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59.78% Dragonborn Saga / Chapter 448: Abyss (6)

Chapter 448: Abyss (6)

♪ Highway to Hell ♪

< [Bardic Knowledge] effect: Fortify Speed 10%>

"Sweet!"

Two chains with the length of many meters dangled down as each ring was being lit by the white Ashen Flame. Jon reinforced his control by folding the chains around his hands once then give them a shake.

*Tink* *Tink* *Tink*

And they were to his liking.

One man who is supposedly a Dragon Priest was facing one Ancient Lich and three Nether Liches. The odds were totally uneven but in these cases, it is advised to play the game by a new set of rules.

No matter how good his talent in Magic is, this fight was hopeless for Jon if he kept fighting using Magic. A physical fight, on the other hand, is the right equalizer for this situation.

"Get him!"

As Falkyn shouted, four Liches cast magic at Jon from every direction.

"Fat chance!"

Jon pulled off 120% of his strength and speed as he pulled the chains up. In a second, they were moving around him like in whirls intercepting every Magic.

With [Ahzidal's Boots of the Apostle], no matter what surface he stood on or what altitude it is, Jon was moving unhindered.

With sure movements he advanced to the nearest Nether Lich with his body reinforced with Aura, the next move was a flashing flying straight kick with both feet launching the Lich backward.

"Restrain his movements!"

The Liches tried to bind him with barriers, seven layers of an unknown spell stacked up around him but with brute force, Jon ripped that Magicka in those barriers by waving the chains around.

Magic may be able to restrain Warriors but fast and flashy martial arts were of great risk to any spell caster. That, of course, didn't mean that those Liches were not experts in close quarters combat.

The remaining three Liches tried to attack with their staves using a close-range spell but to no avail, Jon controlled the trajectory of his movements by attaching a chain to the ground and pulling himself away.

As the Liches were trying to return to formation, the other chain found its way to the neck of one of the Nether Liches wrapping itself around it and pulling him towards Jon. As the Lich tried to gain a view of the direction he was pulled to, Jon's knee entered the screen.

Even though Nether Liches are partially ghosts, a physical attack supported with Aura can sting where it hurts. The Lich got the feeling of having his skull being rammed through his nose. Unpleasant as it is, Jon's merciful style included an elbow attack between the neck and shoulder after that knee.

Then the other knee upwards to the chin.

Then a hand chop to the neck.

By that move, the target should be stunned so what follows is a finishing attack. Jon would break the neck but considering the nature of a Lich, it was better to overload the eight major energy points with Magicka causing a backflow and soul damage.

The poor Lich was over and sent back to the Phylactery he recovers in.

"Daaaym! This song is getting to me. Whatever!"

Jon turned to the Ancient Lich Falkyn and the remaining Nether Lich, the two got nervous as Jon started to charge at them but suddenly, he got stopped.

It seemed that the chain holding down was stuck in something, the two Liches wouldn't let the chance pass by and Jon knew it but he couldn't help but look at whatever stopped him.

And who would have thought it was the other Nether Lich he blasted away earlier. That Lich was holding to Jon's chain with his staff trying to not let him move.

What that Lich didn't know was that Jon was smiling under his mask.

"Wrong move, buddy."

Feeling a chill all of a sudden, the Lich looked towards Jon who was surely up to no good.

Jon pulled the chain so fast and descended towards the Lich… Butt forward.

Historians never recorded what was the fate of that certain Lich but it was agreed that this was the first Lich ever that was killed by a stinkface attack.

[A/n: you know that Rikishi move from WWE?]

"Two down, two to go."

Jon stood up stretching his waist left and right before dodging to the side as a heavy barrage of [Necrotic Spears] landed where he is.

"Rude!"

"Kill him now. This trickster is troublesome! Keep him at bay." Falkyn shouted as he used every possible spell to catch Jon with.

"I don't need you to tell me that!" The Nether Lich retorted.

Jon zigzagged and teleported a couple of times as he evaded the [Defiled Ground], [Necrotic Barrage] and [Soul Cage] spells.

He was not given a chance to counter as the Liches kept flying further from him.

{Jax, one more time.}

Jon asked Jax for another distraction.

*Boom* *Boom* *Boom* *Boom*

Another series of explosions sounded by as more important places were set on fire.

