9 Sun's Dusk, 3E426

I awoke to the sound of my cell door being opened and my name being called. The guard led me down to the main hall of the Legion fort, and there I found waiting for me Athyn Sarethi. It was explained to me that I was being released. He had paid and negotiated my way out for me. On the walk back to Ald'ruhn I offered to pay him back but he told me to consider us even now. I'd freed his son, and he'd freed me. He did have something else for me, however. Before I went back to the inn to retrieve the things I'd had to leave behind at the time of arrest, he placed a stack of papers in my hand- the votes of all the Redoran councilors, even the ones I had not personally met, all except the Archmaster himself.

Athyn went back to his family, and I went to prepare myself to meet with Bolvyn Venim. I washed out the stench of prison, had a decent meal, and put on my full armor and all the old talismans and ceremonial robe. Nothing less than the full Nerevarine regalia would do. This man was the last obstacle standing between me and a Vvardenfell united under the Moon-and-Star. The fourth and fifth trials must be completed.

I entered the manor with my hand on my sword-hilt and my chin held high, in spite of my fear. My body language advertised that I knew I was not welcome but did not very well care. And unwelcome I certainly was. One of the attendants stood in my way with a hateful look on his face. Bowing my head respectfully for a brief moment I then addressed him just as I would a noble, saying that I would see Bolvyn Venim. He tried to tell me no. My reply was that I did not ask, I stated, and allowed my hand to fidget on the hilt. I heard the whole room shuffle as if they were collectively finding their own weapons, but nothing more than that... good, I thought, I have them nervous. The man moved out of my way after that, but the hostility in his expression didn't fade.

Venim was expecting me, as was quite obvious. He seemed livid, barely holding it in when I entered the room, introduced myself as graciously as I could (partially for the mischief of it, I confess) and handed him the votes from the other councilors. The Archmaster was silent as he looked each one over... and then threw them on the ground. "I don't care what you did to trick them, but it won't work on me." He crossed his arms sternly. "This has gone far enough. I will not see an Outlander and a heretic named Hortator of this House." I was then treated to a several-minute rant about how House Redoran had kept its traditions in spite of the Empire's 'constant meddling'. I tried to explain that I had not much love for the Empire myself, that I had no choice in my birth... but he wasn't listening, talking over me, interrupting, rude and stubborn.

Finally, once it seemed he'd run out of words for a few moments, I said I would do anything I had to in order to be named Hortator and fulfill the prophecy and if he would not work with me, he was an obstacle. I heard some scraping of steel then and saw Bolvyn Venim signal to someone behind me to halt, most certainly one of his bodyguards. "Then we settle this the old way," he said. "You and I meet in the Arena in Vivec within the next week. If you flee then your claim is forfeit. The fight is not over until one of us lies dead."

I bowed graciously, "May the best warrior emerge victorious."

10 Sun's Dusk, 3E426

Since I had entire week to choose when I would be forced to fight and shed more honorable blood in the name of prophecy, I took one of these days as a full vacation. I made my way south to Pelagiad eagerly, seeing my favorite bandit foremost on my mind.

Nels found me instead, a bit before I entered town, and I noticed he had actually pierced his own ear to put in the earring I had left in his hand after our last meeting. Much to my surprise he ran up and embraced me, and I let myself return the gesture. I told him where I was going and why, he seemed impressed. He would attend the duel himself, he explained, if he wasn't in some law trouble in Vivec. I laughed, unsurprised, but said he'd probably know within hours how it had gone.

We spent the day mostly in the tavern itself, where he taught me how to play a gambling game involving dice and addition that I'm still not sure I understand well. Crafty fetcher won about a hundred pieces of my gold before it was all said and done, and what few rounds I did win only served to reduce that amount by a bit. Not being terribly attached to wealth, I don't mind, and I was having too much fun to care. I then challenged him to something I was good at: arm wrestling. Nels may be quicker than me and smarter than me, but when it comes to pure strength I have him completely outdone.

