Kuroinu Dawnbreaker - A light shining in darkness: chapter 3 - A guiding light
Restoration is often overlooked as an underwhelming school by many magic practitioners on Tamriel; it's not a school where you can burn an enemy to death, summon powerful creatures, or charm other people to get a better deal during bartering. For most ordinary citizens on Tamriel, restoration seems to only involve healing the body from many different kinds of physical ailments and curing many diseases.
However, the limits of restoration are based on the willpower, skill, and knowledge of the healer itself. While a novice healer can heal minor injuries in a short amount of time, a master healer can manipulate the life forces inside themselves or their patients to heal the most grievous of internal injuries and even extend their lifespan.
There is also another part of the restoration school that is often wrongly categorized as destruction or conjuration: those spells involving the purification of the undead or other abominations. Many religious orders dedicated to Stendarr and Arkay often employ these offensive restoration spells in their battles against the undead like zombies, skeletons, vampires, and other abominations when they travel all around Tamriel.
For Thorson, his primary school of magic has always been restoration, as he continued expanding his knowledge from various practitioners on Tamriel during these past years. His motivation for choosing this school can be traced to his early childhood, where he witnessed his parents' brutal treatment at the hands of the Forsworn, a night when he cried his heart out at the sight of his parents' mutilated corpses.
After this horrible event, a young Thorson was forced to join the Vigilants of Stendar when they found him, and during his stay with them, he immediately jumped at the chance to learn everything about the restoration school. For him, it's a way to honor his parents, for he hated himself for being weak, wishing he could have done something during that night, something to make their pain go away...
After the Dragonborn cast his conjuration spell in the room, a Dremora wearing fine clothes walked out of the portal that was created. Thorson's Dremora butler looked at the three individuals in front of him and saw his master and two naked women behind him.
"You need clothes, I guess, Master?" the Daedric newcomer casually suggested to his mortal summoner.
Thorson managed to obtain a couple of his spare robes and leather boots from his Dremora butler and gave them to both women in the room. After Thorson's Dremora butler returned to Oblivion, the Dragonborn took a defensive position at the prison door, making sure that he did not look at both naked women as they dressed up.
"I'm sorry, these are all I have now, but they should be easy to wear and at least provide you with some warmth," he apologized to both as the Nord waited for both women to dress up.
And modesty…" Thorson ended.
The prison room was then silent, except for the sounds of cloth ruffling while the Dragonborn was still on the lookout, thinking about their escape.
"The lightning storm should be subsiding by now, and Durnehviir would have already left for the Soul Cairn at this time," the Nord informed both women in the room.
The Dragonborn should be able to cast his portal spell here and evacuate both women to safety when there is still some time left. "When you are both dressed up, I'll open up a portal to Tamriel," he announced as he looked at Dawnbreaker in his hand.
"I'm not sure how things look above us, but I can't take any risks."
After dressing up in the clothes they were provided by their liberator, Alicia awkwardly notified the Nord, "We are dressed; Y-You can look now."
After checking the hallway for the last time, Thorson turned around and saw that both women were now dressed in the clothes he provided. Alicia wore a black robe that seemed to fit her well enough, while Celestine's white robe was obviously not of the right size; her large chest caused her robe to open a bit up at the top, revealing a bit of cleavage.
"At least they are dressed up…" Thorson observed before quickly diverting his gaze towards his satchel. The Nord then took a single green gem from it.
"This should take a moment; I need to concentrate on my destination." The Dragonborn announced before he began casting his spell.
"Wait!" A voice belonging to Celestine interrupted him: "You told Alicia before that you attacked Vult's men on the surface when you were looking for us, right?"
Thorson nodded in response to her question: "Yes, I killed many of Vult's men on the way here, and I commanded my dragon allies to attack those within the city."
The Nord then noticed their worried expressions when he mentioned dragons: "Don't worry, they won't kill innocent people." Thorson reassured both women, "I can promise you that they follow my orders to the letter."
Celestine and Alicia showed some signs of relief after hearing that, but they still had more questions: "And the lightning storm you just mentioned?" Celestine asked the Dragonborn.
"Created by me," the Nord replied. "I shouted a massive lightning storm into existence to strike down Vult's men should they venture in the open," Thorson informed Celestine.
This information piqued the elf's interest. "So, you used the Thu'um, the 'Storm Voice'?" A now-curious Celestine asked the Dragonborn, "I recognize some of the words; it's the dragon language, right?"
The Dragonborn nodded at her question. "You are correct on both accounts; I used the Thu'um to command the weather and the elements to assist me during my search for you," Thorson answered the blonde elf's question, still gathering the Magicka necessary for his portal spell.
The former elven queen seemed impressed after hearing what he had done, but she needed to know how her people fared during his latest attack. "And Ken's citizens? Do you know what happened to them? Did they flee?"
The Nord thought about this, and while he was sure what the fates were for any of Vult's forces on the surface. Thorson, however, couldn't fully predict what the ordinary citizen would do in such a situation; most would have sought shelter inside their homes or in other safe areas within the city.
"They should remain unharmed by the storm and my dragon allies, so I suspect they could be hiding in their homes or other places while some could have fled the city," the Dragonborn then said to both blonde women in the room.
Celestine got more agitated when she heard the man's words: "So, they could all be scared and helpless while there is no one to help them?" the former High Queen began to panic at this realization.
The elf could not leave them behind after all of this. Celestine needed to know if she could help them in any way; it was the least the former queen could do for those she abandoned before.
"W-Wait," Celestine called out to her savior. "Could you bring us to the surface instead?" the elf asked the Dragonborn, "I can't leave my people behind after all of this."
"You can't be serious," Thorson snapped. This was no time for his kind of sentimentality.
"You can't risk your life at this moment; I don't know how many of those Black Dogs are alive on the surface." The Dragonborn argued, "Not to mention in these dungeons..."
Alicia then joined their argument, trying to advise her former queen, "Lady Celestine, he has a point. We are unarmed, outnumbered, and not in shape for a fight."
The blonde princess then turned towards the Dragonborn. "Your magic can bring us back, right?" she asked the Nord.
Thorson nodded at Alicia's question. "Yes, once you both are fully recovered, I can bring you back here. If that's what you wish," he informed her. "Well, once the city has been cleared from those animals..."
