Chương 8: Elton would be proud
A/N: Girls perspective this time.
*Ysona Pov*
This is exhausting. The only reason it's ending is due to Evangeline hunting those conjurors. The stars above are shining so bright with ethereal light.
As I look around from my back I see a familiar muscular back. Apollyon shakily rose to his feet, slightly stumbling as he stared down the enemy commander. The large Tiefling honestly triggered a sense of fear in me, that no man or Mer had been able to in a long time.
He was carved from black stone and hade red pulsing veins like the few Daedric weapons I had seen over the years. Apollyon… he looks smaller and weaker, and in rough shape. His gauntlets had fallen off at some point, his tunic in tatters exposing puncture wounds on his rib cage. His normally shiny dark arm scales had lost their luster, I'm no priestess, but it looks to be bruised. I don't think he can win this fight in his condition, maybe if he was fine.
I need to help him, it's what I promised after all. My body screamed in protest from over use. Hell even-
"Hey, take care of me if I'm useless after this okay? Only join the fight if you are confident, you won't be hurt and if you think I'm going to lose. Otherwise stay back." The way he shouted allowed everyone int the clearing to hear.
Huh?
Is he stupid? He's half dead at best. Without our help he's as good as dead.
Gritting my teeth as my old friend, pain, wreaks havoc on my body, I sit up. Resolute to see the battle unfold.
Each fighter was fighting with what appeared to be magicka responding to their will to fight.
The forces of good and evil. With Apollyon's light shining bright in defiance as the his rival's darkness was seemingly killing all life around him. Plant life decayed everywhere the two went.
Apollyon countered his opponents' superior natural abilities with… magical ingenuity.
I already knew how unorthodox his magic casting was, well I thought I did. Then he started casting without any build up. Walls of earth appearing to block ,divert and distract seemingly wanting to protect Apollyon with a will of their own. The spears of ice that rained on his enemy would be lethal to any Legate I knew. Well maybe not Rikke, the woman is a monster.
It was clear that Apollyon was losing ground and fighting a defensive battle the longer the stalemate went on. Each side only scoring glancing blows oor taking damage as an aftereffect of the other sides action.
The Tiefling was covered in burns while Apollyon had several patches of purple necrotic skin that was seemed to disappear as fast it appeared. The golden flame that danced across him gave him a divine appearance as it healed any wound his foe could land.
Red lightning tore through the sky after Apollyon dodged the Daedra's attack. He can use magic too?!
No, it has to be an enchantment. Otherwise the beast would have been using spells just like Apollyon.
The battle was as beautiful as it was deadly in the darkness of night. Trees surrounding the clear had caught on fire due to the two's dance of death.
Then I notice it. Something that most if not all women of Nirn would begrudgingly admit they love.
Apollyon was smiling. He was fighting, as unfavorable as the odds appeared to be, he was smiling with unparalleled joy. Not a gentle smile that would make maidens swoon, a bloodthirsty grin that promised death. A look that terrified enemies and inspired comrades.
My orc heritage roared in my veins as I had seemingly found the optimal partner. Apollyon had everything I wanted, power, skill, unending enthusiasm for battle, a blacksmith, measured compassion, instincts that would make the divines themselves jealous, and more than likely, endless to potential to grow. Well, if what I have seen is anything to go by. Truly the mate of a lifetime.
Too bad I met him now.
A sigh threatened to sneak out of my body when my eyes caught sight of him taking a hit from the cracked bitch in front of me. My breath caught in my chest as Apollyon was barely even staggered and just kept their stream of attacks flowing. His eyes glinting with determination. He's losing.
I rose to my feet as silence overtook the grove of trees that surrounded us. White knuckles wrapped the handles of my twin gladiuses, I took a shaky step forward, I will help this man. I have to help him.
I was torn from my feet as two arms, each gripping my wrists, pulled my down to a kneeling position.
"Just watch." Alina said resolutely as she stood to the right. I'd be more resigned to watch if you didn't like you were going to explode forward yourself.
"The big guy won't lose to such a weak opponent, don't worry so much mama." Anna's eyes never left Apollyon's face, even as her hand gripped her hammer as tight as I was gripping my own weapon.
Ignoring the mama comment, my gaze returned just in time to see the Tiefling level his swords at Apollyon. A large accumulation of redlight poured from the blades as he prepared to unleash some kind of devastating magic to be sure.
Worriedly switching back to Apollyon I froze, his magical aura shot through the roof as he grin widened "I'VE BEEN WAITING". His manic shout echoed around as he dove in a front roll barely avoiding a beam of his opponents lighting magic that ripped through the ground and trees in its path to kill Apollyon.
Seemingly unphased with how close he came to death, Apollyon summoned what he must have been working on during the whole fight, chains that glittered like stars above. They snaked their way around the two great swords that had unleashed the devastating attack. Ripping them from their owners hands before disappearing along with the weapons they stole, back into the ground.
