Thallon's View
"Thallon."
Netoria spoke softly and pointed to a Thalmor guard watching the road outside of Fort Icerunner. I drew my bow back and shot an arrow into his throat. He collapsed without a sound. We snuck up and moved his body into the brush. I took lead as we slowly inched towards the front gate. She stopped me and signaled she was going around back, I nodded and she left. I waited for the signal. After staring into the night sky for a brief moment a flaming arrow pierced the darkness. I shot up and spun around. I saw two guards at the lookout. I shot one and the other started to run. I quickly notched another arrow and released. The arrow struck his thigh and he fell off the side and landed on the ground with a loud thud. I went up to the front gate and picked the lock. Went I opened the gate up half the guards were already dead. Some Elven soldiers were starting to come out of the Fort and were charging Netoria. She fired an arrow at the first one to run at her and then she shouted,
"Iiz slen nus!"
The men who were charging her were stuck in ice and were all frozen solid. I was surprised and very thankful she was on our side. We both picked the frozen soldiers off, like slaughterfish in a barrel. After the soldiers were looted we started towards the entrance to the fort itself. We snuck inside and killed the sentry outside of the food hall. We could some voices inside. She notched an arrow and shot a cooking pot, making it spill on the ground. A man from the other side of the room was upset,
"You kidding me? We get shit for rations and then the cook spills it? How could be you be so dumb, was your mother a troll?"
Some other men laughed and the cook muttered something under his breath and went to pick up the pot. As he bent over to pick up the food, she shot him and his lifeless body flung into the fire. Before the men could register what happened we jumped in the room and started to take them out. After the cooking hall we went into the sleeping chambers. There were three soldiers there and we pulled out our knives and slit their throats. I motioned to her to check out the left room as I made my way to the Officers quarters.
I opened the door and an Officer was reading a book, The War of Two Minds, tainted the arrow I had with a paralysis poison and shot his calf. He let out a guttural moan and fell back into his chair. I tied him up and Netoria walked in.
"I am going to kill you, but I am going to make a message out of you." She was scary sometimes. She took a quill and stabbed his arms with it and wrote a note with his blood,
Loyalty Cost Lives
Choose Your Loyalty Wisely
-Dovahkiin
She is a force to be reckoned with! We looted the office. We found over 500 gold and some food. He was obviously living better than his troops. Greed gets men killed, a lesson he won't get the opportunity to contemplate. We set up a few traps near the entrance and went and made our beds in the Officer's office. I held the arrow on his forehead and Netoria shot it through. We moved his body outside and laid him down. We went back into the room and I grabbed his wine.
"Oh looky here! Some Argonian Bloodwine! This will go down rather quite well after today, don't you think?" Netoria smiled and she grabbed a silver goblet.
"If I didn't know any better, Thallon, I would say you were trying to impress me." She smiled and poured a glass, I smiled and poured my glass as well.
"To furthering our cause." I said raising my glass into the air,
"To Thallon's poor attempt at flattery!" She clanked my glass and started to drink. I laughed some and started to drink mine. I was growing ever more fond of her. The drink did go down rather smoothly and before I knew it we were pouring the last of the wine.
"Thallon?" She asked while setting the bottle down.
"Yes, M'lady?" I said laughing at the end of my words.
"You know I have the senses of a trained marksman, do you not?"
"Well of course! The best in all of Summerset Isles if I remember the boast correctly." She chuckled and continued on.
"Then I must ask, do you have affection towards me?" My stomach shot downwards. I felt a sudden nervous feeling overtake me. I know I can't lie, she obviously knows.
"Uh, yes, I do. I never was going to act on them though, we are strictly business. I assure you. In my defense you are quite the woman." I sheepishly grinned and she was looking at the ceiling smiling.
"Why not? Do I scare you?" She teased.
"No, well I mean yes, kind of, but in a good way! I've never seen such a dangerous and remarkable woman, any man would be right to be scared of you."