"No… I won't leave them behind again! I just can't," the former High Queen sobbed before she started to tear up. "I-I can't..."
"Enough!" Thorson harshly cut the elf off as he continued casting his spell. "We don't have much time, and there are so many unknowns that I can't risk something bad happening to you both…" he advised her while he continued casting his spell.
However, before Thorson could complete his spell, the Nord heard a cry from behind him: "Please! I beg you… 'Son of Auriel'!" he heard as Celestine leaped forward and grabbed his robes from the back. Feeling her body touching his, Thorson turned his head and saw the elf's teared-up face as she held on to his robes with both her hands before begging him for the fourth time on this day.
"Dammit, I can't just leave her like that; she will just worry herself to death... Is she so compassionate towards her people that she is willing to risk her life after all that she had to endure?" the Dragonborn asked himself.
He canceled his spell and turned around, seeing a shivering Celestine who was tightly holding on to his robes, her wet eyes staring intensely at his own. "I really want to help her, but I can't risk her life now..." Thorson's logical side kept telling him.
However, a part of him had a different opinion. "But why am I so inclined to help her that much?"
The Nord's compassionate side managed to convince the Dragonborn as he began theorizing about possible alternatives. "However, what if the city was cleansed from those animals?" Thorson asked himself, "Its citizens may need our help after all of this, and if there are wounded among them because of my actions..."
Memories of Skyrim's civil war then started to flood Thorson's current thoughts. Memories where the Nord saw how Skyrim's citizens suffered during that accursed civil war.
"Please, Dragonborn! My mother and father are still within our home; they are trapped!" a young Nord girl begged the Nord as she frantically pointed towards their burning home, one that had been set ablaze after a recent skirmish in the Reach.
"I can't leave them behind..."
"Alright… alright…" Thorson finally gave in to Celestine's request. "Please calm down, my Lady… I'll see what I can do for you." The Dragonborn assured the crying elf. The Nord then gently grabbed both of Celestine's hands, signaling her to let go of his robes.
"I pray to the Divines that I won't regret doing this…" he whispered to himself before moving towards the cell door to enact his plan. The Nord then had a look around, making sure no unexpected surprises showed up before he shouted his next Thu'um.
"LAAS VAH NIR!" Thorson's shout echoed within the room, surprising both women again with its volume. The shout's effects caused the Dragonborn's vision to change, as the man could now see red auras within his vision, signifying life signs that he could see through the dungeon walls.
He looked up a couple of times, noticing several life signs at the surface. Thorson then saw Odahviing standing still on ground level, and it looked like the dragon was not making any erratic movements.
Thorson then spotted a large group of life signs surrounding the dragon; however, they didn't seem to be doing anything hostile. The man then circled his vision around the dungeon, spotting multiple life signs spread in a specific area within the vast dungeon.
"They must be the prisoners I encountered earlier. If they are affiliated with these two women, then I can't leave them behind as well."
This vision started to change back to normal as Thorson looked towards Celestine with a small smile on his face. "It all looks quiet on the surface; there's no sign of fighting, and I don't see any threats within this dungeon," the Nord informed both women before he walked toward them.
Both Alicia and Celestine then saw how their savior put away his portal stone. "I'll first send a scout of mine to make sure we won't get ambushed on the way, but if things are safe, then I'll gladly escort you both to the surface." Thorson offered the women an alternative: "Sounds good for you both?"
Celestine couldn't help but smile at this while eagerly nodding her head in acknowledgment. Alicia then witnessed her queen doing the unexpected as Celestine suddenly embraced the tall man in front of her. "Thank you… Thank you!" the elf genuinely thanked the Nord while trying to hold back her tears of joy.
Thorson laughed awkwardly at the elf's unexpected hug, but he did not seem to mind this at all. The Nord then turned towards the other women in the room. "Alicia, how about you?" he asked the blonde.
Alicia, who seemed distracted, suddenly turned towards her savior before giving him a similar nod. "I-If it makes her majesty happy, then I'll come with her too." the blonde 'Shield Princess' replied to the Nord's question, "However, I would feel safer if I had a weapon."
The man hummed in understanding. "That can be arranged; just give me a moment," Thorson reassured Alicia before gently releasing himself from Celestine's hug. The Nord then began to cast a conjuration spell, a spell that would summon a specific creature that would assist him.
It did not take long before a white portal formed within the room, and out of it came an ethereal-looking wolf.
Thorson looked towards his summon as he gave the wolf its instructions. "Head towards the surface. Check for any threats and then return here."
After his summon quickly ran away to follow its master's order. Thorson conjured two ethereal swords in each hand. "Here, take these just in case…" the man said while offering them to both women.
The Dragonborn's eyes then narrowed. "However, don't touch the blade; its touch can make your soul feel very 'uncomfortable'," he advised before taking a defensive position at the prison's door, waiting for his summoned creature to return to him.
On the surface of Ken, a large number of its citizens were now attempting to surround a large red dragon in the city's main plaza. At first, they were weary and intimidated by the creature as it started talking to them in a mix of a strange language and their own.
It took the actions of a brave or foolish young boy as he ran up to the dragon and stared at it in awe; the dragon itself looked amused at this and began chuckling, "Drem, Goraan Gein. Greetings, young one."
"A-Are you a friendly dragon?" the innocent young boy asked the large red dragon in front of him.
"Zu'u Ni Hin Hokoron. I'm not your enemy, young one. I am called Odahviing; my master tasked me to... cleanse this city of his enemies."
A few older citizens who followed their conversation felt there was no immediate danger to them as the beast conversed with the young child. One by one, they then moved forward, but many of them still had questions about what they had just witnessed today….
Wanting to kill some time, the Dragonborn turned his head towards both women. "Since we are waiting here, I'm sure you both have some questions about me. I did come here quite 'unannounced' after all."
Alicia was the first to ask. "Who are you? And where did you come from?" she asked the Dragonborn. "Someone with your caliber would be rather known in Eostia or the other kingdoms on Serenus. But I've never heard of someone doing such exploits of this magnitude." Alicia argued.