"What in oblivion was that?!" a surprised cat had crept up on the three of us. "High-level alteration while fighting at that speed?! I can understand dual-casting different schools of spells, but this surpasses that by leagues! Is he the Arch-mage?!?"
Despite how angrily she shouted, her tail was rapidly waving behind her. The cat is curious.
Even though the cat was distracting, my eyes were locked onto Apollyon. He seized his chance to counterattack but was met by a heavy blow from the monster's fist. Disarmed, he was able to send Apollyon flying back, but Apollyon would not go quietly into the night, killing his momentum he backflipped and skid to a stop just a few meters away. Apollyon's master-crafted blade had cracked so badly it was visible even from this far away.
The air around each of us froze as we held our breath as one.
"Ah… fuck it." What was said as a whisper by Apollyon may as well have been screamed directly into our ears as his brilliant magical cloak was channeled into his sword leaving him completely exposed to his opponent. It went from a monster Greatsword of death and destruction, to the holiest blade to ever exist as it shined with golden white flames like a beacon amidst the encroaching darkness.
"MORTAL I'LL KILL YOU!" the behemoth roared at A stoic Apollyon. This is the kind of battles stories are written about…
My heart beat as wildly as orc war drums, as the two fighters entered their stances for a final clash. The Tiefling crouched like a beast on all fours as he slightly tilted his head forward, his horns seeking to impale Apollyon and dashed towards his prey.
His "prey" stared at his approaching death with a grin, making my heart skip several beats, and swung his sword.
As the two crashed light disappeared from the blowback on one side while the other, lit up like afternoon light. Temporarily blinding us as we all leaned forward with anticipation, both girls had released me as we all braced ourselves to rush in and save the proud warrior.
That's when the darkness cracked like shattered glass, before it was banished from this plane.
Revealing a bloody, half naked Apollyon, and a frozen Tiefling lord.
Then Apollyon dropped his sword and almost fell to the ground but barely caught himself on shaky legs.
"POLY!" Alina raced forward, propelled by wind magic, the girl had made it halfway there before a trembling, scaled covered fist rose to the sky. The frozen Tiefling's body seemed to catch up all at once as a line the width of Apollyon's sword, appeared running the length of his body and exploded with blood.
"I'M STILL STANDING!!" the roar that escaped Apollyon's mouth caused all of us to stop in place.
Blood poured from wounds on the Dragmer's hands from where he had been gripping the sword. Purple splotches of poison decorated his body, but to me, all I saw was a man who defied the odds and fought like he was possessed by Malacath himself. Proving that he is worthy of the attention of the divines and Daedric lords alike.
Grins grew on all our faces as we all roared in response.
Apollyon stumbled forward, only to be caught by a pair of scaled hands from behind, and an assassin in the front.
Truly worthy of being my lord. I'll swear to be his Housecarl as soon as we make it through the night.
My grin started out as one of pride, only to transform to a gentle smile at the future problems my lord will get into. I can't wait.
*Rihasa Pov*
I've been a called a magical prodigy from the time I accidentally created my own magic. Charm magic is simple, it uses magicka to manipulate minds that are inferior or equal to mine, in whatever way I wish. Well, with corresponding difficulty to mental prowess of the target. The magicka consumption is the same. The stronger the target's will, the more magicka is used. Simple but not so simple at the same time.
My clan was slaughtered to get to me.
A genius who created her own magic at the age of six. I didn't realize that, my level of talent was one in a million. Mama and Papa disappeared during the last altercation between my family's supporters and… Boethiah's cultists.
They believe that with charm magic in their arsenal they can please their Daedric lord. As she's the lady of deceit, conspiracy and treachery, they know that my magic will cause the pain of others pleasing her.
I can think of a handful of possibilities to use it to that effect anyways. Not that I would. I'm a good girl. Well probably.
All of my genius titles feel so weak and hollow in comparison to the two dragmer. Alina mastering magic from a description is insane, let alone what I just witnessed from Apollyon.
The man just battled what must at the very least, equate to a Dremora Kynmarcher, while he was basically half-dead. Granted the rank is just an educated guess base on the lore I've been able to read. I mean it fits.
Kynmarcher's are the lowest level of the officers of most Armies of Oblivion but that's still a ranked member of a Daedric Lord's army! A being that could tear through legions of normal soldiers by themselves.
And this battle-hungry, probably insane, sexy, Dragmer just beat him with self-made magic… because anything less would have been boring to him?
Seeing the incredible fear made me stop and think, what have I been doing?
I stopped experimenting once I was called a genius. Sure, I spent my time mastering the spell to the best of my ability, but I was fine with that level of success. Happy even. Yet this man, who was barely functioning made spells up MID-FIGHT when the odds were stacked against him against a being who could have slaughtered me. I may be self-confident, but I'm not delusional enough to think my charm magic would have affected that Tiefling brute in any useful way.
Apollyon even had the confidence to tell us to back off unless we thought he was going to die.
I thought he was going too.
The others didn't go to stop him, and interfere in this crazy, otherworldly brawl why should I? That's what I thought.