"You have a way with words, Thallon. When this is all over, I would like to get to know you, off of the business schedule." I felt a bit giddy but tried to hide it,
"I think that is a very wonderful Idea."
She turned over and fell asleep. I was too giddy to sleep. So I laid there and pictured us. Hunting together, farming, building our house, all of these things together and I felt overwhelmingly happy. Maybe there was a light at the end of all of this. I have not stopped to think of my life after this. I have been so consumed with the thoughts of what is going to happen now I haven't, not even for a second considered what my life will be like afterwards. I am changing, I can feel it. I have done things I never thought I would. I suddenly felt at peace with myself. I could feel a warmth spread over me. An energy I have not felt in a while. I could not sleep though. I started to look around and I saw the book again. I have heard a lot of talk about the book. I decided to pick it up and read it:
The War of Two Minds
The passages that follow written by Orgu'sky Blewth
The thing that most do not consider when war is inevitable is the two minds. By two minds I mean this: The physical abilities and the metaphysical abilities. I am an Orc and so many presume my fighting style to be with Two-Handed weapons, they are not fully wrong. I am very skilled in this. Yet, I am also skilled in the art of Destruction Magic. No one would presume this at first glance. What the enemy does not know about you, is your advantage. If the enemy sees you as weak, that is when you flex the hardest. When the enemy views you as slow, you start to sprint. Their ignorance is your greatest wisdom. Being skilled in the physical ability to overtake your enemy and the mental way to overtake them will ensure victory of any battle.
I stopped reading because my eyelids could barely stay open. The book seemed very good and made me think of myself. I slid it into my knapsack and fell asleep. When we woke up it was pitch black. The torches must have died. I lifted my hand and without thinking cast a light spell to illuminate the room. Netoria was standing up and had a unlit torch in her head. Her face was appalled. Then she dropped the torch and ran up to me,
"Thallon!!!" She exclaimed, "You have your magic back! How did you do it?!" I laughed in disbelief. I cast another light spell and my smile grew even wider.
"I have no idea! I just cast it! This is great! Thank Aurie-El!" I got up and she hugged me. I was a bit taken back but was more than ecstatic for the hug.
"Now you can teach me! Your father will be glad to hear!" I thought back to the book I read last night. I thought for a second and said,
"Only you, and my father shall know." She looked quizzical and asked me why.
"But, Thallon, why only us. That does not make any sense. I don't see why others cannot know?" I smiled and quoted the book,
"My enemies ignorance is my greatest wisdom." I smiled contently and she folded her arms and looked at me smugly.
"So I see you did some reading last night." I laughed a bit,
"Yes I did. If you are done always being superior I say let's move on to the next fort, huh?" I teased her and she smiled and gave me that look that says whatever and we left the fort. The day was warm and the sun was in and out of some clouds. The trees bent to the will of the wind, softly breezing through, lacing the air with a smell of earth and sweet pine. We made our way to the last of the 12 forts we were told to survey. It was only a few hours run from Fort Icerunner. So we ate some venison and drank some water and started to run.
We just past the side of a mountain when Fort Surge came into view. It was the most ancient of the forts we had been through. It stood a sentinel if the mountain pass. Of the 11 we surveyed 8 of them were friendly. I had a feeling this one would be too. Before coming into eyesight of any scouts we went behind some trees and came up with a plan.
"If I come through the front and ask for some directions from a scout, that will give you enough time to scale the mountain and enter through the back. If I deem the fort as a friendly I will shoot a fireball into the sky, if it is an enemy of our cause I will release lighting into the sky, that is when you come through and we wipe them out as we previously have." Netoria nodded her head and started up the mountain, before she got too far she spoke,
"Thallon, you are becoming quite the strategist." I nodded and she went on her way. I walked a few minutes along the path and before I came to far from the entrance someone shouted,
"Halt! Citizen you are entering a military zone, state your business or leave immediately!" I cleared my throat and yelled back,
"I mean no offense, I am General Ilthruyn's son, Thallon! I come to speak with my father!" The man paused and said,
"Come forth, Thallon." I walked up to the gate, "Your father does not reside here. Although we did get a message saying in a week we are to travel to Skywatch from him. If you would like, we could escort you back." He motioned for the gates to be opened and I walked in. He came down off of the lookout and greeted me with a handshake.
