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Arc 8 Chapter LXVIII: Folly, Fear, And Courage
🕑 Added 2025-01-15 11:31:15 +0000 UTCA/n: Beeg chap because I felt like yammering!
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(Reyvin's POV)
Groans of the wounded surround me on all sides, the constant noise of new casualties being brought in barely cutting through the constant wailing. The mixed smell of blood piss and shit did not help either, getting rattled in the helm with a club did not leave one in good control of one's body.
Aaaand promptly suppressing those senses.
"Let's see here" I mutter as I scan the barely living elf below me "Numerous broken bones, a punctured lung, half snapped neck, ground up knees, and a busted eye... All in all a hellish state" I ignore the wince of the next tome and blast the wounded with a wave of restoration "He should live"
A pair of Falmer healers drag the trampled elf away and I look up to my current companion, who still refused to meet my eyes "What do I do with you Alandro?" I ask with a mildly theatric sigh.
The Grand Ascendant looked like he wanted to sink into the dirt and forever be forgotten as he spoke "I offer no excuses, Hortator."
"You offer no excuses and thus throw all your guilt at my feet." I scoff, not a terrible decision when one fucks up.
All he does is bow his head deeper.
Davos, who was standing a few steps away, shuffles a bit before speaking up "He still did his job, right?"
Playing good cop to my bad cop, eh?
"He did." I nod and Alandro wisely does not react "But he still wasted near three hundred warriors and six respectably potent mages due to his arrogance."
"Honestly" I make a show of sighing "After that showing I may as well send you back to Necrom. We do need our logistical lines bolstered."
Finally his head snaps up with such speed he nearly breaks his neck and his eyes widen "My l-" He nearly speaks up but bites his words down.
Him returning home in shame would be political murder at this point.
"I don't know, Boss" Davos steps up and pats the poor Indoril on the back "He is still new to this, fuckups are to be expected."
"Not when lives are in question" I immediately retort, a bit hypocritical of me since I still refused to just wipe armies off the map I know but this was this and that was that.
Davos pretends to hesitate before nodding and backing away.
I pause, cupping my chin as if pondering for a long moment before suddenly pointing at Alandro, causing him to flinch minutely "Tell you what." His eyes brighten with hope, like a drowning man clutching at straws "Since this was your first offense, I will give you an option to redeem yourself."
He kneels immediately "Command me, Hortator."
"We will be storming the city soon enough." I begin "And since it has been getting colonized for a while there are bound to be both Argonian and Dunmer civilians within. Your task is to ensure that they come to minimal harm possible."
Soldiers not being given mercy was something I could tolerate, indiscriminate murder of civilians was something I would punish.
He looks like he wants to ask something and I wave for him to speak up "Forgive me, my lord, but how am I to stop the others from committing undue harm?"
"You act under my orders." I say gravely and summon a scroll, rapidly scribbling down my orders "They will not disobey."
The weight of his task strikes him and he lowers his head once more "I will not fail you."
"See that you do not." I state with finality "Or I will have Scorch" Said phoenix materializes on my shoulder "Deliver you to Necrom personally."
Scorch chirps a chuckle that is somehow both melodious and menacing "Go ahead little Indoril, make my day."
Alandro balks at Scorch but quickly straightens his posture and he takes the scroll with a firm nod "I will go and inform my troops."
"Do so." I dismiss him and he leaves.
"You sure you didn't overdo it, Boss?" Davos asks, his posture utterly lazy.
My facade of seriousness disappears and I shrug "Best make the lesson stick before he fucks up beyond all reckoning."
He grunts in agreement "You want me to do something extra before we go in?"
I pause "Just basic search and destroy, you know your work better than I."
He chuckles "Whatever you say boss."
Thus satisfied, he follows me as I step outside our temporary tent.
Dressing a Great Lord down in front of hundreds, not to mention a peer of his, would have been quite bad, even if it was far less dangerous than sending him away. He should have learned his lesson anyway.
"Faren" I greet the elf currently seated atop a crate, whose entire being practically radiated annoyance, I could almost feel him internally pouting "How are you recovering."
He frowns slightly "I need no recovery after some light fighting, my lord."
My eyebrow rises as I look him up and down, the madman had forcefully drawn himself back from near blackout levels of exhaustion multiple times today, and while he absolutely murdered the Argonians on his flank, he had also nearly poisoned himself to death with how many potions he consumed.
He looks like he wants to say something in protest but gets a grip and exhales "Apologies, I... may have lost myself a bit." He admits awkwardly.
"And I can understand that, especially with that little blessing you have going on" He twitches but isn't surprised "But that should not come at a cost to your discipline."
He stills for a moment before ever so slowly lowering his gaze "I beg forgiveness for this shameful display."
"You shamed no one." I wave him off "Just take care of yourself or else your men might be left without your guidance."
He accepts the order easily enough "By your will."