Using the millisecond of distraction, Jon redirected himself at the Liches for a counter but they saw that trike before and were ready for him.

Still, it wasn't that simple.

Jon cut his counterattack short and someone else proceeded with it.

[Wrath] took the chance to sneak up as Jon was distracting the Liches and attacked Falkyn.

Falkyn had already lost an arm and could barely defend with his staff. The last Nether Lich was totally Jon's prey now. He saw Jon already so close to him so he turned tail and ran.

"Coward!" Falkyn groaned as his last ally abandoned him in such a tight situation.

Jon waved the chain at the Nether Lich catching it by the neck and the waist then let gravity take its course with a strong pull to spice up the body slam.

The Nether Lich fell and got badly damaged. The Ashen Flame took care of the rest turning the ghastly remains into ectoplasm.

Now, the only remaining Lich was Falkyn. Looking at him, it seemed that [Wrath] alone got him good.

Falkyn was hanging from a large pillar as his staff fell down and was still in the middle of recasting his Levitation Magic. Jon rudely teleported above Falkyn.

He looked down at the Lich who was helplessly hanging with one arm to the edge of the pillar, he leaned down and held Falkyn's hand with a twisted smile.

"Long live the K… no, not that one. Oh! Right, ehem! FUS RO DAH!"

***

Jumping down from the high pillar, Jon landed on the apocalyptic land with the other arm of Falkyn in hand.

"Good job, everyone." He said passing the arm to Jax.

Nefertiti and Wrath appeared as among the pile of bodies that belonged to both the necromancers and the undead.

The undead broken included a large number of Bone Colossuses and a few Flesh Atronachs one of them was very gigantic.

"Who the hell took that down?" Jon asked.

"Team effort." Nefertiti replied.

Seemingly, it was her, Jax and Wrath.

"I've seen one of those abominations once in the Three Fates ESO trailer in my past life. The thing stinks from a closer look." Jon said while kicking the large Flesh Atronach.

He turned around to Nefertiti.

"Where should we go?"

"This way."

Nefertiti turned around as she transformed into the Human Form and walked to the heart of the ruined city. Wrath and Jax followed as the latter threw the Lich's arm away.

In the middle of the Ghost World stood a grand temple with statues of people that resembled beauty, wisdom, justice, motherhood, bravery and all; Jon felt as if he was walking into a Greek temple. Most of the statues were intact but not clean maintained.

If such a realm fell in the hands of someone like Jon, he would have turned it into an incarnation of Olympus but sadly Mannimarco found it and maintained only what gained his interest leaving the rest to rot.

More to that, there were still more living people. Not necromancers but living prisoners, sacrifices of sort for the twisted rituals of the Worm Cult.

Children, women, elders… there was just all of them trapped in cages with nothing to cover their skin with exposing the brutalities they have been through. There were actual living souls in them but they were broken. Those who could talk would mutter words of madness in languages Jon never heard off.

(Aliens.) Shadow said.

"Oh please!"

(Aren't otherworldly beings called Aliens?)

"They are humans… and some other strange races. They are… people from other worlds."

(Which is basically Aliens.)

"Stop it, okay? Just… look at those people. Even the Soul Shriven had hope to fight back, had rags on their bodies and Daedric waste in their bellies. Those people are… I just can't begin to imagine what happened to them."

(Humanity at its best if I am allowed to say.)

"..."

(They are nothing but people who were unlucky enough to venture into the Sea of Chaos between the Universes and get caught by the Cult. The Rifts are the only places were all extraterrestrial species meet after all, just find a way to lure them in.)

"... It is sick."

(And look at you, the Hero who stopped the Evil Cult. As soon as you are done here, the realm will collapse given time. Those people are as good as dead so you can give them a merciful death if you want to or give them time to die.)

"No… they suffered long enough."

It only took Jon one click with his staff on the ground for his imagination to be real. Those who were imprisoned for soul extraction died silently and painlessly.

"Find solace for those who have harmed you have died in pain and more shall follow. Find home and peace beside those you love."

(A prayer? How nice of you! I wonder how would they feel if they know that their torture was prolonged only because of your actions that have led their jailors to a better fuel source leaving them as the emergency backup?)

"And their souls would have ended up as undead puppets forever otherwise?"

(You'll be surprised by the things people like them will trade to end the suffering.)