"Thank you for your offer, but I was actually sent to test your loyalty. I see you are good men. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity. The Thalmor have breached our ranks and seek to topple us from the inside." He nodded affirmingly,
"Yes, sadly I know this. I had a man last week make an attempt on my life yelling something about an awakening. Go. Tell your father Fort Surge stands ready at his command. Aurie-El protect you." I nodded and shot a fireball in the sky. A moment later Netoria was standing outside the front gate. I left with her and we started on our way back to Skywatch.
We arrived back in Skywatch by the falling of night. My body was worn out from the week and needed a rest badly. We went inside and briefed my father on the forts. Then after exchanging some loving words he asked if I wanted to share dinner with him, knowing how much it would mean to him, I accepted. So he walked us into the dining room and it was breathtaking. There was silver dinnerware and there was all sorts of dinners and desserts. I was very glad I chose this.
As we all take our seats a gentleman is going around asking for drinks that we want. I was listening to others to hear the types of wine they had. The one that caught my attention was Cyrodilic Brandy. So as the man came up to me, I decided I would try that.
"Sir, what can I get you to drink tonight?"
"Cyrodilic Brandy please and thank you sir."
He nodded and marked something in his book and continued on. My father took note of my choice and asked me on it.
"So, you are a brandy man?" He smiled.
"I am about to find out!" We both laughed.
People started up about a hundred different conversations. I heard bits and pieces about Thalmor, about the Dovahkiin, even thought I heard something about me. It was a chaotic good. Everyone was in high spirits. Speaking of spirits, I really enjoyed the brandy, guess I'm a brandy man. As I looked around the room, I noticed no Netoria. I got up, and told my dad I would be right back. I went looking around the whole castle and couldn't find her. I went and checked one of the balconies and sure as day, she was sitting on the edge. Looking out into the world with a dismal expression and wandering eyes.
"You know I have the senses of a trained marksman right?" I said teasingly. She laughed and looked at me.
"And you know I know when something is off. Right now, I am feeling that, what is going on?" She shifted her gaze back to the world and sighed.
"Nothing, I am fine Thallon." She gave me a smile to try and reassure me, it didn't work.
"If nothing is wrong then why are you up here?"
"Because," she said, "I cannot go eat in front of everyone, no one can know my identity." I felt like an ass. I didn't even think about that. Well if she couldn't go down there, then I was bring the food to her. I raised my finger,
"Give me one second!"
I started running off. I went down and grabbed a mountain of food on one plate and a whole bottle of brandy and I went back up to the balcony. She was still up on the ledge when I came back up. I set the plate on the stone ledge and set the bottle down next to it. She looked down at it and smiled,
"Thallon, you didn't have to do that."
"I know I didn't, I wanted to," I handed the plate to her and she got down from the ledge and started eating, "Enjoy Netoria."
I smiled the whole time she ate. I was really falling for her. I could not help myself! She was slender and strong, quick and agile, smart and tenacious, plus her looks! Her beauty rivaled that of a goddess. Her light brown hair laid on her shoulders and caressed her face. Her green eyes could split the heavens with a gaze. In the midst of my admiration of her she started talking,
"So, you bring me food and some very nice drink, what next Mr. Chivalry?"
I was blushing too much, I had to look away. I don't know how she got to me so easily. I thought quick and responded,
"Well the only thing you can do after a weeks worth of running and purging the Elven Army. Drink some more and then drink so much, the brandy starts making the choices." We both laughed and she set down her fork on the plate, I went and grabbed them and was turning around to go put them in the kitchen when she stopped me.