Thorson chuckled at that last part. "Yes, someone like me would have been quite well known here..." his mind agreed with the young woman, recalling his own experiences on Tamriel before informing both women, "Well, my name is Thorson Brightsong and I'm from the province of Skyrim on the continent of Tamriel, also known as 'Dawn's Beauty' in the elven language."
The Dragonborn then quickly checked the hallway outside the prison's door before continuing. "Tamriel is located northwest of here across the Padomaic ocean."
"Tamriel? I've never heard of such a place." Alicia stated with a hand on her chin, "We would have known your existence from our numerous explorers who sailed the seas in the past."
"Yes, true… We surely would have encountered your people too." Thorson agreed. "But for us, Serenus vanished from the face of Nirn around 900 years ago."
The blonde princess was visibly surprised after hearing this revelation. "900 years?! And w-what do you mean vanished?!" Alicia exclaimed, not fully believing the man in front of her.
Thorson gave Alicia an understanding look in return. "Yes, I was also quite surprised to hear about this."
After the young woman recovered from her outburst, Thorson continued. "From a few historical texts I've read, both our continents used to have an active trade relationship; that was until a Bosmer merchant ship found an empty ocean where Serenus used to be.
The man then closed his eyes. "The sailors and captain present thought it sank under the ocean, but no one ever found any visible trace of its existence."
"But-But we never disappeared; we or the other kingdoms would have seen your ships if they sailed here," Alicia argued, not fully believing the man's words.
"For a long time, we thought that we were the only ones on this planet." the young woman said, "Some also sailed westward, only to arrive on the east side of Serenus after a couple of months."
Thorson turned to Celestine, seeing her more relaxed demeanor in comparison with her human friend. "I think your friend here would provide you with the answers about that." the man from Tamriel advised Alicia, "I have some theories, but I think Lady Celestine here would have the answers you seek."
The 'Shield Princess' turned towards her ruler and asked. "Lady Celestine? What is he talking about? Do you know anything about this?"
Celestine heavily. "So 'that' day has finally arrived..." the elf first thought before explaining everything to her friend. "As he said, our people used to trade with the people of Tamriel a long time ago…" Celestine began before looking towards her side in shame, "And, I-I fear I'm responsible for our 'supposed' disappearance all those centuries ago..."
"Hold on," both women heard the Dragonborn say as he interrupted the former High Queen. "Your continent's disappearance was over 900 years ago." a now confused but curious Thorson questioned the blonde elf, "You say you were responsible? But that was so many centuries ago. You seem so…"
Celestine grinned after hearing her savior's statement. "Young?" the former queen placed both her hands on her hips as she interrupted the Tamrielian man. "Did you expect me to look much older?" the elf then teased, raising one single eyebrow towards the Dragonborn.
"By the Divines, no, no..." the Dragonborn sputtered in sudden embarrassment. "That's not what I meant... I know elves can live for many centuries, but you seem to have been blessed with eternal youth." Thorson unconsciously admitted this to everyone present in the room.
No words were uttered in response until the Nord realized what he just said. "Oh Divines, no..." the Nord shook his head, "I'm sorry. Forget what I've just said."
Celestine held a hand in front of her mouth as the pretty elf softly giggled. "Thank you for your honesty, Thorson of Tamriel." she continued her teasing before ending it with a playful wink towards the tall Dragonborn in front of her.
Alicia, who heard everything, raised her eyebrows after hearing such words coming from Celestine, while Thorson could only sigh in response, turning his head away from both women as he felt somewhat ashamed for what he just said.
"I'm not sure if my birth sign is sometimes a curse or a blessing at this point…" Thorson said to himself before briefly glancing towards the elf. "But, at least it's good to see that Celestine seemed to be in a better mood than before, even after what she had to endure in the past…" Thorson concluded after seeing the faint smile on the queen's face.
After their amusing exchange, Celestine continued informing both Thorson and Alicia. "It all started over 900 years ago," the former queen began. "I've received visions that Molag Bal was about to invade our Tamrielan neighbors, and to protect our people from harm, I hid Serenus from the rest of the world with my magic."
A male voice briefly interrupted the elf. "Impressive use of Illusion and Alteration magic." Celestine heard Thorson compliment her. "You must be a powerful magic user to achieve such a feat, especially at this scale."
A smile appeared again on the elf's face. "Thank you for your compliment, Thorson." Celestine thanked the man with a smile, earning a grunt from the Dragonborn before turning his head away again.
Alicia, from the side, witnessed their exchange, seeing her queen teasing her rescuer like this. "What is this? A-Are they flirting?! In this place of all things?!" the young woman's mind exclaimed.
Celestine then continued. "But maintaining such a spell drains my power, so much that I need to drink several potions daily to keep my magical reserves stable."
The 'Shield Princess' widened her eyes at a sudden realization. "You mean, those blue potions you drink occasionally?" Alicia interrupted Celestine, remembering seeing her queen occasionally drink a blue liquid from a vial when the 'Shield Princesses' frequently had dinner together.
The blonde elf nodded in response to Alicia's question before a somber expression appeared on the elf's face. "But it seemed Molag Bal was quickly defeated from what our rescuer told us," Celestine sighed, "so there was no real need to keep Serenus hidden for so long…"
The ancient elf then looked towards the Dragonborn, as if she could sense the man's understanding of her situation. "B-but... I was afraid... Daedric princesses are powerful beings. And I could not risk exposing us to the rest of the world... to protect us from their influence."
Thorson gave Celestine a brief look. "Until now..." the Nord concluded.
"Until now, yes..." A now saddened Celestine admitted, "The phase-shifting spell would have been canceled during my... enslavement."
The elf then looked at both individuals in the room and said, "And since my power was already strained during the last war, my remaining magical power left me quickly."
A faint grunt came from the Nord. "In the end, it was a good thing though," Thorson addressed both women, "else I wasn't able to locate Eostia and free you both."
"Indeed," the blonde elf smiled. "For that, you have my thanks again." Celestine genuinely thanked the Nord, while Alicia gave the Dragonborn a single bow with her head, also showing the man her gratitude.
"What about the Divines, though? How would they react to Celestine's actions?"
Thorson found it strange that the Divines, who are part of Nirn itself, would not have intervened after what happened here. Even after using a phase spell like this, they should be able to partially exist around these people.