"Now, I don't doubt your... grounding" He grumbles as I change the subject "Has kept you from keeping informed. What is the current state of the battlefield?"
I may have taken only fifteen minutes to save the near-dead but during a battle that may as well be a day, and that was only when I was assured the enemy was in a complete rout.
His back straightens and he reports "Legate Furius' cavalry has reached the eastern edge of the city, no sorties. The Ashlanders have pushed past the south, small attacks repelled easily but they were forced to stop any further pursuit to repel them. Sadras has repositioned to the north, one sudden sortie repelled with middling losses. Redoran, Dres and Dagoth are pursuing the retreating enemy at large, no notable setbacks as of yet. Indoril has withdrawn to the west of the city to recover and joined Telvanni, no sorties."
And we were currently just behind the western siege line.
I nod along with each statement, pretty good so far "How organized is the enemy retreat?"
He frowns consideringly "Some thirty five of their cohort-equivalents, claws I believe I heard one call them, are retreating in good order and covering their flanks, while the rest are fleeing in a panic. If I had to estimate I'd say some twenty thousand Argonians will manage to break off if we focus on hunting the cowards as efficiently as possible."
"A great success then" I grin.
I will have to send my freshest troops to hound them so they get no rest.
In fact 'Oi Scorch'
The little phoenix perks up 'Yeah pops?'
'You want to go terrorize the poor retreating farm tools once Mournhold is ours?'
He does not respond but I can feel him practically vibrating in excitement at the idea.
Almeril doesn't seem to have noticed my momentary distraction "Without your grand showing they would have held for much longer. I thank you in the name of my men."
"They are my men now too." I point out.
He gives me a tiny but genuine smile.
Smirking back at him my gaze turns to the large crater in the distance "They moved their entire command structure back south. It was even more concentrated than when we first attacked."
"Cut off the snake's head and terrify its heart." He praises "A target too difficult to ignore." And then he frowns "And a possible trap."
"Traps are always possible, Almeril" I nod "But one should not be too afraid to move when he knows they are distinctly improbable."
"Caution should not cease action, merely guide it." He seems to recite.
"Indeed" I smirk "Hopefully our losses are not too grievous. I'd like us back on the chase as quickly as possible."
Almeril's eyes shine with a now contained hunger for battle "They will regret ever stepping foot into our lands."
"That they will, Almeril, that they will." I mutter and scan the battlefield just in case of surprises, I find none.
Getting myself back into the game I start walking away, not before giving him another order "Rest up, Redoran. You are in the reserve until you recover fully."
Ignoring his further pouting, I move to join Savos and Baladas, both of whom were currently standing in front of the still mist covered gates and discussing the spell with Divayth.
The same bloody madman who modified my spell and made it disorient everyone inside.
How very cheeky.
(General POV)
The small Dunmer boy nearly stumbled as he narrowly avoided a group of Argonian guards, their mist addled brains too slow to notice him as he slunk down familiar streets and away from the madness that had taken them.
The mist came hours prior, just as the sun was setting, and from that moment all of the Argonian warriors began acting incredibly twitchy.
And then they started grabbing people from the street.
Both he and his employer legged it as quickly as possible. The old shopkeep told him the fog was magic and that war had come to the city and he should hide while things settled.
Had the time finally come then? Was the question raging in his mind as he evaded another agitated patrol. His friends kept telling him that something big was going on in Morrowind and that soon the lizards would be kicked out.
He guessed he would just have to find out.
With a final swivel, he ducked into a familiar passage and soon crawled into the street he grew up in, dodging past his neighbors who were as afraid as he was, and immediately rushing to his home and practically slamming the doors behind him.
"Mavros!" His mother snapped "What did I say about slamming the door?"
"Not now, mom!" He snapped back, something he would have been caned for usually but his panicked look must have saved him "The guards are rounding everyone up, we need to hide!" He almost hesitated as he realized he would have to leave his books behind but the panic let him ignore them.
She frowns "Alright" And grabs him by the arm "We will hide out with the Garins."
He frowned and stopped, causing her to tug at him "Why would we go to those traitors?" He knew they were old family friends but hey traded with the Argonians like they were fellow Dunmer!
And that was bad, his friends agreed too!
She sighs "Mavros, I know you don't like them but they can help us."
He wanted to say no but his mother's stern look warns him from it "Fine."
They left the house, moving past a few of their neighbors still outside and rushed into another alleyway... straight into a group of armored Argonians.
His mother stilled and before he knew it he was stumbling away as she shoved him and told him to "Run!"
But the lizard was a cruel one and grabbed her by the neck, immediately pointing his jagged blade at her chest and hissing "You stay right where you are spawn, or she gets it." His snout snapped to his kin and they hissed something between each other.
Mavros was a curious sort, and he managed to catch 'No kill, start riot, use for later.' In between a slew of unrecognizable words.
His very soul screamed in terror as his mother's pleading eyes told him to flee, and yet he knew his choice was already made "Alright." He didn't resist as one of them walked up to him and grabbed him by the shoulder.