Till I saw them all watching the fight with bated breath. They were nervous, but for Alina and Anna, there was a sense of understanding that he would win. They weren't sure, but they believed he would pull through. Ysona clearly didn't share their optimism as they had held her on her knees so she wouldn't join the fight. Evangeline was circling the backside of the Tiefling leader, but she just glared, waiting for the moment she thought Apollyon would fall. Never stepping in, but always ready to act like the Pride of Alkosh, that mama told me about. The unwavering clan of Khajiit warriors always sounded amazing in their tales of battle and bravery defending Elsweyr. That's when I realized, the rest of my group cared deeply for a man they met only two days ago. Enough that they would challenge a Dremora elite to save the man's life. I need something like that to achieve my goals.
What if I found warriors as fierce as the Pride of Alkosh and they served me due to some mild charm magic here and there… how terrific would that be?
A slight manic glint passed through my lightly glowing eyes at the idea of having a pride of dedicated warrior thralls rip apart the cultists who killed my family.
Two Dragmer, a werewolf, a dark elf assassin, and a half-orc berserker huh? What a dysfunctional group.
They are pretty entertaining though…
*Alina pov*
Poly won… he beat that bullshit monster.
He didn't come out unscathed, even now, I'm abusing Dragonicka, and willing my resoration magic to pull the poison from his body. Luckily he has holes all over his body from the final clash.
Not only was his body wounded but he actually used Dragmer's Light! The peak of light magic that very few Dragmer can use. He used it in ways that stories never described, it's not supposed to heal, or even be able to be channeled into such a devastating blow. Yet he did it and just like overusing Dragonicka I'm sure this had devastating effects on his body.
How reckless can you be idiot, looking down at the object of my ire whose breaths were taken in raggedy motions, I felt a proud smirk make its way to my face.
By all rights they shouldn't have made it in time. Had Aura not repelled that group behind me in the clearing, I don't think I would have survived the night. I didn't know some had already left their cave, I was careless and one of my two friends had to risk her life to protect me. Luckily she must have out-maneuvered them or else she wouldn't be sleeping off light wounds.
The traps on the front of the cave had killed and dismembered a bunch of them, but I severely underestimated the number of enemies I had to fight. Had they not shown up, my corpse would be the one lying in the mud here.
Glancing at the mayhem my comrades had unleashed on the daedric entities I was humbled. Sure I could do the same, but I couldn't do this by myself. I doubt anybody here could… well maybe Poly. His nonstop ingenuity and inherent control over magicka is amazing to witness.
He is going to train me from now on. I seem to have a similar talent if his grin whenever I'm able to perform whatever spell he tells me about is anything to go by.
Drawing the last purple, toxic liquid from his body, I willed my magicka to fix his body with the low level, healing spell I know. It can't fix broken bones it's good enough for his cuts and scrapes.
The man had refused to sit down, semi-deliriously muttering "I'm still standing" so, Evangeline was helping him stand while he leaned on her shoulder, slumped over, I continued casting my spells. I can't help my smile from forming at his warrior spirit.
All his foes are defeated, but he refused to fall on the battlefield. Admirable, and stupid all in one.
"Apollyon, please drink this" Evangeline had pulled a small flask, filled with a green potion "if you wish to stay in the fight, this will fill your body with energy, and help keep the fatigue at bay. I know you haven't done all you wish here. Even though I'd rather we just leave the rest to the people of Riverwood, I know you won't for one reason or another." She bit her lip in anger at Poly fighting more, but slowly, her face gained a look of determination.
Raising the potion to his mouth, she poured it into his mouth. Poly's barely functional brain forced him to swallow, as his ragged breathing eased and he slowly raised from his slumped posture.
His grip tightened on his scorched sword-
*CRAAACK*
Shit. It broke, the blade shattered, while the handle turned to ash. His magic turned his masterpiece of a weapon to ash. Unable to channel the raw power of his Dragmer's light, on top of the damage sustained during the fight.
"Aw, that sucks… well, I'll figure it out later." Poly's tired voice came out in a whisper.
Smiling at Evangeline and I, he stretched his arms above his head, his tail pointing straight out as well. Taking unsteady steps, he walked to where his foe laid broken and defeated.
"Nice fight." Patting the giant's shoulder as he crouched over the broken enemy below.
Waving his hands in the direction behind the enemy his face scrunched up in discomfort. I hate that look.
"What's wrong Poly?" I know that my healing magic isn't as good as his, but I should have fixed all his left-over physical damage.
"My magicka isn't responding… fucking hell AMY!" the man's shout made sleeping birds throughout the forest fly away in fear.
He lost his magic? For me? Shit.
A/N: I'm kind of having fun with the short chapters, if you like them and more releases let me know. I'm good posting the 8-10k chapters every now and then instead if you all are into that. I know this was both an info dump, and semi-forced plot, but I'm actually happy with the character development that happened along with seeing how a couple of the characters think. I hope you did too! Have a good one!
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