Another theory then crossed Thorson's mind. "Perhaps they were aware of what took place on this continent but chose not to intervene? But for what? Some form of punishment for what happened in the past?" the Nord theorized. "But why did they contact me after all this time?
Alicia looked visibly tired as she tried to digest this new information. To realize that they used to be part of a much larger world. "I-I don't know anymore." Alicia rubbed her forehead with a sigh. "All this time, we had another nation as a distant neighbor, and we never knew of its existence."
The Arcturus princess then realized the implications—how things would have been different these past years. "Lady Celestine, if only you could have reached out to these people on time for assistance..." Alicia said before she narrowed her eyes, glaring at Eostia's former queen.
"With their help, w-we could have ended this war sooner! And prevented all of this!" Alicia finished, her faint outburst sounding as if she were accusing the former queen, her eyes begging Celestine for some kind of explanation, something that would justify this kind of action.
Thorson then joined in their argument. "Yes, it seemed all unnecessary. There was no immediate danger after Bal's invasion," the Nord from Tamriel informed Celestine.
After staring at Celestine's green eyes, Thorson continued. "You could have been part of a larger community. Tamriel could have helped your people..."
A sigh from the man followed. "I would have helped you."
Celestine feared this response as centuries-old worries began to surface again within the elf's psyche. "I-I saw other things in that vision... future events that could threaten us," Celestine said in defense, "an ebony staff broken in eight pieces, a giant brass golem, a red mountain erupting in fire, and..."
The Dragonborn's eyes began to widen, realizing where this was going.
While Alicia tried to understand anything her queen was saying, she heard two voices saying the same words.
"The fall of the 'White Tower'." Thorson and Celestine spoke at the same time.
"W-What?" Celestine's face now showed confusion after what she just heard. "H-How did you know that?" the elf asked the Dragonborn.
"Thought so…" Thorson concluded, "You then saw a throne-less Skyrim, brothers, and sisters fighting each other, Skyrim bleeding from the inside?"
The former elven queen was speechless after hearing the man's words, "I-I..."
"And then you saw the re-awaking of the World-Eater? The black dragon, Alduin?" he asked Celestine.
This revelation froze the blonde elf as he perfectly guessed her vision. "H-How did you know it all? I've never told anyone about this."
"No, but those events were part of an ancient prophecy by the Akaviri people in the first Era," Thorson informed the room before slowly walking toward the elf. "You used an Elder Scroll, didn't you?" Thorson asked Celestine.
Before she could even think about answering that, the room's temperature started to drop as the three occupants heard a menacing voice echoing in the room. "Hmm-hmm-hmm… it seems we have a special visitor… How 'refreshing'."
Both women became visibly worried by this strange presence, who addressed them with a sinister-sounding voice. This experience caused both Alicia and Celestine to feel very uncomfortable.
For the Dragonborn, this presence seemed familiar to him as he looked around the room, looking for its source. He ended his search at Hicks's corpse as it started to glow blue. "Your methods seem different than usual, Dragonborn... Torturing and soul-trapping other mortals."
Both Celestine and Alicia moved behind Thorson out of fear as they saw Hick's remaining eye glow blue.
"I would never expect this out of you, Champion of Meridia." the possessed corpse spoke, its mouth moving by magical means.
"Molag Bal…" Thorson stated out loud as he drew Dawnbreaker, his expression serious. "Of course, it's him..."
A sinister laugh followed. "It's 'nice' to see you here, Dragonborn. You certainly showed these weaklings how strong you really are. It has been many centuries since I've seen someone worthy in these lands."
"DUR HI! Vult was your champion in all of this?!" Thorson shouted towards Hicks's corpse which served as Bal's puppet, "You tasked him to do all of this, Bal?! DAAR NIKRIIN!"
Everyone could hear the Daedric Prince laugh at the Dragonborn's accusation. "Hahaha! Him?! No… that weakling's depraved ambition drove him to lead his little revolt; he and his pathetic group of men are just unaware pawns of mine in this whole game."
Thorson was seething when he heard this. "GAME?! YOU CALL THIS A GAME?! ZU'U KRII HI FAH DAAR!'
"And besides, some of them already serve another..."
The Dragonborn was now visibly confused when he heard the Prince. "Wait? Another?! Who?!"
"Hmm-hmm-hmm, yes… It's so amusing to watch these mortals corrupt their own... I had to do little to get what I wanted," the Prince said, "and now that you are here, things are getting more interesting."
Losing his patience, the Dragonborn repeated his previous demand. "WHO?!" he yelled while pointing Dawnbreaker towards Hick's possessed corpse.
"I'll be looking forward to when you show your true power to these pathetic mortals." Bal said with a hint of anticipation, "In the end, you may be worthy after all..."
Thorson had enough of this and slashed Hicks's corpse with Dawnbreaker; an explosion of holy fire followed that turned the body into ash. As it continued to burn, Thorson turned to the two women behind him. "We need to get out of here now!"
At that moment, a blue wolf came into the room and stood still before Thorson. "Everything clear?" the Nord quickly asked his summon.
The wolf barked once, indicating that their escape route was safe.
Inside the Black Citadel in the northern part of Eostia, a Black Dog mage named Keane was conducting various experiments as he read instructions from a purple book.
He already prepared a few unlabeled flasks containing a purple liquid for this next depraved session in the dungeons with the previous owners of the fortress: The former Dark Elven 'Queen' Olga Discordia and her Dark Elven half-breed handmaiden, Chloe.
Both Dark Elves were captured when the Black Dogs assaulted their fortress and managed to subdue both of them after Vult managed to negotiate an alliance with the demons who resided in vast cave networks under the Black Citadel.
After disabling the elves' magical abilities, both humans and demons had a new toy to play with as they frequently raped both elven women almost nonstop within their fortress from that day on.
At times, Vult would have both women transported to some of the conquered cities where his other men could have their 'fun' with their 'former enemy'.
As dusk started to settle outside the Black Citadel, its human and demon occupants were surprised by powerful shouts followed by a heavy tremor that shook the castle's foundations.
"DIR SUNVAAR!"
