Chapter 17: King Of Worms
AN: Welcome back to The Old Kingdom. This is the last chapter of act 3! One important note, we will be going to Labyrinthian for part of this chapter, however, I want you to have a clean slate in mind regarding the interior. Meaning forget what you remember the inside of Labyrinthian looking like, I'm changing the interior to look like an old school dungeon from Daggerfall and those Mario/Zelda adventure games where you have to explore the castle. Also, Serana will appear very soon, and her and Stesha will finally meet!
*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*
Everyone was dead… Every thing was dead.
Stesha and Gwendal looked around the still intact city of Dawnstar. Nothing had been touched and the city seemed to be fine on a surface level. Big warehouses lining the coast and stone buildings made up the interior of the city, connected by gravel roads that made a soft crunch as one walked over them. Mines with piles of coal nearby. A big tower in the back where the Jarl resided. The city didn't seem like it had been attacked yet everyone was dead. The bodies of guardsmen lined the city streets. Dockworkers lay, decaying flesh peeling off their green skin with a pestilence oozing off them. The corpses of children outlining the playground. It smelled putrid. The sounds of seagulls and ravens cawing over the crashing waves of the rocky shore.
Seracles laughed at Stesha behind the eye of his mind. What happened here?
"Cover your mouth now!" Gwendal drew a face mask over his visage as Stesha pulled up his shirt to cover his nose. "We need to leave."
They shuffled away from the alabaster gate to Dawnstar and hiked up the hill toward the Flowery Forest. The sight of those dead kids scarred Stesha's soul as if he'd been stabbed in the gut.
He stared at the ground, speechless. Pink carnations bloomed from within the cracks of the stoned road, their interior swirling and singing as a few bees feasted on the nectar within. Buzzing and hopping from flower to flower. That was until the hornet came… Stesha sniffled and looked away as a moose trailed out onto the path before them.
"Oh, we're so dead." Gwendal audibly swallowed.
The moose was the size of a large horse, brown fur, and antlers big enough to make a Wood Elf blush. It reared its hooves at them and posed back, preparing to lunge. It was then they saw the hulking monstrosity lumbering toward them up the roadway.
"Aye boy, relax," called a giant.
The giant was pale white with an oblong crown and a beard, wearing brown sashes with slicked back greying hair. The height and width of three Nords at least.
The rumbling hulk came to a stop before his pet moose and lifted his hands in a placating gesture. "Worry not, my friends. Me and my friend mean you no harm. I am Svekolnik." The giant bent down and reached out a hand. "I lost Svelk here, my pet moose. I am grateful to you for finding him."
Stesha's heartbeat exploded but he still placed his hand in the palm of the giant and the titan shook it gently, repeating the action with Gwendal. Svekolnik had a deep, resounding voice yet it was gentle and friendly too. The gentle giant pet his moose and sat back down onto the snow, against a short stone fence.
"What brings you two manmer here, so far from your High Rock?" Svekolnik asked politely. Svelk the moose laid down near its owner like a trained dog.
"We-we came to learn magic, sir." Gwendal shifted his robes, scratching his chest.
"Sir? Nobody has called me that before!" Svekolnik chuckled. "You humans are interesting!"
The two Bretons shared scared glances, unsure of what to say evidently.
"May I accompany you on your journey? I can keep watch as a protector in order to repay you for finding Svelk," Svekolnik spoke slowly, announcing each syllable with a stretched vowel.
Stesha wasn't going to deny a giant. "Sure, Mister Svekolnik. You and Svelk can walk with us." He swallowed his fear and the quartet forwarded.
A mile past in silence, the only sound being Svekolnik's thumping boots on the soft snow and the occasional grazing of Svelk.
"What… what happened back there?" Stesha finally forced the words out. "In Dawnstar?"
Gwendal pulled down his face mask. "I have no idea. But I'm not sticking around to find out. Come on, we'll tell Savoss and Tolfdir when we get back. Right now, we have to get the staff and stop Mannimarco!"