"I don't ask for understanding or forgiveness or any of that, okay? Just shut up."

True or not, there was a part of the responsibility on Jon's shoulders. He knows he doesn't have to be sorry for everything that gets broken by mistake, he understood the term of collateral damage but even monsters would feel the weight of their sins.

But that all was a reminder that the world is not a game.

He knows it… but reminders are reminders and the lessons of life come only after the tests.

"We are here, Hooman."

Getting pulled back to reality, Jon found himself in the inner sanctum of the temple he walked in, it was a large chamber filled with many weird objects. In front of him were four Nether Liches who looked in a dire condition.

"Hey again." Jon took the lead and aimed his staff forward.

"Stop him at all costs!"

"Together."

Jon ignored the Liches and cast [Eye of Magicka] revealing to him the Phylacteries of those Liches. A bunch of jars, chests, and voodoo objects were highlighted and his sight, by the next second, Jon imagined their destruction and [Pride] did the work.

*Wail* *Scream*

The Liches stopped what they are doing and started disintegrating into nothingness.

The Forces of the Order of the Black Worm in the Ghost World were officially wiped out.

The last remaining thing here was the large vault door and the research materials lying around. Jon gathered the materials as his trophy and pulled out the vault's door with Telekinesis.

Whatever riches behind it was pulled in the Cube without even thinking, some otherworldly treasures included. The most important thing, however, was kept deeper in the vault.

A naked woman restrained from her limbs inside a wall. Her beauty was peerless and her silence was soothing. Jon knew that she is his target.

"Azura."

Jon called but the woman did not respond. Rather, Azura's Star responded instead.

Jon held the Star as it glowed in his hand in many colors. Slowly and smoothly, another woman came out of the Star. She looked exactly similar to the captive woman.

"Perfect! Another Azura." Jon said.

{Not Azura I am, Labourer, but a mere fragment of the self embodying Dusk and Dawn.} The Woman who came from the Star said.

"Still with the same speaking problem I see."

Apparently, both women are Soul Fragments of Azura.

Soul Fragments of the Daedric Princes exist in their Daedric Artifacts. Jon's Sin Artifacts also have Soul Fragments of him.

The Captive Soul Fragment of Azura is the one who inhabited [Azura's Star] before Jon corrupts it. This Fragment was cast away through the voids of Oblivion only to get captured by Mannimarco. By using that Soul Fragment, the Ghost World could draw a great amount of power from a Daedric Prince and fuel the mass production and maintenance of undead.

The Free Soul Fragment of Azura is the one who entered the Star to return it to Azura's control. Now that the original one was found, this Soul Fragment had a job to do.

{Wake up.} She called.

Looking at the Captive Soul Fragment, Jon saw its eyes wide open glaring at him.

Without warning, his heart felt like jumping from its place.

It was clear that this Captive Soul Fragment is royally pissed at Jon at this moment.

The other Soul Fragment hurriedly picked up [Azura's Star] and aimed it at the Captive one.

{Return.}

Yet just like that, this super pissed Soul Fragment was pulled from her chains into the Star. Jon could still feel hostility from the Artifact.

{Usable to you it may not be yet a fine job you have delivered.}

From the looks of it, Jon was allowed to keep the [Azura's Star] in the first place for this moment when he returns what was stolen from Azura. Right now, the star is usable to him as the Soul Fragment in it wants to pull his brains out.

It was okay. Just one Soul Gem that cannot be broken and has a very large capacity.

But most importantly…

"So… my 7th Labour is over?" Jon asked.

Azura's Soul Fragment looked at him as it started fading away with the Star.