Hearing this, Keane was then taken by surprise as he quickly ran towards one of the fortress's balconies, where he saw a large thunderstorm hanging over one of the cities in the south, followed by roars of beasts, more shouts, and quakes.
"What kind of disturbance is this? I've never seen the weather act in such a way!" the Black Dog mage exclaimed, having no clue at all what would cause all of this.
As Keane continued to hear the shouts, the Black Dog mage slowly felt increasingly intimidated as he kept hearing strange words clashing with the fortress's foundations.
As time went by, the strange shouting stopped as the skies around the fortress returned to normal. However, before the mage could even theorize about what he just witnessed, he heard a cry from the nearby throne room.
Entering the now-empty throne room, Keane saw his boss, Vult, who was groaning in pain while clutching his sides as he tried to sit on his throne.
As Keane moved closer to his wounded leader, he saw that a large part of Vult's neck was colored black, as if he had recently been burned by something. "Boss, what happened to you?" The mage asked his leader, for he knew that Vult was supposed to be in Ken for a meeting with his men.
The self-proclaimed 'Emperor' and leader of the Black Dogs coughed up some blood before answering his mage's question. "Your t-teleportation scroll..." Vult began informing the mage, his voice sounding strained, "We were attacked in Ken. A man came into the city for both Celestine and Alicia."
Vult coughed more blood as he continued. "T-That fucker then crippled me and Hicks in the dungeons..."
The mercenary leader then took a pained breath. "H-He was shouting all around, causing earthquakes while he assaulted our men."
All was then silent within the room until Vult spoke again. "And that man... He had several d-dragons with him…"
"W-what...?" Keane exclaimed in surprise after hearing his boss mention dragons. "D-dragons, boss?" the mage asked Vult for more information: "Where did they come from? Did they destroy the city?"
"Not sure…" Vult answered weakly before coughing up more blood, feeling his condition worsening by the minute, "Patch me up first or find someone who can..."
"What other Daedric Princes could be helping Vult and his forces?" Thorson asked himself while he escorted both women to the surface.
As the Dragonborn's party navigated the dungeons, Thorson's thoughts kept asking himself the same questions, mainly who from the Daedric Princess would find some use in aiding the Black Dogs.
The Nord's first guess would have been Molag Bal, but the 'Prince of Domination' claimed he took no real part in Vult's conquest.
Thorson's next potential Prince would have been Sanguine after witnessing the amount of excess and depravity he witnessed as he infiltrated the city. However, the Dragonborn currently has no evidence of the Prince's involvement.
Vult's men may have had some aid from Boethiah, Mephala, or even Mehrunes Dagon. But like with Sanguine, the Nord also had no evidence to support that theory.
Meanwhile, he and the two freed slaves maneuvered the many corridors of Ken's dungeon toward their freedom. Thorson stayed in front while the former 'Princess Knight', Alicia, took the rear, while Celestine remained in the middle of the formation.
"We should be close to the first of the prison blocks; a few more, and we should be out of here," Thorson stated as he then looked behind him to check on the condition of the women following him.
The former knight Alicia certainly had some martial experience after noticing the young woman's stance combined with the movements of her eyes.
However, Celestine looked like she could not maintain her balance. "How do you feel, my lady?" a worried Dragonborn asked as the small party stopped for the High Elf.
Celestine looked like she was about to collapse. "I-I don't know…I can't stand…" she replied faintly.
Suddenly, Celestine dropped the conjured sword as her knees buckled. The Dragonborn was quick to notice this change and quickly moved behind the elf to catch her, preventing Celestine from falling hard on the cold dungeon floor. As the Dragonborn managed to catch the fallen elf, both of them fell to the ground.
Fortunately for the elf, the Dragonborn's body acted like a cushion, softening the fall for the fallen High Queen.
"Lady Celestine! Alicia exclaimed in horror at seeing her former queen in such a condition. "Easy now. I got you..." Thorson reassured the elf, now holding an exhausted Celestine in his arms.
The man from Tamriel feared this would happen. While Alicia's health was stable for the moment, the same could not be said for Celestine. It also did not help that both women witnessed that whole exchange with Bal. He could feel both of them shivering while he was dealing with the Daedric Prince.
"I knew this would happen sooner or later." Thorson stated out loud while checking the elf's limbs for any signs of fractures after their fall, "My initial healing was not sufficient for a full recovery."
Thorson then looked towards Alicia and then towards the elf in his arms. "You both need some sleep and a warm meal at this moment." the Nord said before letting out a sigh. "That's why I wanted to get you both out as quickly as possible…"
Thorson then looked towards his wolf summon, who seemed to be watching for him, waiting for the group to continue. "Keep guard in the next corridor and warn me if you notice anything." the Dragonborn commanded his summon before quickly turning towards the blonde elf in his arms.
Celestine appeared to be still conscious, but she could not move at all. "So tired… my heart…" Thorson heard the elf quietly whimper.
"Your heart?" he asked her gently, wondering what kind of ailment she was currently suffering from. "Damnit, I don't have any of my curing potions on me…" Thorson swore as he tried to think of a way to help the fallen elf.
Meanwhile, Alicia took a more defensive position, frequently watching both ways and occasionally towards both Dragonborn and Celestine.
"Can you do something for her?" Alicia asked Thorson as she kept watch over her surroundings. After some quick thinking, he had an idea that would work.
"I have a solution, but please... Don't be alarmed by what I'm about to do." Thorson informed Alicia of his intentions.
The human 'Shield Princess' then witnessed the Nord move the upper part of Celestine's robe, revealing her bare, left breast. Her rescuer then let out an audible sigh as he placed his gauntleted hand above Celestine's heart.
"Alright, here goes..." the Nord said before channeling his Magicka into Celestine's body.
It appeared Celestine's condition was worse than Thorson anticipated; her heart was beating irregularly, and her body also began to develop a fever. "It's like her natural defenses are currently acting up against a foreign presence." the Dragonborn theorized.
"Please stay calm," Thorson reassured his elven patient before he began his procedure. "This may feel a bit strange, but don't panic."
This sudden bold move from her rescuer surprised Alicia at first, but she couldn't form a rebuke as she was warned that this was needed to help her recover from her current condition. Celestine's 'Shield Princess' then noticed that her queen's body began to glow faintly while golden wisps also began to surround her tired form.