"What staff are you searching for, friends?" Svekolnik's thick brows jaunted up as he lumbered on.
Gwendal went into explanation about their situation and the Staff of Magnus but the friendly giant didn't seem to understand as his only responses were either to nod his head, scratch his chin, or say, "hmm," in a long drawn out way.
Nonetheless, they pressed onward into the forest of giant flowers. There were no trees here, only monumental roses, lilies, chrysanthemums and more florets the size of trees. It was almost claustrophobic how many there were. Huge, towering flowers everywhere. Stesha jerked back when a few of the giant blossoms started walking around and talking to each other, and occasionally discuss pleasantries with Svekolnik as well. Some smaller flowerets the size of humans were dancing in a circle in a clearing while pink petals showered from the sky. Skyrim truly was the most unique, alien place on Tamriel. And this was only The Pale hold alone!
Stesha and Gwendal stopped a ways in, near where the forest transitioned into the Sea of Pink. Pink waterfalls fell from the clouds above and poured into the petal covered hills of northern Drekaholl. They found three stumps and took a seat. Gwendal moved his knapsack over his shoulder and tugged out some lembas bread, handing Stesha and Svekolnik a piece. The latter gratefully accepted and chewed away on the lemony nutriment as Gwendal brewed some coffee for them to drip their flour and sugar baked item in.
"Say, Gwendal," Stesha sniffed. "Tell me about your trip to Morrowind last year. What's it like and why did you go again exactly?"
Gwendal poured them all a cup of coffee, setting down the rusted pot. "Well, I went to increase my ability in magic. Morrowind's an alien land like Skyrim. Expect instead of snow it's covered in ash. The people there all greet each other with 'sera' and lobster is a divine cuisine."
"I have never heard of lobster being eaten in Morrowind," Svekolnik challenged the claim. "I suppose you do learn something new every day."
After they finished eating, the group packed up and set off up the trail outlined in pink petals, passing by some Dwarven ruins. A giant crater with gleaming bronze posts and monuments poking through the snowy soil. The duo lumbered on, cantering up towards a Nordic styled rise. Labyrinthian was huge, obelisks of old Atmora standing up as winds regaled the structures of the past; the ancient layout of Bromjunaar. They trailed up the massive steppingstones laid out before them, leading in towering succession to the circular entrance of the dragon priest sanctuary.
"Well, this is where we depart my Bretonian friends. Stay safe and drop by if you're in The Pale again." Waved Svekolnik and they waved back.
He was nice.
Stesha lift the torc and entered the primeval abode…
The start of the dungeon was a pastel room, made of smooth alabaster stone, dimly lit hallways lighting the path ahead. Stesha and Gwendal started down the narrow corridor coming into a room. The level design had piles of ashes and lampstands in corners as they progressed up a set of stairs, turning a corner and mimicking the path they were just on. A few large toadstools walked down the passageway as they moved on.
Finally, they came upon a flooded hall with stone platforms interspersed throughout. Electric eels swam through the pool of water below.
"We're gonna have to jump on the platforms and avoid the water," called Gwendal.
Stesha sprinted and jumped, landing carefully on the landing as Gwendal copied him. They skipped their way down the corridor until arriving at the end, which emptied into another hall. There was a well at the end. The boys jumped down it and it took them to another section of the dungeon. – The arrived in a snowy antechamber with giant stalactites made of ice hanging from the ceiling. Large frogs the size of children stood in their way, hopping around aimlessly.
Stesha and Gwendal dodged and weaved their way past the frogs and toads until they landed in the next room. Towering towers rose in succession over each other and there was simply no way up. The carpeting being composed of white snow.
"Hmm," thought Gwendal aloud. "Why don't we use the frogs to jump?"
"Good idea!" Stesha was enthused.