{It has just begun.}

~~~~~~~~~~

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next chapter

Chapter 449: It Is Time to Let Go

"I want to bash some people's heads to a wall, rip off their arms, stick them up their asses, shove my hand down their throats and give them a handshake."

(That's too vivid. You can just say you are annoyed.)

"I am annoyed."

(Hmm… you are right, not that helpful. Fine, move along to the brutality part.)

"I don't know, man. I just want to drink my sorrows away now. Do you know any good place with fine liquor around the Abyss?"

(The way out.)

"Sounds like my kind of place."

Jon walked out of the ruined temple not caring for anything anymore. The world can bite his ass for all he cares about.

After the Soul Fragment of Azura told him that his 7th Labour is just beginning, it faded away along with [Azura's Star] and he was left staring at nothing.

As he pulled his mind back to positivity relying on his violent desire to get back at Azura. After that, he just broke a few things then walked out of the temple.

Passing back to the Abyss from the Crack between the Worlds wasn't something really easy but the Meteoric Glass Crystals helped. Jon found himself back in the cave outside the Rift.

A lot happened but at least things got resolved for now. Ever since he left the Citadel of Ebonarm to search for clues regarding Zain, Isha's dead brother, things were escalating at their own pace. Jon wasn't sure what happened with Zain exactly. Was it the Cult of the Black Worm? Did they kill him to take his corpse and make one of those high-quality Zombies they fancy? Or was it just the curse the traitors cast on him? Was his body in the Ghost World when Jax detonated most of the undead vaults? Maybe it was just a pissed off Daedra or a misanthropic entity claiming souls by curses?

Jon wasn't interested anymore in those questions. Following those leads won't do any good and may harm Isha.

There is still a 7th Labour he has to take care of and had to wait for some new sign from Azura. Now that he thinks about it, this isn't unreasonable. The Worm Cult has already made an enemy of him and they are bound to clash. Azura will also be vengeful and will seek to settle the score with Mannimarco.

Not that crushing his undead locker was enough or anything.

With things like that, a lot of chaos is bound to happen. Maybe a big event will take place before year 4E 201 comes.

"My real age should be 42 by now. I am too old for this shit." Jon sighed.

But first, he needs to return.

***

*Alik'r Desert, Dead Sand region, the secret Ansei Pyramid*

It has been days since Jon entered the Abyss but the area around the Ansei Pyramid has changed.

A few camps were stationed around the Pyramid for securing the perimeter and many Warriors and Battlelords stood on watch while the Scholars from the Citadel kept studying the sight.

"We need to do something. It has been a week since he entered those accursed gates. We can't just stand by and not follow him." Mirren shouted.

"If there is anything we can do about it, we would have done it by now." Said Nagla, the Spear Battlelord.

"That's not helping. Even Isha came here once she knew Jon has entered that death trap."

"I am glad that the girl finally budged from her place but there is nothing I can do. The Archaeologists said that the Pyramid needs Starlight Energy to activate the Gates of Wish beneath it. That energy needs some rare Crystal that we don't have to be installed on the top of the pyramid in a certain hour at night for the Gates to Open."

"And you are telling me that Krilon managed to activate the pyramid by himself while an organization like the Citadel is unable to?"

"As embarrassing as it is… yes." Nagla said what massaging her temples. "We didn't even know there was a method to cross the Dead Sand, a sacred Pyramid in the heart of this godforsaken place and the Worm Cult making it their base."

The situation was dire in the face of the Citadel of Ebonarm. To be unable to uncover such facts was a fatal mistake, who knew what would have happened if Jon didn't wipe out the Work Cult with Illindar or what is on the other side of the Gates of Wish.

Illindar himself was questioned for two nights straight just to get to the bottom of what Jon discovered.

It all started with the most ominous name, Sithis, the snake known as Akel. According to Illindar, Jon believes it is the entity that cursed Zain and that's a very big claim.

After that, the cultists of Boethiah claimed that Isha was not tricked and she received the reward for her Labour in full.

Then somehow, Jon received a revelation from Azura that led him to the Dead Sand and he conquered it after building a bone bridge that resembles a large spine going through the desert.

The Citadel wanted answers and Jon was somehow beyond the most infamous Gates that no one can open.

"Don't worry about him, this guy fights like the devil. He will be okay." Illindar said.

He returned to the Citadel after he parted with Jon and reported the whole thing.

"Just shut up now. You know you are being punished for not stopping him." Nagla said while glaring at Illindar.

"Come on. I wouldn't be able to stop him even if I tried to. He had that Labour thing he had to do."

The whole matter was getting more complicated by the second and none knew what to do.

