Rastislav
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Arc 7 Chapter VI: Of Alliances and Advancements
🕑 Added 2024-04-22 20:16:23 +0000 UTC(Flashback, General POV)
The peaceful rustling of Bruma's northern forests was broken as a small group of mounted men rode through its less overgrown paths at a rapid pace, a pack of large hunting dogs guiding them forward and after a magnificent boar moving at speeds high enough to shatter whatever was unfortunate enough to find itself in front of it.
As attested by multiple trees turned into fine chunks.
One of the horsemen handed the older man riding next to him a loaded crossbow, the elder immediately aiming it with expert proficiency borne from decades of use and nailing the boar right into one of its back legs, hamstringing it and causing it to topple over its own weight, the inertia carrying it straight into the path of a pair of young Imperial men armed with long hunting spears.
They wasted no time in skewering the beast through the eye and neck.
The old man dismounted and fearlessly approached the rapidly dying creature, his excitement reflecting in his steps "A big bastard, isn't he Maro?" He looked to one of the men following him with a wide grin.
The Captain of the Emperor's bodyguards allowed himself to relax as the boar finally breathed its last "That he was, Your Majesty." He droned, his thoughts too occupied with something else "It is my duty to caution you against doing this again, my liege. We cannot protect you from nature's wrath or simple bad luck and if you were to suffer an accident here the Empire would not survive. You have yet to declare an heir and the vultures are already gathering."
Titus Mede II merely waved him away with a knowing smirk "Do not worry yourself overmuch my good man, we are here for more reason than the personal amusement of an old fart."
The bodyguard ignored his lord's crass comment and immediately tensed up, suddenly paying a lot more attention to his surroundings but failed to find anything "...And what exactly are we doing in the middle of a lord's forest if not hunting?"
"Meeting a possible ally, and should it go well creating a better future for the Empire." The Emperor answered evasively.
Before he could ask any more questions the nearby shadows convulsed unnaturally, twisting around each other and forming into the tall and imposing figure of a Dunmer clad in magnificent robes. The individual's power was such that even the unattuned could feel the mountain of Magicka before them.
Maro was thoroughly informed about all the big players in the world so it did not take him even a second to recognize their guest "What are you doing here?" He asked while grasping the hilt of his sword, the rest of the Imperials following suit.
"Peace now" The Emperor raised his hand to forestall them "I am afraid that even if we were all to attack him at once we would do no more than merely amuse him, am I not right Lord Dagoth?"
The elf let out a brief chuckle at that "You sure know how to flatter someone, old man."
Ignoring the offended sputterings of his servants the Emperor too let out a light laugh "Years of experience I am afraid." He starts walking and signals his people to wait where they are, much to their protest.
"Walk with me." Titus calls out and Reyvin falls into step beside him, once they are out of hearing range he speaks "It is good that we finally meet in person, that business with your father forced me into making a difficult decision and I feared you would resent me for it."
"Maybe I still do?" The elf hums "Maybe I lured you here to take revenge?"
Titus huffs "Then go ahead and kill me, I do not fear the gods' judgement."
A silent moment passes before Reyvin tsks in annoyance "Crazy old man."
"Why thank you very much." The Emperor offers him a light bow for his praise.
"I am not a child." Reyvin states after a brief silence "I understand that it is the Thalmor who are at fault, and demanding that an entire empire increase tensions when it cannot afford to do so over one person would be both foolish and incredibly hypocritical of me."
"A rather mature outlook for someone so young." Titus eyes him with a raised eyebrow, approval twinkling in his eyes "I am happy to see that the son takes after the father, and doubly so for your offer of cooperation. Speaking of..." He gives the elf an annoyed look "The letters you sent me were rather vague, I had to keep them to myself or else my own advisors might consider me a complete lunatic." He shakes his head "Found a Septim Dragonborn he says, as if an old man's heart can take such declarations lightly."
"Oh please, you have at least another century in you." Reyvin rolls his eyes, easily spotting the signs of immense vitality within the powerful warrior and Emperor "Besides, it isn't like I was lying. She just doesn't know the fact herself quite yet."
"I had several options for a potential heir, none of them ideal." The Emperor grumbles "And then you come out of nowhere and offer me a literal divinely gifted option. Of course there had to be caveats."
