The Heart of a Daedra

By The Grey Knight

Chapter 22:

Back in the Blue Palace, things were going a lot better for Sjern than they had mere minutes beforehand. He now accepted Serana's choice to try and find the cure and while he was still hurt by her departure, he felt he had made a friend in losing one. The Nord, Marcus, had brought him inside and apologised for the time it had taken for them to return. No one really seemed to mind and all warmly welcomed Sjern. Within minutes, Jar'mey was officially crowned High King of Skyrim and the mead was broken out. Sjern noticed that Shadowfang, Infernus and Zacharias clearly knew something was up, especially with the absence of Serana, but thankfully none pressed him for details. Instead, Jarl Black-Briar walked over to him.

"Greetings Dragonborn, it has been a while." The Jarl of Riften commented.

Bowing in respect to the powerful Jarl, Sjern greeted her in return.

"Jarl Black-Briar, always a great pleasure. I hope business still goes well."

The Jarl's eyes flashed mischievously.

"Indeed it is mighty Dragonborn." She leaned in close and whispered in his ear. "Of course you know why, don't you?"

Nodding, a small smile on his lips, Sjern knew all about Maven's dealings with the Thieves' Guild and the Dark Brotherhood. As corrupt as it might have looked, she never hurt any small time businesses, and the one competitor she did put out of business through illegal means was being funded by the traitor, Mercer Frey.

"I trust you are in good health nonetheless Dragonborn?" The raven-haired Jarl asked him.

"Aye, as good of health that any adventurer could be Ma'am. What think you of the unification of Skyrim?"

The Jarl smiled once again, sipping at her mead.

"As surprising as this may sound Dragonborn, I cared not for the War. My only thoughts are business and my Hold. However, this rumoured Daedric War seems to be bad for business so I, along with the other Jarls will indeed be how would you put it? Suiting up is it? Yes I quite like that. We will be suiting up alongside everyone else in Skyrim to help repel this evil force."

Sjern nodded. He knew the Jarls would have to enter the fray during the Daedric War, a show of leadership on a more local level for the soldiers. He also knew that they would be wearing the same armour as the rest of the army of Skyrim so as to not rank them higher than others on a battlefield. In fact, one of Jar'mey's first orders of business as High King would be to select the armour that his land's army would be wearing in the upcoming battle.

Sjern bade Jarl Black-Briar farewell and walked over to his friends, who were clustered in a corner. Only Shadowfang and Marcus had drinks in their hands, Infernus and Knight Zacharias merely stood beside them.

"I don't expect a Knight to drink but I will not ignore common courtesy and still offer a drink to you. Will you accept?"

Zacharias simply shook his head.

"No Dragonborn, I have no interest in the partaking of inebriating liquids. However, I do appreciate the offer. Not many would have done that."

Accepting his response, Sjern turned to Infernus who beat him to the punch.

"I'm fine too Dragonborn. I like to keep my wits about me just in case-"

He was cut off by a courier sprinting in at full pelt, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"OBLIVION GATE OUTSIDE OF SOLITUDE! OBLIVION GATE OUTSIDE OF SOLITUDE!"

For a moment, a split second, there was silence. Then, chaos erupted. The Jarls began shouting and running around mindlessly. The courier had sat down on a bench and begun to cry. Sjern's eyes found Jar'mey, who was already on his way down the steps from the throne of Solitude.

"Dragonborn!" He called over to Sjern. "Ever taken down an Oblivion Gate?"

Sjern shook his head as he and the others, Marcus included, made their way over to the door.

"Well you're about to learn first hand how to do it!" Jar'mey roared over the commotion.

Following the Champion closely, Sjern began to doubt himself. He had traversed Sovngarde, stormed Castle Volikhar and made his way through Apocrypha but he had never taken an Oblivion Gate. By the Nine he'd never even laid eyes on one.

When they reached the Winking Skeever, Jar'mey took off at a run towards the main gate, Sjern following closely behind, Infernus and Shadowfang running alongside him and Marcus and Knight Zacharias bringing up the rear.

What greeted them outside the gate of Solitude, was a colossal demonic portal with five Dremora standing guard outside of it. Expecting Jar'mey to slow and approach cautiously, Sjern slowed himself to a forward strafe, his friends doing the same. The High King however, had other ideas. Drawing both Warmonger and the Sword of the Crusader, the powerful Orc picked up speed and attacked the Dremora with such ferocity that Sjern almost pitied them. Within seconds, three severed Dremora heads and five lifeless bodies surrounded the Champion. Just as he was about to call Sjern over, the Oblivion Gate portal began to change colour. Going from a demonic red/orange to a bright green, Sjern knew, despite his lack of experience with them, that this was no regular occurrence. To everyone's surprise, a booming voice came from the portal itself.

"THIS GATE IS BUT ONE OF MANY THAT WILL BREACH YOUR WORLD! NOT EVEN THE HERO OF KVATCH AND VANQUISHER OF MY OWN KIN SHALL BE ABLE TO PREVENT IT! YOU RAISE AN ARMY TO DEFEND YOUR LANDS AND THINK YOURSELVES UNBEATABLE WITH THE DOVAHKIIN ON YOUR SIDE? BUT THE DOVAHKIIN IS BUT A MAN AND NOTHING MORE! LIKE ALL MEN, HE CAN BE CORRUPTED! WATCH, PEOPLE OF SKYRIM, WATCH AS YOUR MIGHTIEST FALLS TO MY POWER!"

