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Arc 4 Chapter XXX: Kilkreath Temple (Part 1)
🕑 Added 2023-08-18 19:57:17 +0000 UTC(General pov)
"Why me..."
Davos groans as their little group makes its way up the mountain toward the temple sitting upon its peak.
"Oh come now Davos" Reyvin says cheerfully "Even the brat isn't complaining."
Marco merely grunts, having no energy to respond.
"You two really should get out more." Sybille adds while giggling coquettishly.
"How are you not tired?" Davos glares at her. One might think it is because she is a woman, but no, she really just looks very delicate, and seeing her walk for hours without problems would confuse anyone.
She cups her chin and shrugs "I guess I am just better than you."
Davos grumbles something about cunt mages, probably forgetting that said mages usually have some form of enhanced hearing.
Sybille turns to him sharply and smiles dangerously "What did you just say?"
Davos shivers, but before he can receive a tongue lashing Reyvin cuts in "Oh cut the poor man some slack, his old bones can't take it." His expression shifts "Besides, only I get to bully my subordinates."
She huffs "Kids these days, so greedy."
The two non-mages of the group share a tired glance and merely shake their heads in defeated acceptance.
After getting close to the temple the group makes a small camp and it is decided that they would take a rest. Going into a fight exhausted was idiotic after all.
They set up a campfire and sat around it, well except for Sybille who chose to remain standing so as to not dirty her robes, making everyone just a slight bit awkward for sitting down, much to her amusement.
Davos and Reyvin went about preparing a simple meal, as it had become routine on their journey to Solitude while Marco took out the lute he brought and started playing a relaxing melody.
Davos listens for a bit and says "Would you look at that, the brat isn't half bad."
Reyvin shrugs "Meh, my own bards are better."
Marco looks at him, still playing but slower "Your own bards?"
"Indeed" He preens ever so slightly "I do own a rather prestigious inn in Winterhold after all."
Instead of the expected curiosity, Marco's shoulders slump, but before he can whinge Reyvin raises an annoyed hand "Oh don't pout, you are a gods damned mer."
"I wasn't about to pout! And what does being mer have to do with anything?" Marco grumbles.
With a tired drawl Reyvin explains "You have literal centuries to do something with your life, just because I got lucky early doesn't mean you should use me as an example."
This comment seems to annoy Sybille for whatever reason but she keeps silent.
Marco on the other hand shakes his head "That is your answer for everything 'Don't compare yourself to me'"
Instead of denying it, Reyvin smirks "You might not like it, but it is a fact that I have a very unfair advantage when it comes to magic, meaning I have an unfair advantage in everything I do."
Marco stops playing and asks "What kind of advantage could be so game changing? Are you going to tell me you are the last blood of the Septims blessed with dragon blood?"
Davos snorts, and Reyvin actually gags a bit "Gods no, I just see no reason to give you such private information."
The resident bloodsucker raises a surprised eyebrow at Reyvin's reaction "Not a fan of the Septims are you?"
'Fishing for information are you now?' Reyvin's eye twitches and he gives a non-answer "They were not well-liked by my family."
Sybille grumbles "Oh come on! That sounds like a fun story... Much more interesting than listening to an Altmer brat cry about his impotence."
Marco glares at her, but the lessons about lashing out at mages seem to have stuck and he merely seethes in silence.
Reyvin ignores her and starts eating the stew they prepared and she seems to lose interest.
As he was eating Marco once again started strumming his lute, he seemed to be thinking about something, and after some internal debate he asks "Teacher, I have been noticing something."
"Hm?" Reyvin sends him a questioning look.
"How do I put this..." He mulls over something "Whenever I play a tune or something, my Magicka seems to flow just a bit easier."
Reyvin swallows his meal "You are telling me you can already feel a flow difference?"
Marco nods dumbly but quickly adds "That doesn't matter now, what do you think about what I said?"
The Dunmer mage scratches his chin "Try channeling some now."
He does so and after a bit, tiny sparks of lightning start dancing between the strings.
Reyvin's eyes widen and suddenly start glowing. The young bard seems uncomfortable but dares not stop, and after a time the glow in his teacher's eyes dissipates.
"Holy shit." Reyvin mutters "That is actually quite good."
Sybille pipes in "And how exactly do you figure that?"
No longer caring about his secret when faced with such a discovery Reyvin blurts "I quite literally can see magic, his flowed as well as if a novice used a basic staff while he played."
Sybille "You can see wha-"
Reyvin's raised hand interrupts her "Later."
She grumbles but relents.
Marco took the distraction as an opportunity to calm himself and asks "So, what do you think?"
If he were familiar with the idea Reyvin's ravenous gaze would remind him of a mad scientist that just found something very interesting "You just earned yourself some extra lessons brat."
"Oh." He gulps getting a very bad feeling.
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(Reyvin's pov)
Bardic magic huh?
Not all that surprising when you consider the influence music and sound have in this world, but still to be one of the first to actually witness it... Dumb luck or is something else going on?