During the Dragonborn's procedure, both humans could hear Celestine moan weakly, "This feeling, it's so warm… "It feels good…" she said. Her body then began to unconsciously move to relax even more in the arms of the Dragonborn.
Her healer began to awkwardly chuckle in response. "That's what all my patients say when they feel the effects of my healing," he awkwardly stated, "but I'm almost done. This should keep you going for a bit longer."
After another minute of healing, Nord retracted his hand from Celestine's chest before quickly covering her up. "How do you feel? Are you well enough to travel?" the Dragonborn asked the elf in his arms.
The blonde elf sighed as Celestine could feel the warm feeling of his healing disappear from her body. "Yes, I-I think so…" she softly replied.
Hearing this, Thorson helped the elf get back on her feet before handing her the sword she dropped before. "Let's move out; the sooner you get some rest, the better," Thorson announced.
However, as the Dragonborn was about to take the lead position, both women could hear that the man was breathing more heavily than usual.
Celestine noticed this change and stopped the Dragonborn by pulling his arm. And as Thorson turned around to question the elf, he suddenly felt Celestine's soft hand on his face. "What is wrong? You look tired…" a now-worried Celestine asked the Dragonborn.
The Dragonborn gave the worried elf a reassuring smile. "It's nothing serious; I just used a good portion of my magic and some of my stamina to quickly rejuvenate your body," the Nord explained, "and your current condition demanded more effort from me to help you…"
The former High Queen looked guilty after hearing the Nord. "I-I'm sorry… for the trouble I caused you. We should have left as you suggested before." Celestine said while looking down in shame.
Thorson shook his head after hearing Celestine's apology. "Don't worry about me; sometimes we need to carry our patients burdens as a healer."
The Nord then gently lifted Celestine's chin with his gauntleted hand. "But I'll accept your apology if you both get some good sleep at the end of the day," he said while showing the elf a faint smile.
Celestine looked back at the Dragonborn, and she couldn't help but return his smile with her own.
Alicia, who was watching the elf and man converse, felt more 'left out' as time went on. "What are they...? No, it can't be that…"
A male voice then interrupted Alicia's thoughts. "How about you, Alicia?" she heard Thorson say, "You seem distracted; are you also not feeling well?"
"No, no," the human 'Shield Princess' quickly replied. "I was just thinking about... what we could encounter on our way out." she lied in response.
An understanding nod came from the Dragonborn. "Well, let's hope we don't encounter much trouble on the way."
Thorson looked back at both women. "Let's continue to the surface..." he announced before taking the lead position in their small party.
Meanwhile, on Ken's surface, a large group of mostly older citizens gathered around a giant red dragon as one of them questioned the creature.
"So, this glowing man, this Dovahkiin; came here to free Celestine after a vision from your gods?" one of Ken's citizens asked the dragon, "All of this death in our city, just to get to her?"
"Yes, that's true, Joor. The Dovahkiin wanted us to hunt down these Black Dogs while he looked for this elf from his vision." Odahviing answered the man's question, "Why? Los Daar Aan, is that a problem? the dragon then asked them in return, ending it with a low growl.
Most of Ken's citizens surrounding the dragon seemed riled when they heard the dragon's question. Odahviing could hear some of them blaming him or the Dovahkiin for the deaths of their sons.
The red dragon then looked towards the entrance of the temple and saw a ghostly wolf at the doors looking at him; shortly after, it disappeared back into the building.
Seeing this, Odahviing stood up, causing the crowd surrounding him to quickly back away in fear. "Lost Drem. If you want to see the Dovahkiin, he will be here shortly," the dragon growled at the mortals surrounding him, "and he will give you your answers. Daar Joor…"
Entering the first prison block, they could hear voices yelling from several cells. "It's you again! And is that her Grace? Has she been freed from Vult's clutches?!"
The whole cell block erupted as more prisoners witnessed their 'Goddess' in the presence of one of her 'Shield Princesses' and a tall man wielding a glowing sword.
"You again?! What are you going to do with Queen Celestine?!" a familiar voice demanded from one of the cells.
"That voice…" Celestine pondered as she tried to remember who that voice belonged to. "I recognize that voice... Could he be?"
Alicia then joined in. "I think that voice belongs to Knight Sergeant Aurelian; it can't be!" she exclaimed, "I thought all resisting 'Holy Knights' were executed after Vult's conquest!"
As they reached the door where they heard the voice, they saw dozens of men locked up together; some looked sick and malnourished, but they were alive.
In front of these prisoners stood a man whom both freed women instantly recognized. "It's really you!" Celestine cried out in joy, feeling less weight on her already troubled soul: "I thought Vult killed you all a week ago!"
The prisoner named Aurelian then saluted, as did the men behind him. "I'm not sure why we were kept alive, my Liege," the man named Aurelian replied, "but the men who did not want to surrender were imprisoned here ever since."
The knight's face then dropped. "But our female colleagues were then taken away by Vult's men in front of our own eyes..."
"I pray we can still get to them somehow, rescue them..."
Aurelian then looked behind the 'Shield Princesses' as he recognized the man behind them. "So, this man really freed you both?" he asked his queen.
"Yes, he saved us both; he can be trusted." Celestine informed the imprisoned knight, "He also crippled Vult and Hicks when they came for us, but unfortunately Vult managed to escape."
Alicia then joined in, "And I personally dealt the finishing blow to that filthy dog Hicks, one less of his kind to deal with..." she informed the Knight Sergeant, her expression displaying one of dissatisfaction.
When the men heard what happened to Vult and Hicks, their mood seemed to lighten up. "Y-You fought both and crippled them?" Aurelian asked the Dragonborn.
A single nod came from the Dragonborn that brought up some joy for the imprisoned knights, especially for Aurelian as he began to laugh, "I wish I could have seen that!"
After the knight's laughter died down, Aurelian addressed the Nord again: "But you have our thanks for freeing both of them; we all feared what happened to her Highness after Vult took her away."
Thorson gave Aurelian a nod in acknowledgment before turning towards Celestine. "What do you wish to do here? I understand that you may know a few of them but can they all be trusted?" he asked Eostia's former High Queen. "I mean, I've seen a couple of armored knights collaborating with the Black Dogs when I infiltrated the city," Thorson argued.