"Thallon, thank you for everything you have done for me. We make a good team, I think." She pulls me in and gives me a kiss on the cheek. I smile from ear to ear,
"I think we make the best team."
I brought the dishes downstairs and went and told my father goodnight. He said we have a council meeting at 8, and to be there by 7:55 just to be sure. I acknowledge him and went to the balcony. Netoria was gone, my heart sank a bit but I knew it was late and we needed our rest. I was feeling tired so I decided to go back to my sleeping quarter and go to bed. I dressed into my sleepwear and got into the bed. Something felt off. I felt like I was being watched. My bow was under the bed along with 5 arrows. I rolled out of bed grabbed the bow and had the arrow notched and aimed at the door. A figure walks into the doorway and I draw the bow back. It was Netoria! I didn't recognize her in her sleeping gown. She walked up to me and pushed my bow down,
"I see you do have the senses of a trained marksman." She smiles shyly and nudges me to the bed. I set the bow back under the bed and get into the bed. She gets under the covers with me and rests her head on my chest and is asleep within the minute. I felt so happy in that moment. I placed my hand on her back and fell asleep before I knew it.
"Thallon, sir, it is 7:30. Your father requested you to be up and ready. There is the meeting at 8, remember?"
The squeaky voice of the steward woke us up. I acknowledge him and get out of the bed. He leaves the room and I change into my armor as slowly and as quietly as I possibly could. After I got my set on I look back and Netoria is just staring at me. I felt extremely embarrassed,
"How much did you see?" I asked not really wanting the answer.
"Enough to know I like it." She gets up and kisses me and leaves the room through the window. I finish getting ready and head out. I am walking to the room when Netoria came out of nowhere. We both were dressed in our armor and we entered the room. There was the whole entire council from the Oculus Infinite. Even councilman Filitian. We took our seats and the Emperor walked in. She took her seat and a man read off some court orders and there was a bunch of numbers and confusing terms. Then the emperor spoke,
"Council members, we are joined today by the General's son Thallon and by the Dovahkiin himself."
The council grew quiet and then one member spoke up.
"Dragonborn. In this council? Emperor I have always been a faithful follower and supporter of you, but unless we are here to bring him to justice, I don't know why he is here." There was a bunch of murmurs and a bunch of yes's from a few members. I shifted in my seat. My father stood up and looked at that particular member and spoke,
"We are facing the greatest threat that all of Tamriel has ever faced. Tell me council member, who did we lean on when we faced such a threat a decade ago when the Dragons were tearing Skyrim apart, in the middle of a civil war? The Dovahkiin. He stopped the civil war, then on top of that, almost single handedly, killed the very Dragons that threatened all of Tamriel. So now, we face a threat of equal or possible even greater weight. The Thalmor have something big planned and the only people who have made a chunk of headway in progress of saving this land, is the Dovahkiin and Thallon. We, the council, have yet to do any single thing that actually could help us win this war. So if you are unable to stand being in the same council as the Dovahkiin, then councilman we have a door and you should feel free to use it anytime."
My father looked across the whole council. No one budged. All eyes were fixed on him and he nodded his head and sat down. The Netoria stood up and the eyes shifted from my father and turned to her. In her deep and guttural voice she spoke,
"I am the Dovahkiin. I have had to make choices that made me look as if I am your enemy. I am here now only because our causes align. I have been hunting this threat for years and I have tracked it to here. There is a threat greater than the Thalmor. They believe that they can control this threat and use it as a weapon to take over all of Tamriel. There is something that takes form of a human in their possession. Jyggalag is here in the Summerset Isles. Has been for some time. He is new and had been betrayed by the other Daedric Princes, but now he has had time to plan and has the backing of several princes. Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon, and Boethiah are all working with him. This isn't just a threat, this is the apocalypse if we do not stand united."