Since he's won so much of my gold I'm making him cover the room tonight, seeing if we can't get the same one we had on our last lovely meeting. I must remember to take it easy on the liquor this time if I hope to be in fighting shape tomorrow.

11 Sun's Dusk, 3E426

As I promised Nels, I woke him up when I was preparing to leave rather than just letting him sleep. We dressed and he walked with me until I reached the edge of town, yawning the whole way... I do not think he's used to getting up before dawn. Just after we'd said our farewells he snapped his fingers and bade me to wait just a moment. He sped back to the inn and then darted back to me with something in his hand, cursing himself for nearly forgetting.

It was an earring, a smooth loop made of pure Ebony with a band of gold across the center. Simplistic in design but formed of one of the rarest, finest materials known to mortals. Immediately I put it in the empty space made by the one I'd given him, having to force and bleed it a bit to do so. On impulse I embraced him in thanks, and then let him go back to the tavern and doubtlessly crawl back into bed.

It does the soul good to take a break like that, indulge in fun and games and good company, so I didn't feel quite as grim as I expected on the road to Vivec. Venim and his people had already arrived by silt-strider, or so said the Arena master, and if I was ready to announce my arrival then the duel could be arranged to take place in the Arena in three hours. That was long enough to prepare myself.

I was shown into a small training room and left to my own devices to get ready. Since I was in Vivec where Imperial goods are more easily found, I paid one of the arena attendants to go and procure for me some roast boar and fruit, which he tracked down within the hour. I tipped him well enough to buy a week's worth of food, and while stammering he ensured me that if I needed anything else I would have it.

It was a very, very long three hours. I ate every scrap of the hearty food and practiced a few swings, ran through a few maneuvers, and then sat down to meditate. There was a constant sound, one I couldn't identify until it got louder, which it gradually did the entire time. It was a crowd. People were gathering in the balconies above the arena floor. Word of the duel had spread like a wildfire. The two fighters and the things we represent make this conflict bigger than just myself and Venim. Temple-faithful traditionalist Archmaster of House Redoran faces down the Imperial-born heretic Dunmer woman who claims to be Nerevar reborn. Who wouldn't want to see it?

After what seemed like far more than three hours a knock came at the door. It was time. I was led up to a doorway that opened into the dirt-covered arena pit. Bolvyn Venim was already standing out there, clad in full Ebony armor and holding a nasty-looking sword in both hands. I began my own walk into the center. People were shoulder-to-shoulder and crowding each other to see down, but were oddly quiet as soon as both challengers were in the ring. Looking up briefly I could see some of the other Redoran councilors, including Sarethi, were here. I spotted a few of the Hlaalu as well, probably attending out of curiosity. He put out his blade, and I raised mine, tapped the swords together to signal the start of the fight and we both scrambled back right after for space.

We circled for a few moments and sized up each other's stance and movements. Venim struck first, swinging at me from the left. I backed out of range and he came at me from the other side. Dodging again I got around to the side of him and knocked him off-balance with my shield. He made a very fast recovery, lowering his blade and rushing at me in a thrust. I parried, sidestepped and he did it again, I was forced to block this time because I got a little too close to the arena wall but I took the moment I had afterward to back-step a little ways back toward the center. Neither of us were really putting any fight into it yet, cautiously testing one another, warming up our skills and growing accustomed to our opponent. Deciding it was my turn I brought my sword upon him in a downward swing, which he blocked with his own blade, and he did the same with swings from either side. When I came at him low he parried, quite easily in fact because his sword was so much heavier than my own. What I also began to notice was how slow this made his swings in comparison to mine. Compounded with the fact that he was larger and older than myself, I was starting to see where my advantage lay.