The number one priority of the Citadel right now was to hide the existence of the Ansei Pyramid from the Crowns and the Forebears to not risk giving them one more reason to slit each other's throats.

Still, the most important thing they are focusing on right now is to make heads and tails out of this situation. Jon and Illindar are the best leads but as far as the latter could tell, the former was the one who investigated everything thoroughly.

In the center of this mess, there was an important family member they all had to take care of.

"Haven't Isha talked just yet?" Nagla asked.

"No. She is with Zahra and Miranda beneath the Pyramid." Mirren answered.

Once she knew that Jon has entered the Dead Sand and found an ancient sacred site while he was investigating the truth behind Zain's death, she stood up from her place and walked to the Dead Sand. She looked more lively and ate her fill while waiting for Jon to emerge.

Today marked the seventh day since Jon entered the Gates and was the day he came out.

It all started when the valley shook as if an earthquake was happening. Everyone around the Pyramid cleared to a safe area only to see the patterns on the pyramid glowing.

The Archaeologists said that if something like this happens then the Gate beneath the Pyramid has been opened. Those who were related beside the top brass of the Citadel ran towards the Pyramid and went down to the Gate room.

As everyone gathered, the Gates of Wish opened. Through those gates, people could the different things, some saw darkness while others saw a long narrow bath going endlessly in any direction.

Yet in a second or two, the scene changed reflecting a person walking out.

It was indeed none other than him.

"..."

Jon wasn't surprised to see how many people waiting for him outside, however, he expected some fuss rather than dead silence. Thankfully, he managed to collect both Wrath and Jax before he comes out.

He stood in front of the gates as they closed themselves and looked around.

"Pretty crazy places you can go to beyond that gate." He said while pointing at the gate behind him.

Mirren, who just came running, stood in front of Jon and pointed at him.

"Is that really you?" He asked.

"Missed me?" Jon wondered.

"According to the Legend, the Gates of Wish are known to devour whoever goes through them. Some of those who returned were different beings no longer themselves." Nagla said.

"Oh!" Jon was taken aback, "That would be mostly due to a Time Anomaly or something similar… or maybe possessed by Avatars of higher beings."

Jon's bad habit of making sense of everything got to him. He noticed and put up a merchant smile.

"So, what do you think I should do?" He asked.

"Prove your identity." Nagla said.

Jon noticed the warriors around becoming nervous and grasping their weapons tightly.

"Seriously? Fine!" Jon said and turned to Mirren.

A smile widened slowly across Jon's face. The kind of smile that makes people uncomfortable.

"Oh no! It is him alright. Don't say it, you bastard." Mirren freaked out almost immediately.

"That's Jon indeed." Miranda didn't need further verification.

Even the silent Isha eased up and let out a breather.

"Come on, Mirren. We have been preparing for this since the day we met." Jon said while making a ring with his left thumb and index and inserting the right index through it.

"Our gay scene."

"Shut up!"

"You two need to get a room." Nagla understood that Jon is himself.

"Totally." Jon agreed.

"And why was I even worried. This guy can't be dealt with even with a Mad Daedric Prince." Mirren flipped the table and left the room.

"Krilon."

Not expecting to hear that voice, everyone in the room turned facing Isha.

Silence became a bit awkward especially with Miranda urging Jon to reply with her eyes.

"Yes, Isha."

"Do you still have that spear you lent me? The one made of Ebony Steel?" She asked.

"I do." Jon said.

It was a marvelous spear that Wulfur crafted. Jon didn't use it that much but Isha liked it a bunch.

"I want to trade it." She said.

"It is yours." Jon said taking out the Spear and throwing it to her.

At the same time, she threw another spear to him.

Jon caught the shaft and froze.

"Why?"

"Don't need it."

This wasn't just an ordinary spear she gave him. It was the [Spear of Bitter Mercy].

"You need it." He said.

"It is time to let go." She replied.

"But… over there, there is this place called the Abyss that led me to a realm where the Worm Cult has made a large Worm Cell. I destroyed it but there should be more Worm Cells out there. I believe your brother's demise is their doing." Jon desperately tried to convince her.

"Krilon… It is time to let go." She replied the same once again.

Her eyes were filled with emptiness but she was… she needed a rest.

It is time to let go.

Ruining life won't bring the dead any solace… neither the living.

"And?" He asked.

"I am leaving Hammerfell." She said.

Jon sighed and looked around. Isha was already wrapping her spear and planning to kick off from where she is.

Everything about Hammerfell must remind her of her brother now. She no longer wanted the truth but rather wanted to heal.

Jon has no choice now. After all, wherever she goes, goes his 7th Labour.

~~~~~~~~~~

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