A cold air ran through my body. I had no idea about any of this. Every single person in the room was sitting with their jaws open. Frozen with fear. Netoria sat down and there was a minute of complete silence. The Emperor stood up and cleared her throat before speaking,
"We are in grave danger. We must stop this before they can complete the awakening. From an inside source Amnos, we have discovered that the plan is to awaken these Daedric Princes and bring them to this realm and side with them and bring this world down and rise up every plane of Oblivion that exists and tear this world apart. We have a plan, but it requires every councilman to hold strong and work together. We have word that the Champion of Cyrodiil is still alive. He resides in the Priory of the Nine. He has enclosed himself in and no one has seen him leave in over 100 years. We are going to send the Dovahkiin in there with Thallon and they are going to get him to side with us and he will join our cause. The Thalmor has their Daedric Princes, we have our equal to those evil beings, we have our champions."
There were a bunch of hushed whispers and faces of awe. I was numb by all of this information. It felt like a dream. How am I going to help? I am not anyone special, I am a simple Altmer, how am I going to stop a group of Daedric Princes?! The details were hammered out but I couldn't really focus on them. I was so numb. My ears were ringing. I felt sick.
After the meeting everyone left and my father came up to me.
"Thallon, I know this is a lot, I cannot express how much I love you and have all the faith in the world. You must leave now. Time is our greatest enemy right now. Son, you are an Eljeon, a fighter from blood. Do our family proud and save this world."
"Father...I don't know how I am going to stop this? I am not even an expert, as you said yourself!"
"Son, I lied to you when I told you that Altmers sometimes lose the ability to cast spells. There is a prophecy stating the Altmer who loses then finds his spirit will be able to cast spells unknown to any man before him. You are that one. You are just as critical to saving this world as the Dovahkiin and the champion of Cyrodiil."
I couldn't believe it. I couldn't tell if he was just trying to make me feel better. Why wouldn't he have told me before? He hugged me and I saw a tear drop from his eye and glisten down his face. This was all surreal to me. Before I could say anything Netoria grabbed my hand and we walked through the main doors.
As we made our way across the bridge the cold wind seemed to bite at me harder and I felt sick. I was still trying to wrap my head around all of this. None of it made any sense. How was the Champion of Cyrodiil still alive?! Netoria saw the confusion on my face and said,
"This world we live in, it isn't what anyone thinks. It's dark and twisted. The distance between realms and planes is a lot closer than anyone thinks. I have bended time and seen things from the past. The champion of Cyrodiil has been through over 50+ planes of oblivion they say. I know you are having doubts and have plenty of questions. Many I don't have the answer too. Just know Thallon, the gods have a plan for us."
Her words had a comfort to them. I felt a bit better and focused my mind on the trip we had ahead of us. As we made our way to the docks, I already caught myself missing home. We walked up to a big boat and a bunch of people were bustling to and from. The noise was a lot compared to what I am used to. There were birds squawking and men yelling about some shipments. I walked up to a raggedy sailor and asked for the captain,
"Excuse me sir, but we are looking for passage to Cyrodiil and are willing to pay for the travel." He kind of smiled and looked down at me,
"Well it just so happens I am the captain o' this nice vessel. Her name is the Sea's Jewell and she is quite the boat. If you are looking for passage to Cyrodiil that would be 100 septims each." He smiled and chuckled.
Netoria opened her bag and grabbed a coin purse. She plopped it on his hand and coldy said.
"Here is 300 septims, I would also like nice bunk and plenty of ale."
He was taken back and opened the coin purse. His jaw dropped slightly.
"Absolutely, good sir, may I ask why you need to travel such a way?"