"As there are in most things." Reyvin nods "Besides, since when does Akatosh send forth a Dragonborn without good reason?"
Titus frowns "And what is the reason?"
"Alduin the World Eater's return." Reyvin informs him in a clipped tone.
The Emperor searches his mind for the relevant prophesy or legend and quickly pales as he realizes the form of calamity that would soon ravage the world, still a ray of hope remained "You have been preparing for this." It was a statement, not a question.
"I have." The archmage nods "And I have also been helping her prepare as much as I could."
"...But?" Titus gives him an expectant look.
"But something drew her to Cyrodiil recently." The elf grumbles "Whatever divinity was hidden within her has likely awakened when she consumed the dragon soul in Blackreach and has led her south, she has probably already crossed the border by now."
"And what is it that you wish me to do with this information?" The Emperor asks.
Reyvin shrugs "Shadow her, observe her... hell even test her if you like. She holds near infinite potential but it is just that, potential. If you truly wish for the Empire to endure under her rule then I want you to invest yourself fully in the return of the Septims, and that starts with your own initiative."
Titus stops walking briefly, seemingly deep in thought, his expression shifting multiple times before settling on a devious smile "Yes, I do believe I will be testing her. My thanks for your advice, dear boy."
"I live to serve" Reyvin bows dramatically, both of the serial annoyances breaking out into cackles of pure evil.
(Back to the present, Reyvin's POV)
"That bastard!" Minthara almost jumps from her seat in rage "He knew what I was doing the entire time!" She stops yelling and suddenly pales "Oh no, he knew what I was doing the entire time..."
I pointedly look at anywhere but her.
Her eyes narrow "Don't tell me you also had people shadowing us."
I whistle innocently.
She glares at me for a brief moment but quickly accepts that this was indeed her life now and leans back into her seat "You could have at least had them give us some food when we ran low." She grumbles.
"Oh? And should I also wipe your ass for you?" I raise an eyebrow while pointing at her "The two of you got too used to me coddling you and Titus needed to see what you were made of."
She resumes her grumbling but it is mostly just cursing the world for making her important, once she calms down she looks up again "Honestly, I would have preferred the wandering and constant battle to the 'training' that came after."
"Oh yeah, that." I hold back a chuckle, pretending to sympathize "I heard it was rather terrible."
(Flashback)
I seat myself next to Titus as he observes an angry Minthara yelling at her etiquette teacher about not even thinking to tell her what she could and could not wear, and the older woman simply looking at her like she was an idiot child and promptly tearing her a new one.
"Damn, this is fun to watch." I chuckle.
"Told you." The supremely entertained Emperor smirks.
(Back to the present)
"Reyvin..." Her voice raises threateningly.
"Right, I just remembered I had something to do." I get up from my seat faster than she could blink "There are two dragons you can nom on when you are ready, allrightseeyoulaterbye!" And before the two twitching hands can wrap around my throat I disappear from the tower in its entirety.
(General POV)
Minthara stared at the suddenly empty space for a brief moment before shaking her head, an unbidden smile forming on her face as she once more sprawled herself on the luxurious seat. She had missed the damn elf, and the annoying fucker probably knew it too.
Oddly enough, she found that she wasn't all that annoyed by that fact.
---
Once I was securely hidden within my fortified chambers high up in the tower, accessible and visible only through my own invitation, I finally allowed myself to relax, immediately throwing myself into the large pool filled with clear warm water and allowing myself to float and let the tension leave me.
I fully expected the earlier barrage of questions not to wait until she was rested so I made myself available. Trying to relax while there was a frustrated demigoddess out and about searching for you was just not going to end well no matter what, so it was best to get it out of the way.
Then again, she was far more mature than earlier, so maybe I should raise my expectations a little bit. People in this world stopped being dumb real quick or they died, and she has failed to do the latter as of yet.
Still, as I floated idly, my mind refused to shut down so I let it drift toward the fruits of my labor in metaphorically ass-clapping a literal god with my glowing magic stick.
'Damn, if he could read my mind I think he would probably burst a blood vessel.'