Bolvyn was tired of toying around now. His swings actually started to have real force behind them, and one that struck my shield hit so hard I felt myself sink into the dirt a little. I got serious too, but put most of my energy into just keeping out of range, dancing in and out of the range of his deadly blade, going for low strikes when I could. First blood was not my honor to claim in this fight. One of the Archmaster's strikes broke a piece of my armor and the blade dragged across my arm when he pulled it back, leaving a nasty gash. This got me determined to strike back and I went on the offensive, forcing him to keep blocking and moving back until I saw a small opening where the breastplate and pauldron of his armor connected. I gave him a chance to swing, raising my shield to meet it and lunging forward to stick the tip of my blade deep into the shoulder of his dominant arm, yanking it back.

He started to get angry after that, which eventually would only hurt him but for the time being gave him some added vigor. Venim came down upon me with a vicious two-handed downward strike and I raised my shield to block it, the force of it enough to nearly knock me down. With a jolt of severe pain I felt the bones in my wrist snap and give way. My shield buckled. I threw myself to the side, scrambling back to my feet, my shield rather limply hanging on my arm in a telltale manner. He didn't give me much time to contemplate how bad it was, coming at me again with a side-swing. I blocked it but this sent another bolt of pain down my entire body and my arm could barely hold the shield up like this.

I couldn't rely on it. I had to start relying on agility and avoidance and parries to keep that sword from chopping up my armor any more. Since it was little more than dead weight causing me unnecessary pain now I pulled the shield off my arm and let it fall into the dirt. Much to my surprise, however, Venim didn't charge again, standing up straight and tapping his sword two times in the dirt. The signal for a time-out. I nodded and repeated the gesture in acknowledgement.

A handful of his people poured out of the doorway on the opposite side and he went over to them, accepting a water-skin and listening to them advise him. All I had was the attendant I had paid earlier, but he was very encouraging, bringing me water and wine and tending the gash in my arm. I had him wrap up my wrist tight with bandages but not splint it yet: it might hurt horribly but I may still need to move it. I downed my glass of wine in a single go to help ease the pain, got plenty of water and poured the rest over my face for the sheer refreshment of it. I refused when I was offered a lighter replacement shield; anything flimsier than the hunk of dwemer metal I carry around would just break under his powerful strikes. I was better off just fighting without the extra weight.

The respite was only a few minutes before I saw Bolvyn Venim marching haughtily into the center of the ring again, and I went out to meet him. We tapped swords and the fight resumed. Right away I barely dodged a swing that would've taken my head off and resumed the dance of staying just out of his range. The only problem with this was that my sword didn't have anywhere close to the range of his, so I was hard-pressed to even get a swing in. He dealt another strong blow and I blocked with my own blade, but he kept up the pressure, perhaps hoping to break my other wrist too. I was forced down to a knee and it was not looking very good, but then I saw an opening.

Throwing myself against the ground I rolled away from the attack, and before he could stab at me while I was down there I put my sword right into the vulnerable point of his armor in the back of the knee. He dropped his blade and I pulled it away, kicking it behind me as I pulled myself back to my feet. The Archmaster fell to his knees as I reclaimed my sword from his flesh, and I set it against his throat. He glared at me hatefully. "It's a duel to the death." Venim's voice was low, growling. "What are you waiting for, you s'wit?" I sighed.

"If that's what you want," I said, and then with a clean swing I put an end to it. Still catching my breath and covered in dirt, my dented-up armor now splattered with the Archmaster's blood, I looked up at the gathered crowd. No cheers, or jeers, just stunned silence. I then just turned my attention forward and marched back out of the pit to go have a wash.

Athyn Sarethi was waiting for me as I walked out with a ring which, like the belt from House Hlaalu and the robe from House Telvanni, serve as a symbol of my new station. So completes the fourth and fifth trials. I tried to dismiss myself but as soon as we opened the door there stood a woman in Temple robes, regarding me coldly. She handed me a package and left without speaking a single word.

The letter inside was long and worded superfluously indeed but the general idea seemed to be that the Archcanon of the Temple itself wishes to meet with me and inspect the validity of my claims. Perhaps by the support I have won I have left them with no choice but to consider it, or perhaps this is merely an elaborate trap. I will not go immediately, but I feel that I must at least give it a chance. I will be taking a scroll of Divine Intervention just in case.

But for now, I need to rest...