"No, you may not. Know that we are not fugitives but have an important quest we are set upon." Netoria said. He nodded and motioned for us to follow. We walked up the wooden stairs and the salty air made me think of home again. We followed him inside the cabin and he set us up with a musty room. The bed was a bit shaggy but I was sure this was the best they could offer us. We thanked him and he closed the door behind him. We took off our armor and slipped into something more comfortable. As soon as we hit the bed we were asleep.
We awoke to the sound of a huge crash and a bunch of yelling. Everyone sounded panicked. I looked at Netoria and she sprung out of bed and started throwing on armor. So I grabbed my armor too and started to put it on. We got our armor on and ran out of the room. A man sprinted past us yelling,
"We have been boarded all hands on deck now!"
We ran behind him and we got to the deck. There was a ship next to ours and men were jumping over and attacking the crew. Netoria shouted something but before I could even hear it time almost seemed to freeze. She drew her bow and I was turning my head trying to see the men attacking us and an arrow slowly sprung and I watched it whip into his chest and his body slipped over the edge. Another arrow was set loose and it struck a man in his leg and stuck him to the ledge of the ship. Time came back to us and everyone looked up at us. They were all staring in awe. It was so silent you could hear the waves rocking against the boat. Before anyone could blink. Netoria shot an attacker and he flung backwards and slumped over. I raised my bow and shot a man in his head and he fell backwards. There were only 6 left. They started to panic and were trying to get back to their boat. By the time it was over there was one left and he was steering his boat and I raised my bow and aimed. He turned hard but I released before he could flip the boat around and it struck his back and he yelled and slipped down over the ship wheel. The captain came up to us and was out of breath,
"You- Sorry, You both sav-saved us. We have had problems with them before but I doubt we will now," he paused, "Thank you. Anytime you need passage the Sea's Jewell will humbly be of service."
"Of course, sir. We will need passage back to the Summerset Isle, so please take port at Anvil and we will return as swiftly as we can." Netoria said.
"I will wait as long as it takes." We returned the our cabin and took off our armor. Neither one of us spoke. I think the seriousness of our situation was hitting both of us. For the remainder of the night we sat there, in the dark, steeled away in our thoughts.
The morning came roughly, I awoke feeling cold and sore and I went out of the cabin and leaned against the railing. The wind lifted my hair from my shoulders and whipped across my face. The smell of the ocean calmed me and I felt myself starting to warm up. The sun was skipping across the waves and dancing through the horizon. I turned around and shifted my weight against the railing. The crew were going about their morning routine, everyone was carrying boxes and bobbing their heads to the soft lute being played by the ships bard. If it wasn't for such dire circumstances this would a very serene trip for me but, I knew, deep down, this was my destiny. For the first time since I left my house I felt at home. Maybe it was the sea calling to me, or the sound of soft music wisping through the boat. All I knew was that I was ready. I am ready, ready for anything. Ready to do what it takes to win, to save my family and my friends, and by the gods save Tamriel as we know it. Netoria walked up to me in her armor and leaned against the pole,
"Today is the day we make port at Anvil and head North-East for the Priory of the Nine."
Her voice still distorted.
"Today is the day we meet the Champion of Cyrodiil. What an honor." I stood up straight and looked out to sea, seeing but a glimpse of land, from the corner of my eye I saw her looking at me. So I spoke up,
"It is, as what meeting the Dovahkiin, now we must all work together to defeat Daedric Princes, but you know what? I don't feel fear, Netoria, I feel courage. I feel like a thousand men could not stand in our way."
She looked out to sea then back at me,
"Thallon, that feeling you are feeling right now is the same feeling I felt when I stood before Alduin almost a decade ago. You are feeling the gods strength course through your very veins. Fear is not among them. I am going back to the cabin, I do not need to burden myself with this armor before I journey truly begins."
I smiled at her and she went back into the cabin. I stood out on the deck and enjoyed the air, watching as the land grew closer and the lighthouse drew us closer to port. Today, I will take the first step to truly finding my destiny. Finding what the gods have in store for Thallon Eljeon.