Gwendal tamed two large frogs with a calm spell and the boys each got onto one. They held the reigns and caused the amphibians to hop onto each tower, higher and higher until they got to the top level. Then they got off and exited into the tunnel ahead. - At last, they were in the main chamber. Several rises standing opposite each other made cool, dark stones. The trilling sound of water emanating from the corner and the smell of aged spices. Stesha rubbed his hand against the surface of the wall, feeling the bumpy, roughness of it.
The Dragon Priests, all eight of them were entombed in a sarcophagus open for all to see. Out in the center of the platform. Stesha stepped up and tried to pry the staff from their grip, as it was located in the center of them all, but it didn't budge.
"Let me try." Gwendal tried to wrest the staff from them and this time all eight dragon priests moved apart, allowing him to grab it. Their flowy robes shaking dust off and causing Stesha and Gwendal to cough.
"You are worthy," said the one known with the silver mask to Gwendal. "I am Morokei, and I judge you worthy of the Staff of Magnus."
A shocked look marred the bleached blond's face, and he bowed in honor. "Thank you."
The eight dragon priests resumed their entombed position, forming a circle around the pillar in their walk-in sarcophagus.
Stesha was a little annoyed as they headed out and made their way back to Winter Hold. Why is Gwendal worthy of the staff and yet I'm not? Am I just destined to be a sore loser? Hadvar and Gwendal had always outshined him in everything they did, and it was starting to wear on him.
The two arrived at the orb that would teleport them to the floating island the College resided on. All of the college was gathered in an assembly outside by the orb. J'zargo was pointing toward the school with frightened whiskers as a huge commotion was going on. Loud yells of protest erupting among the throng of students.
"The headmasters have forbidden these ones from entering! Mannimarco has launched an attack on the College!" J'zargo meowed.
Professor Phinis Gestor placed both of his palms upon Stesha and Gwendal's chest's as they tried to touch the orb. "And where do you think you two are going?"
"Sir, we have the Staff of Magnus!" Gwendal cried. "We were told by the Arch Mage to retrieve it in order to stop Mannimarco!" The Breton pulled the giant wand off his back and showcased it to the Bretic professor.
"I simply cannot endanger student lives—." Stesha took the staff and whacked Phinis across his bald head. Hushed murmurs circulated through the crowd as the conjuration teacher fell onto the snowy floor.
Gwendal took charge of the Staff of Dagon and they charged onwards, teleporting to the campus. Mannimarco was on his blue and white-scaled amphithere, floating around as Savoss and Tolfdir battled him back and forth. His snake struck at them, but they jumped out of the way. Stesha charged his hands with lightning bolts, the feeling of electricity crackling against his palms, sending several hurdling towards the serpent. Savoss blasted the flying snake back with a ward as Tolfdir levitated Mannimarco up off his steed and onto the ground. Gwendal shot at the giant snake with the staff and paralyzed it. It's lengthy form swooping over and lying facedown on the slates.
"Fools!" Mannimarco Galerion shouted. "I am the King of Worms! And I'm trying to save you all!"
"Gwendal, now!" Tolfdir yelled. "Use the staff on him!"
Gwendal aimed the Staff of Magnus on Mannimarco and shot its beam at the Altmer, but he evaded at the last second, blasting chain lightning around the grounds, supercharging the dwarven pipes and withering away the plants in the courtyard. Their forms crumpling into the dirt patches beneath. Mannimarco sent ice spikes flashing in every direction, one narrowly trimming off the bottom of Tolfdir's beard as he sidestepped. He twisted his magic into a plethora of elements, blasting it all out in a whirlwind of sparks. Gwendal ducked, casting several wards and Stesha hid behind an archway.
Savoss and Tolfdir fired fireballs at the Worm King, but he raised a wall of ice to block the spells. It melted into a pool of sizzling liquid as the firebolts hit it. Mannimarco shot sparks, flames, and frost all as one, transitioning into each other as the myriad of colors melt into one another. Savoss conjured a storm atronach and a large ward to ward off the Altmer's attacks.