[Str 36 => 39 => 43]
[Dex 38 => 44 => 48]
[Vit 55 => 62 => 67]
[Mind 60 => 65 => 69]
[Mag 1250 => 1400 => 1500]*
I could also feel it, deep in my bones, the certainty of my blood growing more potent at denying the divine. The affirmation of hurting a god descended on Nirn served to bolster my inherent powers even further, the change was not massive but it was there.
The feeling didn't end there, however, as I also felt myself standing at some kind of precipice, only one push more was needed for my inherited power to transform into something greater and I could not wait to see what kind of fuckery that would cause.
'Damn' I let out a whistle 'I am slowly turning into a monster.'
The flaming bird who was until now lazily napping at the edge of the pool looks up and gives me the stink eye "As if you weren't one already."
"Uh huh." I deadpan without looking at him "Let a man enjoy his growth, why don't you?"
"You are not a man though." He points out helpfully.
"Semantics, you know what I mean." I wave him off "Why are you so grouchy today anyway?"
"Oh, I don't know?" Scorch looks at me like I am an idiot "Maybe because you wouldn't let me peck the featherless cunt in the eye while he was ripping you a new one?"
"Fucker literally eats souls." I point out "I have no idea what would happen if he were to nom on your feathery ass and I wasn't about to risk finding out."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." He agrees reluctantly "Just annoyed by it."
"Fair enough." I shrug, accidentally letting myself sink a bit in the process and getting some water in my nose, which then leads to a full minute of being annoyed with the uncomfortable sting of it.
After I glared at the guiltless pool for a while, my thoughts once more drifted to my training.
My swordsmanship was getting better slowly and steadily under Gelebor's tutoring. I may not like the Mer all that much considering his general passivity but his millennia of life had made him into a formidable master of the blade, something I had no qualms about using to its fullest potential.
He was not a harsh trainer but he was certainly rigid in his way of doing things, which usually ended up with me repeating a form thousands of times before he was satisfied, and I was still not quite there when it came to mastery.
Finding a master at the use of polearms was a much more daunting prospect, however. There were many passable ones out there but none who were either willing or able to give me proper instruction, so that was stalling quite a bit unfortunately.
The less said about my progress in non magic assisted archery the better.
As for my magic lessons, I continued assisting the other masters with their own projects, using their insight to advance my own research as I did so and getting a lesson or two in the process.
The other archmagi were slowly approaching a breakthrough in their dragonslayer project and with the aid of Krein and myself the whole thing had evolved beyond merely allowing someone of lesser power to hurt a dragon to downright cursing them in a sense similar to dragonrend.
I could practically taste the implied immortal-slaying magic that would follow and it made me all kinds of giddy.
Valerica's lessons were still a relative rarity, both she and Serana being far too busy with ensuring their hold over the province in the eyes of other vampires and spending the rest repairing their castle.
Still, we did manage to get a couple of lessons in and I had her teach me how to enhance my summons in the middle of a fight. She could have taught me actual necromancy but I felt like that would be a massive waste of time considering I would never use it so I focused on what I was already good at.
As my previous display might indicate, I had also invested some time in increasing my destructive capabilities, for when a dragon tries being peppy about their fucking magic resistance. Thus I found myself in Savos' chambers, demanding the old man get out of his cave and teach me shit for once.
He pretended to grumble but was in truth happy that we got to spend some time together, learning how to disintegrate things into pure Magicka was also a plus.
My meditations with Krein also continued, but to my great annoyance the old dragon insisted I focus on 'solidifying my foundations' as 'my pronunciation was terrible' and 'my accent outright insulting to the refined ears of a Dovah'.
Part of me believed he just wanted to fuck with me at first but after a few weeks of his lessons I noticed that the strain I put myself under when shouting was greatly reduced and I could chain more and more shouts before my throat gave out.
I would definitely remain a skeptic but this once I could agree that trusting in the wisdom of the ancients was a good thing.
And finally, my skill at mysticism was slowly approaching mastery, Shalazar was as always far too willing to teach and I absorbed his lessons like a sponge, focusing on the aspect of manipulating the space around me as a first step toward my final goal of exploring far beyond merely this one world.
I could feel it in my bones, I just had to get more practice in and I could soon proclaim myself a true master mystic, with all the annoying squeaking that would no doubt follow said achievement.
