as the sunken moon's reflected rays attacked their vision. It wasn't until nights thick cloak strung itself over the mountain did the pair realise that two dragons had been watching them all along. White and gold beasts watched them slay their way into the temple from above, in their nestled posts atop the twin mountain peak that imposed their great shadow down upon the sanctum.
"They knew we were here all along..." Lucius muttered as he lowered his arm.
"Why aren't they attacking. Do you think they question Alduin too?" Ciri voiced her thoughts.
"Hmm, i don't know... I would confidently say the dead priest over there is hostile though." Lucius said, pointing towards an ominous and floating masked figure.
A torn and worm eaten cape of red and gold rippled in the gentle breeze. Gold, scale like, armour adorned its mummified skin, working its way up the priest's spine and torso and joining the brown hide that accompanied its hallowing mask of dark metal and carved eyes.
The priest was clearly one of influence, by its gold bangles and intricately carved staff he firmly held with its frail hands. A small gathering of Draugr surrounded it as he turned to float up a small platform of stairs, leading to a floor embedded socket.
The priest continued hovering towards the keystone and raised his arms to plant his staff.
In all but a blink, Ciri carved the Draugr apart as a vivid bolt of raging power flew over her ducked head. Black, red, and gold synched in a triumvirate of magical authority to strike at the unholy creature before them.
A muffled croak of a long gone wail tore from its masked mouth as it fell to ask leaving the staff and mask behind.
Lucius stood with steam pouring off his hands, cautiously scanning the staring dragons for any action.
"Good work, Ciri." He smiled as he pat her shoulder on his way to the priest.
"You too." She nodded.
"The way to sovngarde is closed, Dovahkiin." The first dragon boomed down to the pair.
"The staff is the key, Thuri." The second announced as they both left, blowing a gale down the valley with their wings as they left.
"Overlord of dragons does have a nice ring to it?" Lucius muttered under his breath, studying the priest mask he acquired.
"It does, just don't let it get to your head." Ciri chided playfully as she picked up the staff, and placed it into the keyhole on the platform.
The result was an ethereal beam of white. Small glistening rays of royal blue lined by faint wisps of gold twirled in restless harmony in the conjunction of colours as the beam rose above the dotted night sky.
Ciri stumbled back from the divine force that slammed into her from the portal, straight into Lucius's arms while he reinforced his feet to the stone floor under him. His hair flailing around like tendrils of moonlight thanks to the glow of sovngarde's light.
"Careful princess." He laughed at her shocked face. "Wouldn't want you dying before we get you home, eh?" His silky voice was only just heard over the barrage of sense the portal sprung upon her.
"Lucius." Ciri voiced over the winds.
"Hmm?" He replied with a smile.
"Your hand's on my ass." She smirked with an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Is it?" He teased.
In a quick motion he swept her off her feet in a princess carry, laughing as he did so.
"Ready, princess?" He winked.
"Lucius, no! Stop... Stoppp~!" Ciri squirmed in his hold as he jumped into the portal with her in his arms.
The two faded into the amalgamation of lights, with the pleas and laughter of the duo fading into the hammering winds of the Nordic realm of death.
.
.
.
Constellations burned themselves into the revolving skies. The thief, the mage, and the warrior all mirrored each other in their harmonious cycle under the blinding rays of Aetherius.
The land was a rich and vivid green, like grasses of never ending field of summer. Reds, blues and purples lined each curve and crevice as countless flowers sprung on the fertile soil. Large identical statues of hooded legends line the stairs and the edges of the valley leading down in the contrasting mist of dread.
It hung over the realm like a plague of sight. A malediction brought about by Akatosh's own creation. Alduin.
"Come on, Ciri." A voice echoed in the mist. "I said I was sorry."
"Hmph, just focus." Another voice sounded.
"If you didn't like it you could've flashed away." The male voice grumbled.
"I said it's fin-"
A gap in the mist revealed the duo of Ciri and Lucius as a distant scream broke their conversation.
"We should get the hall." Lucius said, causing Ciri to nod in agreement.
"Cast the clear skies shout. We can't see a thing." Ciri quickly demanded and the two set off to follow the trail.
"Turn back, travellers. Terror awaits within this mist." A stormcloak soldier came running hearing Lucius's shout.
"Many have braved the shadow veil but have past what guards the way." The soldier continued.
"We need to get to the hall. Hide and wait it out until we can kill Alduin." Lucius responded and pushed on to the cleared pathway.
With each step took a silent wind brushed past Lucius and Ciri and Alduin's voice carried across the realm as they got closer to the bridge of bones.
"When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world"
"When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped"
"When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles"
"When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls"
"When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding"
"The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn."