I have to try something.
Stesha felt the touch of electricity crackle on his palms once more and shot another array of spells at the enemy. One hit him and knocked the white-haired necromancer onto the ground. Gwendal aimed the staff and weakened Mannimarco immensely with it.
"Keep hitting him with it!" Savoss wailed over the schoolgrounds.
The Tsaesci and Tolfdir assaulted Mannimarco with beams of light, holding the King of Worms down as Gwendal shocked him with the Staff of Magnus, encaging the High Elf in a prison of light. Mannimarco's flesh melted off and pooled into a sizzling puddle on the ground, his words warbling out of his evaporating mouth… "you fools… I was trying to save you all… from the…"
It was then that it hit Stesha with the force of a battering ram… The Virus… it's real! Dawnstar! That's what Mannimarco was trying to stop! He rushed over to Savoss and Tolfdir and immediately explained everything in detail, from Dawnstar to Labyrinthian.
Gwendal pitched in as well, "sir, everyone in Dawnstar was dead. We need to warn the Jarls of the other cities and get a quarantine begun effective immediately."
"Hmm." Savoss stroked his serpentine chin. "So, Mannimarco wasn't lying… Very well, we shall begin investigating… If only the King of Worms had the tact to just ask us. Then again, would we have believed him?"
"I'll send ravens and couriers to the other jarldoms immediately as well as inform Torygg," stated Tolfdir. His long robes swayed in the wind as the college students returned and cheered as they saw the amphithere lying on the ground and Mannimarco's robes swimming in a yellow puddle over the flagstones, infilling the seams.
"Wait, who was the inside man then?" Gwendal's eyebrows whitened.
Tolfdir spun his finger in the air and pointed it at the amphithere, and the snake began to contort and morph. "That I believe is the answer." He summoned a small cage.
"CHINO THE PARROT!?" Yelled Gwendal. "You were the amphithere!?"
Chino squawked as Tolfdir placed him inside the small, enchanted birdcage. "And I would've gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids!" He chirped audibly. "Lord Mannimarco was trying to save you all! Squawk! Fools! The lot of you! Perish in the Place Downstairs!"
"I do admit," Tolfdir began. "I did always find it strange that you found him on our doorstep with no notice, Savoss. And so shortly before the attacks began too."
Just then High King Torygg apparated onto the College grounds. "The headmasters informed me of your bravery, Gwendal Opal and Stesha Jade. I also saw the scene of the battle from my balcony and because of your bravery I name you two Thanes of Winter Hold!"
"Thank you, sir!" Stesha blushed.
Gwendal bowed. "Thank you, your highness."
Torygg picked up a ball of snow from the ground and threw it at Gwendal. It hit the latter smack in the chest. "Thank me by beating me!"
The whole school decided to have a snowball fight then to celebrate the victory, followed by hot chocolate being served in the café. It was then Stesha found himself alone in the corner of the cafeteria, sipping on his cocoa as Gwendal was showing off the staff to the other students and most importantly to Brelyna while Savoss, Tolfdir, and Torygg had retreated to the Arch Mage's quarters to likely discuss the coming plague.
Thane of Winter Hold. Bet you never thought your son would be the thane of a Skyrim city, huh, mom and dad, Stesha thought to himself. A few tears oozed down his face as he thought of the way Aela looked at Hadvar and now how the way Brelyna was admiring Gwendal.
I wish someone loved me.
*＊✿❀ ❀✿＊*
AN: And with that Act 3: The College of Winter Hold is over! Serana will be appearing again in the next chapter finally and her and Stesha will get to meet at last. Thank you for everyone who has been patiently waiting for this. Now that story is past the first 3 arcs, now we can really start with the first act of the main quest replacement revolving around the mysterious plague as mentioned in the summary.