Knowing this couldn't be good, Sjern drew BattleSong and waited for some horrible creature to burst out from the portal. Instead, however, the portal began to shake and the green turned an even darker shade. Without warning, a powerful sphere of pure energy, shot from the Oblivion Gate and caught Sjern right in the centre of his chest. Dropping to his knees, BattleSong wrenched from his grip, Sjern could feel a dark presence try to break through his mind.

'Give in Dragonborn. You cannot stop this from happening, but you can join us. You can rule over Skyrim, Cyrodil or anywhere that you wish alongside the Daughter of Coldharbour! She can be your Queen and you a mighty King! Imagine it Dragonborn! A world shaped to your own whims! All of this can come to pass if you just slay the Orc! Slay the Orc Dragonborn and know true power!'

Sjern would have been lying if he said the offer was not tempting to him. Not the aspect of ruling so much as having Serana by his side with no one to bother them. He was almost inclined to take up BattleSong and attack Jar'mey when a small voice spoke to him softly.

'That is not who you are Sjern! You vowed to defend Skyrim with your dying breath, not rule over it with a monster.' The voice slowly began to get louder in his head, gaining dominance over the harsher, Daedric voice.

'You promised yourself that you would protect Serana! Do you think she would want anything to do with you after you gave in to the Daedra? She'd rather die than be seen ruling by your side as a traitor! Do you think a woman, as powerful and beautiful as her, would be seen in the company of a monster? Of course you don't, it isn't you considering this, is it Sjern? It's the Daedra! Well fight it then! If not for your own sake, or for Skyrim's then for Serana's sake, fight it! COME ON SJERN! FIGHT IT!'

With a roar of anguish, anger and pain all mixed into one, Sjern seized BattleSong, drew his arm back and launched Aela's old blade at the Oblivion Gate. The blade stuck in the frame of the Gate, causing a large fracture to appear. Taking the opportunity presented to him, Jar'mey raised both of his fabled blades and jammed them into the same fracture, widening it even further. Ripping all three blades out simultaneously, the Orc cried over to Infernus.

"BLAST THAT THING WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT FIRE MAGE!"

Nodding confidently, Infernus began to run forward, both of his hands engulfed in the silver flames. Right behind him, raising Chillrend, was Shadowfang. Before either could make it to the portal first however, a single exploding crossbow bolt struck then fracture and left an even wider scar on the Gate. Jumping through the air, over Infernus' head, Shadowfang landed in front of the Listener, swung Chillrend horizontally and sliced the crack wide open. Moving out of the way, she watched as the Breton thrust both of his hands over the fracture and roared powerfully. There was a huge blast of flames, a loud scream of pain and then it was over.

Infernus was still stood, both his hands outstretched as they had been seconds before, Shadowfang was on her back but seemed to be alright and Jar'mey was crouching behind his Shield, clearly knowing the destruction caused by a destroyed Oblivion Gate. Standing up straight, Jar'mey sheathed both his weapons before picking up BattleSong, walking over to Sjern and holding it out to him.

"They once called me Bane of the Daedra, Dragonborn, because I entered an Oblivion Gate and removed its source of power, the Sigil Stone. They would be a lot wiser to give you that title now. I could hear him trying to corrode your mind. I could hear his arguments that would have enticed a lesser man. We all could. I was sure I was in for a fight with the Dragonborn when I heard him order you to slay me. What none of us heard was how you fought him off." Helping Sjern up, the High King handed him his blade.

"A true warrior, Dragonborn, is one who is just as sharp with a blade as he is with his mind. You were stronger this very day, than I have ever been in my two hundred years and over time in Tamriel. You may not know it, but you have proven that the will to defend Skyrim is unbreakable in you and that is the most powerful weapon you could possibly wield."

Sjern nodded, his head still ringing from the intrusion on his mind. He knew the voice that had saved him from the Secluded One, every Nord knew it very well indeed. If he was not mistaken, it was the voice of Tiber Septim, or Talos, the Ninth Divine. Why he had defended Sjern's mind rather than tear down the Gate confounded Sjern but he was grateful nonetheless.

'Thank you Lord Talos, your aid may have salvaged our chances.' Sjern prayed silently.

"Come Dragonborn, we have a lot of work to do and very little time to do it in." Jar'mey urged, clapping Sjern on the back. "You can rest for the day if you wish. Tomorrow, we start planning our defences."

Alright, pretty happy with this chapter. Again not too much action but they destroyed an Oblivion Gate and Sjern seems to have Talos on his side. Next chapter should be up within the next few days so keep an eye out guys! Thank you once again to Romancehowler, Raex, WolFang1011, Speedster101 and Dragonswoe for their OC's. If I left anyone out by accident I apologise and thank you so much to you too. Hope you enjoyed this chapter guys! Talos guide you all! Peace J