Celestine frowned after hearing what her savior just said, but the High Elf did understand the Nord's reasoning as he was still a stranger to these lands.
However, the former queen was not in the mood to leave her loyal subjects rotting in a dungeon. "I know some turned their back on me, but I always believed a large part of my 'Holy Knights' would never betray me," Celestine said as she looked around her, spotting the other occupied cells. "And I've known Aurelian since he was born; he wouldn't betray us."
The Dragonborn turned towards Alicia to ask for her opinion. And as if she predicted this move, Alicia quickly gave the Nord an affirmative nod in return.
Seeing the approval of both women, Thorson looked towards the Knight Sergeant in the cell, observing the man's posture. "All of these imprisoned men, are they loyal to Celestine?" Thorson questioned the imprisoned knight while also looking around the cell block: "Some of these cells may still contain criminals."
Aurelian shook his head while relaxing his stance. "No, Vult's men let the real criminals out. My guess is that Vult offered them to join their group in exchange for their freedom." the Knight Sergeant informed the Dragonborn.
The imprisoned knight then turned his head to his left. "As for their loyalty, they have always believed in Queen Celestine's cause." Aurelian proudly stated before his expression became one of shame, "Even after 'that' day... when we surrendered..."
"That… day?" Thorson was now wondering what he meant by that, and when asked for more information, all he got was silence from the man.
Thorson then turned around towards Alicia, who now showed signs of shame on her face, before turning her head away from the Dragonborn.
The Nord then looked towards Celestine, whose body began to shiver heavily as she too looked away towards her side.
"That's up to her Grace to tell you about it, not me." Aurelian informed the Nord, "Suffice it to say, many of our former comrades lost their faith and committed suicide or even joined Vult's forces."
The Dragonborn then turned his full attention towards Celestine, seeing her shivering worsen by the second.
"What is wrong? You are shivering." a now concerned Thorson asked the shivering elf, who kept her eyes away from the Dragonborn.
Seeing this, Thorson began to dig deeper. "What happened a week ago?" the tall man questioned the former queen, but all he got was silence from the former queen.
Thorson then walked towards Celestine, standing in front of her. "You don't have to be afraid; I'm here to help you, remember?" the Dragonborn reassured and reminded her with a gentler tone.
Hearing these words, Celestine looked towards Thorson, staring at him with her wet eyes. "I-I can't remember... I don't remember what happened before my enslavement a week ago." Celestine stammered, trying her best to call those past events, "I-I just can't remember anything... My mind is all clouded when I try to think about it."
The imprisoned Knight Sergeant was visibly surprised when he heard Celestine's words, for he could clearly remember what he had witnessed that day for himself.
"You can't remember what you did on that day, your Highness? What you have announced to everyone when Vult..." Aurelian continued his questioning before he was interrupted by a scream from the former queen.
Tears began appearing on the elf's face. "N-No! I can't! I-I fear I've done something h-horrible. I'm afraid of myself... What have I done? I-I can't…" Celestine cried as she began hugging her own shaking body.
Thorson looked worried after seeing Celestine's current condition. "What is causing her lack of memory?" he asked himself.
The Nord's eyes then became more focused. "However, I can't leave her in this state." Thorson then decided.
A now hysterical Celestine suddenly felt someone gently grab her arms. "Hey, don't strain yourself, my lady." she heard Thorson's words as he tried to calm her down.
Celestine's body froze after the Dragonborn's touch. "You were just released from your enslavement, and you may have difficulties remembering some things after what you have just endured…" Thorson reassured the elf.
The man then held her right cheek with his hand and cast a calming spell on her in an attempt to help her regain control over her rampant emotions. "This spell should help you calm down; don't think about the past now," Thorson advised Celestine. "I can help with your memories when you are in a safe place, not in this dungeon."
Feeling the Dragonborn magic coursing through her body, Celestine shifted her body's weight towards the man's hand holding her. Celestine's facial expression then showed signs of relaxation as her breathing slowed down.
A sigh of relief then came from Celestine. "Alright, "A-alright... We can talk later…." the blonde elf said before looking into her savior's eyes. "Thank you again, Thorson." Celestine thanked him genuinely.
Thorson showed a small smile when she calmed down, wiping her tears away with his finger, earning another soft sigh from the elf.
The occupants in the prison block watched as their queen panicked for a minute ago until this stranger managed to calm her down with a spell. Many of them seemed to distrust of this stranger, thinking that he may have mind-controlled their queen as she now relaxed in his arms.
After Celestine calmed down, the Dragonborn gently released her and turned his attention towards the imprisoned Knight Sergeant.
"So, why did they bring you all here? To torture you? To force you to join them?" the Nord asked the former knight, trying to make sense of their current situation.
Aurelian, who seemed distracted after what he just saw, quickly looked at Thorson, "We all thought so, but we have all been stuck here for days without much food or water; no one came for us..."
The veteran knight then narrowed his eyes. "It's like we are all being detained here for some later purpose," Aurelian informed the Dragonborn.
"How so?" he asked the former Knight Sergeant.
"A few days ago, one of Vult's mages came here," Aurelian explained, "and it's like he was counting how many prisoners they had in here."
A sigh then came: "And after that, they took a few of our men with them, in chains."
Thorson had an eerie feeling about where this was going—what were the Black Dogs really planning with all of this? But at least he could free these men now.
"Well, let's get you all out of this prison first; if Lady Celestine trusts you, then that's good enough for me," Thorson said before unlocking the cell door with his Thu'um.
The city fortress of Rad used to be a prosperous trading hub for the region, a place where one could find any kind of rare product from all over Eostia in its markets and shops. And while Rad mainly focused on commerce at that time, there was also a 'vice' part of the city where narcotics, gambling, and sex were its main attractions for those who liked to live 'dangerously'.
Looking over its people was the once-famous 'Mercenary Queen' Maia, who represented Queen Celestine's presence in Rad as part of an alliance against Olga's demon hordes of the north.
Once, Maia used to be an active member of the Black Dogs before she was chosen by the Goddess herself to join her 'Shield Alliance'. Many of her former colleagues disliked her departure, and as time went on, it evolved into pure spite for their former colleague.