As the mass of dread and fear finished his retelling with one final roar. The bridge came into view with a hulking beast of man guarding the bridges crossing.
"What brings you, wayfarer grim, to wander here, in Sovngarde, souls-end, Shor's gift to honoured dead?" The man asked with his arms crossed.
"Wait. Who are you?" Lucius asked.
"I am Tsun, shield-thane to Shor. The Whalebone Bridge he bade me guard and winnow all those souls whose heroic end sent them here, to Shor's lofty hall where welcome, well earned, awaits those I judge fit to join that fellowship of honour." The now named Tsun answered.
"I pursue Alduin, the World Eater and seek entrance into the hall." Lucius declared.
"A fateful errand. No few have chafed to face the Worm since first he set his soul-snare here at Sovngarde's threshold. But Shor restrained our wrathful onslaught - perhaps, deep counselled, your doom he foresaw. However, no shade are you as usually here passes, but living, you dare the land of the dead. By what right do you request entry?"
"By right of cleverness and birth. I am master magician of the destruction school as well as dragonborn." Lucius lay his claim.
"Ah! It's been too long since last I faced a doom-driven hero of the dragon blood." Tsun lit up in excitement.
"Can we enter the Hall of Valour?" Ciri chimed in, noticing her lack of right.
"Living or dead, by decree of Shor, none may pass this perilous bridge 'till I judge them worthy by the warrior's test." Tsun said.
"Then start your test." Lucius replied and was instantly thrown back by a thunderous punch to the gut.
All breath left his lungs as he spun around the next swing of Tsun, ducking under his arm to uppercut his rib.
However, Tsun's great size did nothing to diminish his speed, he quickly stepped back from Lucius's punch and sent the elf rolling on the floor with a quick hook to his jaw.
"You are permitted to use your weapons, Dragonborn. I apologise for the confusion." Tsun smiled.
'Smug bastard.' Lucius spat out some blood as he stood.
Lucius crossed his arms with clawed hands and imbued his very being with lightning as it flickered and danced around him.
His silver locks rose behind him and the glowing blue of his eyes brightened. A white hot roar of thunder sounded and a light sucking bolt of black flew out of Lucius's hands towards the divine giant.
In a routine swing of his battle axe the bolt of deathly lightning was slapped away, as if it was nothing but a nuisance.
"I have lived for millennia and fought for centuries... You must do better than that, Dragonborn." Tsun advanced.
'Heh, step one.' Lucius noted.
Lucius hopped back from Tsun's overhead swing, balancing on his heel he spun to kick Tsun in his exposed head.
Panic set in as Tsun caught his foot and launched him at the stone cliff behind him with a spinning throw.
"Lucius!" A worried Ciri called out, drawing her sword.
"Stay out of it. This guy is the best form of training alive." Lucius smiled and held up a halting hand, with blood seeping down his cut brow and bleeding nose.
"Ha! A great attitude!" Tsun bellowed in respect.
Lucius stumbled as his groggily stood, limping on one foot. He drew his sword and examined the blade before lighting it in his magic.
He took his defensive stance and waited to act. Slow calming breaths leaving his nostrils and his eyes lasered themselves onto Tsun's advancing form.
With his sword at his side, Lucius swung in a strong and elegant arc, riposting the giant axe and leveraging Tsun's strength against him in a fast pirouette to swung back around, with all the momentum gathered from Tsun's own swing he cut the god in two from hip to shoulder.
"Holy shit..." Ciri mumbled with a hand over her gaping mouth.
Lucius panted and fell to one knee holding his side in pain. "That was. Something urgh." Lucius grunted.
"Here. Drink." Ciri fed him a red potion, watching as his cuts healed over.
"Any scars?" He asked, wiping the blood from his nose.
"One on your eyebrow. Very sexy." She winked. "One god killed, now onto the next huh?" She smiled and helped him stand.
"The heroes are waiting for you inside, Dragonborn." Tsun's voice reached their ears.
The duo spun around in shock as a perfectly fine Tsun stood guard once more.
"What? You thought yourself the first one kill me? Haha!" Tsun laughed at their shocked faces. "Good luck, Dragonborn. Tsun, the god of trials against adversity, gives you his blessings!" Tsun pridefully boasted and stood aside for them to cross the Whale bone bridge.
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Tsun is a real one. Shor's shield brother in the war and then guards his realm afterwards.
Just curious here... How would you guys feel if Ciri and Lucius got separated temporarily in one arc? Like drop the book level of wtf because I had some idea around the topic.
Good idea?
Bad idea?
Have a good one,
Your "patently evil" Author ;)
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Pythia
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