It would be worth it though, for once I was finally done with that I could finally get to researching the book I got for offing Harkon. Shalazar took one good look at the damn thing and immediately forbade me from touching it until I had his approval, and while I may be a rebellious little shit if the Almighty Lizard Wizard gives you an order you follow the damn order.
The book sat there, on a glass case, glaring at me with its simple yet elegant covers, inviting me to open it.
I will get you you fucker, just you wait!
"You really need some help." Scorch comments from atop my head.
Wordlessly I grab him and slam him into the water, making the whole thing steam up in the process.
Ah, blessed silence.
---------------
* Middle number is his progress between the last system prompt and the Alduin fight while the last one is after the fight.
[Name: Reyvin][House: Dagoth]
[Age: 20][Race: Dunmer][Sign: Mage]
[Str: 43][Dex: 48][Vit: 67][Mind: 69][Mag: 1500 (4000)]
Mage:
Destruction Master:
Pyromancy
Electromancy
Cryomancy
Runecasting
Siege Magic
Disintegration
Elemental malleability
Restoration Expert:
Healing
Solar Magic
Combat Wards
Alteration Master:
Telekinesis
Self Alteration/Combat Enhancement (dragonskin)
Light Spells
Metal Transformation/Transmutation
Corporeal Transmutation
Aeromancy
Terramancy
Hydromancy
Hemomancy
Conjuration Expert:
Bound Weapons
Soulbound items
Umbramancy (Bound shades: Shackled Reach, Chittering Swarm, The Changed Ones {13/26 slots})
Oblivion Storage
Familiar Summon (Scorch)
Minion enhancement
Mysticism Expert:
Soul Manipulation
Levitation
Spatial Manipulation
Elemental Resistance
Sight Beyond Sight
Illusion Expert:
Sound Alteration
Wide Scale Emotional Manipulation
Enchantment Master:
Enchanting Mastery
Dwemertech Expert
Alchemy Adept:
Standard Potions/Poisons
Moabain Regeneration Potions
Expert Tongue:
Fire Breath: Yol, Tor, Shul
Unrelenting Force: Fus, Ro, Dah
Whirlwind Sprint: Wuld
Slow time: Tiid
Become Ethereal: Feim
Dragonrend: Joor ZAH FRUL
Clear Skies: Lok Vah Koor
Warrior: Sword Expert, Spear/Polearm Expert, Dagger Adept
Thief: Sneak Adept
Abilities:
Summon Ancestral Guardian (Racial)
[Magnus' Gaze: Once per month you may use your newfound connection
to the Eye of Magnus to channel its power directly,
this power may be used for one second per ten points of vitality
without causing permanent damage to the user.]
Traits:
Fireblood: Born under the fire of Red Mountain you are blessed with 50% resistance and 20% damage and control toward fire
Blood of Dagoth: You descend from a mad religious extremist, who non the less achieved a degree of godhood, providing you with a prolonged lifespan and the third eye trait
All-seeing Third Eye
Kyne's BLessing
Minor Warrior's Blessing
Dunmer Paragon
Nordic Paragon
Greater Falmer Paragon
Ashen Bond
Night Vision
Dagoth's Fury: Your blasphemous inheritance has grown in strength and power, you now have the ability to dampen and even completely cut off Divine and Daedric influence if sufficiently enraged.
Chosen of Mephala
Unbound: You are now considered a lesser blank slate, as long as you invest great effort you will be able to continue growing in strength. Abilities hitherto considered impossible are now attainable through great sacrifice and greater effort.
*The bindings of your race are less stringent, allowing you abandon your roots or refine them with sufficient effort.
Fire attunement(True Destruction, Solar): You have reached the pinnacle of mortal power with the element of fire, all fire spells are twice as strong while being half as demanding.
[Dovah-Thur: You are the lord of a dragon without being one yourself. The very act and manner of binding a being of such power and dominant nature has caused a bleed over from you to your new vassal, attuning it to yourself and your powers, and shifting it from its original affinities to more resemble your own.
Features: Telepathic link, increased shadow affinity, increased sun affinity]
[Blessing of Akatosh/Auri-El: The Chief Divine of both elven and human pantheons has granted you his favor. Your affinity toward the sun is increased even further and you gain an affinity toward time and a resistance towards temporal effects.]