Maia herself was once infatuated with the Black Dog's leader during her stay with the mercenary band. But their relationship never evolved, and it became worse after she left his group and later joined Celestine's court.
However, this all changed a couple of weeks ago after Vult's Black Dogs betrayed Celestine and took control of the city, thanks to several bribed politicians and ministers who seemed to agree to Vult's ideas of 'revolution' and direction for their city.
Any of the male soldiers inside the city were given a choice: imprisonment or joining their corrupted rulers as their private army, tasked to keep things 'in control' in their 'new city' while their new Black Dog allies took control of the streets and its female population...
While she was a very capable fighter, the redhead 'Shield Princess' never had the chance to defend herself as she was unexpectedly betrayed by those she used to trust as Vult's men took control over the city.
And thus, her fate was to become the Black Dog's favorite plaything as they raped her constantly in Rad's dungeons, unable to escape her restraints and prison for days. The ultimate betrayal came when Vult showed no interest in her when he came to visit, saying she was not good enough for him.
Today, Rad has slowly embraced its role as a city of vice, as the drug and slave trade fully took control, and its once famous markets were filled with vendors selling their 'exotic goods' like captured elven women of any kind, former female knights, and Half-Lings from the recently conquered fortress city of Ansur.
The once strong Maia became a 'carnival attraction' on display in the middle of the main plaza, as anyone could have a turn with her in public for the right amount of money. Of course, they gave any Black Dog member a 'discount' for their turn with the one they called a traitor'.
Maia, now completely broken after days of nonstop mental and physical abuse by those she used to trust in the past. During these moments of rest, her mind never fully recovered, as the former 'Shield Princess' was then raped again by another group of men.
The only thoughts Maia had during these pauses were those of despair and betrayal. So much that her only hope is one of a quick death before her mind is fully rewritten by her betraying body as it frequently succumbs to primal lust.
But today, things would be different for the occupants as dusk fell over their city and a powerful shout was heard from the capital city of Ken, just west of Rad. After that came powerful tremors that shook the fortress's foundation.
"DIR SUNVAAR!"
Those men who were having their turn with their 'favorite redhead' stopped their abuse when they heard a shout, a powerful voice that made their knees go weak from the power behind it. Another shout followed, combined with a stronger tremor that broke her abuser's will as they quickly let go of their victim and fled into one of the surrounding buildings.
"FAAL STRUN FEN BOLAAV NID AAZ!"
That day, all of Rad's citizens quickly scattered in a panic as corrupted watchmen sounded the alarm, "A dragon! "A dragon is flying above us!".
Hearing this, the Black Dogs present quickly ran to their defensive positions, leaving behind a nearly empty marketplace.
And thus, in the middle of that marketplace, bound in chains, crying faintly in the rain, was the once proud 'Shield Knight' Maia.
During the panic, the broken woman got some respite from her recent abuse, and the only thing keeping her mind occupied was the power behind these mysterious shouts and tremors around her.
"NID AAZ, FAH ZU'U DOVAHKIIN!"
Maia slowly looked up and saw a shadow in the sky that looked like a dragon, and the only thing 'Shield Princess' could think about that evening before fainting in the rain was the hope that this dragon would now just scoop her up and end her quickly...
After freeing hundreds of remaining loyal 'Holy Knights' from their prison cells, they reluctantly decided to follow the Dragonborn back to the surface. However, many of them were still wounded from previous battles before their imprisonment, while others showed signs of fatigue.
Thorson noticed the knight's condition and asked those who were not in the best shape to come near him. The freed knights then witnessed what they could only describe as a miracle as their mysterious savior channeled a spell that healed every single knight in the large room with an aura of golden light.
Those who were healed loudly exclaimed their surprise as they felt refreshed while their pain also dissipated from their bodies. Those healed then looked towards the stranger as their opinion of the man changed for the better.
The prison block then became dark again as the Dragonborn stopped his healing.
"Let's get out of this place. I would think many of you want to get out of here." Thorson announced to all present before walking out of the dungeon, followed by Alicia and Celestine right behind him.
And behind the 'Shield Princesses', a large group of dirty but determined former 'Holy Knights'.
As they climbed the stairs leading back to the ground floor of the once Holy Temple, they saw many corpses of Vult's men and demons in the temple hallways; they looked like they had been ripped apart by a vicious predator.
After navigating the ground floor, the large group arrived at the main entrance of the temple, where the hearts of the freed Eostians stopped for a moment.
They all saw what happened to their city: its streets were littered with the bodies and ash piles of Vult's forces; weapons of all kinds littered the ground; and at the main plaza stood a giant red dragon surrounded by a large mass of Ken's citizens armed with personal weapons and torches.
As the Dragonborn and his group descended the temple's stairs, they all saw the large red dragon greeting his master.
"Ah, Dovahkiin, I take it you found what you were looking for?"
Hearing the dragon talk to someone behind them, the leader of the group turned around. The man first saw a tall figure wielding a glowing sword and wearing gray robes descending from the temple's stairs.
And behind the large man were two familiar women. "Well-well-well... look who has 'graced' us with their presence!" the older man announced sarcastically to the civilian group behind him.
After that, his group began advancing towards Ken's Holy Temple, most of them with an expression of anger or distaste on their faces.
"Vult's 'Whore Queen' and Feoh's 'Traitor Princess"..." the 'unofficial' leader of the group scoffed.
Author's note: There's a lot of story and world-building in this chapter, and I'm afraid the following chapters won't contain a lot of action for the moment. There is a reason why I categorized this story as 'drama', especially for a crossover involving the post-ending of Kuroinu...
I also give my thanks to those who have reviewed the story so far. Feel free to provide constructive criticism or story ideas if you wish to post or share them (PM'ing is also good).
Finally, I won't add any 'deadlines' for future chapters in these authors' notes; it's a lot more comfortable for me if I don't collaborate with some sort of 'deadline'. But, I'm currently quite motivated to continue writing this story, so I won't stop for now.
Note 1 (03/06/2023): Edited/updated chapter 3 (removing and correcting grammatical errors without changing story elements + correcting the names of several locations)
Note 2 (05/01/2024): Did some additional checks for grammatical error's (no changes in story)