The fear turned his mind murky as they were led through the winding streets and only returned to normal when they walked out into the grand boulevard right next to the city's western gate.
They were rounded up as hundreds of the city guard formed up behind them, and told to stand here and wait.
Mavros shook as his mother embraced him from behind muttered assurances.
He was young, but his mother raised no fool. They were being used as shields and hostages.
Suddenly, as if to confirm his thoughts, the mist began lifting and the gates shook, screams came from atop the wall as metal spiders swarmed over the few archers and javelineers still foolish enough to remain at their posts.
The guards tensed but their Captain growled at them in their bestial language and they held their position.
The gates shook again, and with a crack they opened, utterly crushing the large drawbar into tiny little splinters before slamming into the two gate towers and denting themselves into the enchanted brick.
A single tall figure stood at the head of a golden shield wall, looking like the visage of the mightiest of Dunmeri sorcerers Mavros had read about in his stories.
"Stay back!" The Captain of the city guard, a large and often cruel Argonian clad in green plate, hissed "Not one step forward or we will gut these pathetic fools greyskin!"
The sorcerer, his crown hiding his expression save for a pair of blazing red eyes, let out a scoff that shook the air "Hmph!"
The Captain went to say something else but the sorcerer did not bother waiting and simply snapped his fingers, summoning a massive wave of flame that rushed towards them indiscriminately.
Mavros shook in his boots as he realized they would simply be incinerated, a simple snapping of fingers and their lives would end in a blink.
At least, he decided, he would face his death like a proper elf, he shoved his mother behind him even as he kept trembling and futilely spread his arms in a vain attempt to stop the fire.
Time seemed to slow down as thousands of thoughts assaulted his mind and he saw all his memories flashing before his eyes. He questioned if the tales were false and they were destined to suffer under the cold rule of the Argonians, or even worse that their northern kin did not care for them and took them as traitors to be snuffed out.
Finally, he questioned if his father would have been proud.
It did not matter for before a full second had passed the flames reached him and he understood his questions would forever remain unanswered as he was suddenly surrounded by a sea of gold and orange, the roaring of the flames making him tremble in fear even as he refused to close his eyes.
He knew he was already dead but... wasn't death supposed to be more painful?
In a blink the fire disappeared and he was left utterly lost as he realized he was still alive. His eyes widened as he quickly turned to his mother and found her equally unharmed, he hugged her with dry tears in his eyes even as she shook in his grip.
One quick look around confirmed that no other Dunmer was so much as singed and suddenly remembering where he was, Mavros looked up to where the Argonians were standing only to gape as he realized all but the Captain were dead.
The same captain who was currently shaking in fear.
And all Mavros could feel at the sight was his fear and terror turning to rage.
Without thinking he stepped around his feeble mother and rushed at the lizard, picking up a spear from the ground that would no doubt boil his unmarred hands, and pushed past his confused neighbors.
The heated metal sizzled in his grip but he ignored it and grabbed it with his other hand as well.
And then he leaped at the bastard.
Only to stop halfway from his target as a single hand easily held him up, hanging uselessly from his clothes "Best not sully yourself needlessly, kid." The same sorcerer was looking down at him with amusement, his voice carrying none of its previous terror.
Mavros wanted to say something but the terrified lizard chose that exact moment to wake from his stupor "Y-y-you!" He pointed at the sorcerer with a shaking hand.
"Look away now child." His fellow Mer ordered, and he felt compelled to follow.
The moment his sight left the Argonian, he heard a snap and a terrified scream of pain before silence descended once more.
He felt himself being set down, and a moment later the smell of blood and burnt flesh hit him.
The sorcerer turned to the golden warriors following him "Leave a force to protect these Mer, and have the healers check on them. The rest of you, with me!"
"By your will, Hortator!" The most decorated of the golden masked warriors saluted.
Good, they would be safe no-
Wait, Hortator!?
Mavros rounded on his savior but he had already walked off.
And then he realized why he was told to look away as he saw what the Captain had become.
A tree of thin orichalcum and bone branches, and leaves of lizard skin and meat.
Mavros promptly lost his breakfast.
(Reyvin's POV)
I pause as I realize what had just happened behind me "I maaay have gone a bit far there." Little bitch deserved it though.
Scorch appears on my shoulder and lazily blasts an Argonian trying to sneak up on us from atop a roof with a bolt of fire, incinerating him instantly "All hail the great Hortator, slayer of Argonians and traumatizer of children!"
Smiling awkwardly to hide a wince, I bravely redirect our attention "Come on then Scorch, the vermin won't clean itself out."
"Finally some fucking action!" He chirps angrily and leaps into the skies.
I almost pitied the poor fuckers he sicced himself at.
Almost.
'Now then' My eyes narrow as I feel my gaze drawn to the center of the city 'That is a pretty neat little sapling you have there...'