Gear:
[The Ten Rings: A set of synchronized rings created by a true master of his craft
The Greater Hand of Magnus: Provides two additional units of Magicka per every one held by the wielder (Up to 2500)
Rings of Sun And Shade: All magic is 50% cheaper to cast]
[Hag Bane: A weapon much changed, yet the blood of fallen foes still clings to its form out of sight.
All spells intended to harm are 25% more powerful when channeled through this staff.
The blade erupts with disintegrating fire and lightning when striking a foe.]
[Grand Regalia of Dagoth: A suit of robe and armor fit for a demi-god, it shall protect the heir of Dagoth better than any army ever could.
Lightened ebony plate
Self-cleaning, self-repairing, heat-regulating
Obscures clairvoyance or other methods of scrying
Magicka regeneration: 500%
Magicka absorption: 250
All bolstering spells are thrice as effective
Emergency effect: Uses up all of the robe's energy to force the wearer to turn ethereal for a single second, renders the robe powerless for a day]
[Amulet of Dagoth: 20% magic resist]
[War-Crown of Kogoruhn: A crown fit for a lord among sorcerers, infused with the soul of an ancient necromancer Queen of divine blood, this crown is one that even Daedra would covet.
Royal Guard: Satisfies the Magicka needs of up to 26 powerful bound creatures on its own.
Draconic aspect: The tiny strand of Akatosh's power empowers the wearer's voice while at the same time allowing for greater thu'um to be used without risk.
Draconic defenses: Resist all damage (10%)
Dread Aura: All. Shall. Bow.]
[Ebony Blade-Unleashed:
Mephala's prime artifact, once the blade of the betrayer and now the blade of ambition in the hands of her chosen. She watches all your deeds with great attention.
Mephala's Favor: Grants you power over lies of all forms.
Lifedrinker: Steals great amounts of lifeforce from victims, can be used to heal and power spells and rituals.
Shadowguide: Teaches you how best to wield it.]
[The Staff of Magnus: The staff belonging to the god, and the very source, of all magic. It is sent forth to champions in times of need and leaves its wielder some time after its purpose has been completed.
Complete Control: Grants the wielder supreme control over Magicka.
Grand Syphon: Uses power from the very air to charge itself and the spells cast through it.
Lordly Conduit: All spells cast are perfected to an extent.
Spell Bane: Destructive spells cast through the staff destroy magic and destabilize Magicka.]
[The Changed Ones: A unit of ten eternally loyal elven spellswords, they fight as one for their great lord. Upkeep slots: 10]
[The Blade of Blasphemy: A blade once carrying the sun's radiance now usurped by mortal hands, it shall forever carry the taint of such a deed.
Vorpal Blade: The smallest cut becomes grievous injury.
Bane of Undead: A mere touch destroys all but the strongest of undead.
Rule Breaker: No binding survives the strike of this weapon.]
[The Shroud of Reyvin: An item not meant for mortal hands yet one made by them, none may observe the bearer against their will while they are covered in its silken grasp.
Self-repairing, soul-bound, intangible, eternal
Lighteater: The shroud will consume anything that might make the bearer noticeable, whether it be light or sound, in such a way as to make physically detecting the bearer near impossible.
Hallowed Seclusion: Any kind of metaphysical sense is blocked completely. From mere magic sight to conceptual detection, not even death itself will find the bearer while hidden under the shroud.
Soulshroud: The bearer's soul is intangible to all and cannot be interacted with without their express permission.]
[Auri-El's Bow: The sun shall burn away the wicked.
All arrows loosed from this bow deal massively increased damage against any creature which might be considered 'dark' or 'wicked' the effect is further increased if the arrows are properly sunhallowed.]
Comments
Rastislav
He probably could but his focus is on making autonomous combatants
Moroni Albornoz
Did Reyvin shall create his own awesome mechanical mount?, a bike like the aliance of WoW? with caterpillars, or a Fliying Daedric Titan mount with artillery, or the always reliable Dwemer animal-shape mount (guar, horse, wolf, spider, etc.)
Andrew Herrera
Looking forward to more chapters. Amazing fic