Well now I will have to make sure the brat doesn't get gutted in there, I am not taking the time to actually learn how to play an instrument just for this experiment.
I am forced to leave those thoughts for later as we approach the imposing temple, made of pale stone and crowned with a massive statue of Meridia holding up the sun.
Still begging Magnus to take you back I see...
As we arrive at the peak I signal the others to stay behind and pull out Meridia's beacon.
The moment I do so her imperious voice booms out, not damaging my hearing this time thankfully "You have come as commanded, good."
"Place my beacon upon the pedestal and hear your task." She commands and I quickly comply.
The moment I do so I am enveloped in a bright light and find myself feeling the same displacement I feel whenever Mephala decides to show up, just a lot more resplendent.
In front of me floats a ball of light, but I feel the gaze of the Daedra behind it. Remembering to be respectful I bow "Prince Meridia, I am honored you would personally take the time."
"As you should be mortal." Her voice implies that there was no other option than to be honored, she looks over my companions and seemingly stills for a moment "If you thought that bringing another abomination to my temple would be amusing, know that amused I am not."
Dammit Sybille "She assured me that she had an offer you would appreciate, but that is between the two of you. Please tell me what I need to do to cleanse the temple." I try and change the topic.
I can feel her annoyed stare, but after making me uncomfortable for a while she seemingly accepts my words and says "Very well, I will choose how to deal with her when she speaks to me. As for cleansing my temple, I shall summon my light through the beacon and direct it inside, destroying Malkoran's wards. You are to guide it through the temple's hallowed halls and lead it to my token of power."
I nod "Of course, what should I expect inside?"
"You would ask for more assistance than this?" she seems to be testing me.
I quickly explain "My lady, it is your temple we are cleansing from what you consider to be most profane, you ensuring we aren't surprised benefits both sides."
"Very well." I feel her haze fall downwards and after some observation she says "You will be facing hundreds of shadows called up from the soul cairn." She seems to glow brighter as she channels more power toward the center of the temple "A group of vampires await before my altar."
"Vampires? Not Malkoran?" I ask with some confusion.
I feel her offence at the name as if it were my own as she growls "He has absconded to join the rest of his foolish kind somewhere to the north. Naturally he was too weak to carry forth my artefact, leaving it for his borrowed underlings to guard."
Better save the fact that we are about to slaughter all of them for later negotiations, pretending to be pleasantly surprised I ask "Borrowed from Lord Volkihar I presume?"
"Indeed, the disgusting creature that calls itself Lord Harkon is still trying to escape his prison even after all these centuries." She seems very satisfied with this fact.
"Will this change of occupant make the cleansing more difficult?" I ask.
"No." She states "It will in fact make it easier for you as you won't have to deal with a master necromancer."
"A master?" My eyes widen.
"I did say there were hundreds waiting for you child, were you not listening?" She asks chidingly.
I shake my head "Of course I was my lady, I was just surprised for a moment."
I feel some amusement radiating of her as she hums pleasantly "So naive mortals can be." soon the atmosphere shifts and the ball of light glows blindingly bright as she once again commands imperiously "Go forth mortal! Strike the undead down with mine own wrath!"
I suddenly feel a soothing yet potent energy enter me, I quickly look at my notifications and then back at Meridia my eyes full of surprise.
[Meridia's wroth: The Lady of Life commands you to strike down the abominable undead, when fighting the profane creatures you may call upon her, empowering your solar magic and imbuing your flames with her light. Fail at your task and be forever barred from her blessing, succeed and be blessed forevermore.]
The ball of light seems amused and the Prince behind it even giggles very quietly "Do not be so surprised mortal, Mephala already informed me of your disdain for pledging yourself in service to one of us, yet you are still far too useful to simply discard."
I take a deep breath and calm down "This is rather surprising I have to admit."
Seemingly reading my thoughts she huffs in annoyance "I know what those fools say about me, there is no need to hide it. I will have you know I am the lady of life, not some greedy child."
I pretend to relax somewhat "That is good to hear then."
"All I say is good to hear mortal." I can feel her amusement "Now call forth the vampre, I would speak with her."
I bow and am suddenly returned to Nirn, everyone looks at me with a mix of worry and anticipation but I merely signal for Sybille to approach.
She does so and is also enveloped in the bright light, thankfully not immediately getting disintegrated. She spends a very long time in conversation with the Daedric prince, but after a very tense fifteen minutes for the three of us she emerges once again, unscathed.
We all stare at her waiting for some kind of explanation, but she just walks next to us and descends toward the temple's entrance "Are you all coming in or are you going to keep gawking for the next day?"
This snaps us out of our confusion and we rush after her.
As I approach the main gate of the temple, it opens on its own and I hear the familiar sound of my system.
[Quest issued: Cleanse the temple of Meridia][Reward: Solar infusion (Scorch)]
About damn time I got something for my hawk boy. With renewed determination I take the first step into the abyss.
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Miakaru
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