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Making Connections

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Hiver said:
I leaned slightly against the glaive. She had a very good point. This world was as infested with bandits as... basically every other world we've run into so far.

Which now that I thought about it, was all kinds of depressing and spoke very poorly about most sophonts.

But I didn't want to think that. Most people are not... evil. I couldn't think they were. Nobody gets out of bed thinking, 'I want to kick puppies today'. People are forced into bad situations and can't find a way out that doesn't involve hurting people.
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I wonder if he misses that, about our world. It basically doesn't have bandits.

He's seen wonders, and civilisations that sometimes rival ours, in their own way, but... ours is built on trust. Ours is larger; there are seven billion humans on Earth, the vast majority of which are at peace, a large minority of which can barely even imagine war or violence. Yes, it's come after long struggle, but we're finally reaching into space...

All of this while apparently ignorant of a large fraction of physics, and unable to use the shortcuts that magic affords. Though, perhaps that's part of why? It's impossible for us to do much of anything without cooperation, and so we've learned to cooperate. The Roman Empire fell to barbarians, but it's practically unimaginable for the same to happen today; the advantages that come with large-scale high-trust societies are too vast for the barbarians to overcome.

In the context of this story, that might be the entire point. It's not that we haven't learned magic, it's that we can't, because it's been deliberately excised by some means. In which case, things could get interesting once Hiver finally finds his way back. The experimenters might still be there.
 
Baughn said:
I wonder if he misses that, about our world. It basically doesn't have bandits.

He's seen wonders, and civilisations that sometimes rival ours, in their own way, but... ours is built on trust. Ours is larger; there are seven billion humans on Earth, the vast majority of which are at peace, a large minority of which can barely even imagine war or violence. Yes, it's come after long struggle, but we're finally reaching into space...

All of this while apparently ignorant of a large fraction of physics, and unable to use the shortcuts that magic affords. Though, perhaps that's part of why? It's impossible for us to do much of anything without cooperation, and so we've learned to cooperate. The Roman Empire fell to barbarians, but it's practically unimaginable for the same to happen today; the advantages that come with large-scale high-trust societies are too vast for the barbarians to overcome.

In the context of this story, that might be the entire point. It's not that we haven't learned magic, it's that we can't, because it's been deliberately excised by some means. In which case, things could get interesting once Hiver finally finds his way back. The experimenters might still be there.
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'Sigh'

Somali pirates.
Muggers.
Boko Haram.

That was what popped into my head, just off the top. There are a number of places where scumbaggery like that doesn't happen, but there are also many where it does. The barbarians are still out there, and to too many eyes, mine included, the civilised are getting weaker.

Look, it's not really about the story, so I'll stop.

Fun story, Hiver.
 
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    • I tore off a piece of the bread as I looked at the heat sphere sitting in the middle of the small chamber. While Ren and I hardly needed it, Alexis did so we put it up.

    I was carrying one in my bag already so, whatever. Might as well set it up.

    "So what are you two researching?" the human woman asked, nibbling on some dried meat she had pulled from her bag. She picked it up again on the way out of the room she fought in, having dropped it when the undead attacked.

    "Atreus is the one doing the actual research." Ren said with a smile. "I'm just along this time."

    I shook my head. "Ren is more interested in the magical side of things, and if I am to be honest, so am I. But we were in the area and I couldn't resist looking into an ancient set of ruins. Magic or not, you can tell a lot about the history of the area from their constructions and art."

    Alexis slowly nodded. "Archaeology."

    I grinned at that. "I wouldn't take it quite that far. I'm just an amateur at this stuff, I just got curious. But I would love to organize a full expedition to this temple city when Skyrim stabilizes again."

    She looked surprised at that. "You have that kind of money?"

    "Not me personally, no." I answered and shook my head. Actually, I kind of did, just not in local currency. "But the guild does. We are members of the Azure Consortium."

    "Oh, them. I actually purchased a healing spell from the location in Whiterun a month and a half ago."

    "That was some impressive magic you did back there." Ren injected. "I didn't recognize any of it."

    The redhead smiled at that, resting her back against the wall, her sword resting across her lap, still sheathed, though. "Master Goldmane taught me most of it."

    "Your teacher?"

    Alexis nodded to her. "He took me in when I got.. lost." She smiled sadly. "I've been studying under him for almost six months now."

    "So where is he now?" I asked and ripped off another piece of bread.

    She shrugged. "No idea. He told me to 'go find myself' a month or so ago. I'm not entirely sure what he meant by that, I know exactly who I am."

    I smiled at that, remembering something that priest in Stormwind I learned some 'holy' magic from a while back told me. "It is impossible to find yourself along your path. Only by knowing which paths you refuse to tread, you will know who you are."

    They both stared at me at that so I just shrugged. "Or at least that's what one of my teachers said on the subject."

    I'm still not completely sure what he meant, but I was starting to get it.

    "Sounds like something my dad would make up." Alexis said and uncorked her waterskin.

    "He was a teacher?"

    "Author. He writes books."

    "Anything I have read?" I asked.

    She shook her head. "Doubt it." and looked sad for a moment.

    I didn't push her.

    "I'll take first watch." I said and yawned slightly. "I'll wake Ren up later, she can take the second watch."

    "I'm on third?" Alexis asked and frowned.

    "Sorry," I said and shrugged. "But Ren and I'll handle the watches. You seem like a good person, but we don't know you yet."

    "...And I am supposed to trust you instead?"

    I grinned at that. "Well, it's that or stay awake all night and then this rest is a complete waste of time."

    She let out a small, frustrated sigh and then nodded. "Very well." She pulled a blanket out of her bag and laid down, using her bag as a pillow, her sword unsheathed and at her side.

    Well, she was clearly new at this, but she seemed to have her head on straight. But doing this kind of thing on her own... she was going to get herself killed.

    You needed somebody to watch your back.

    Ren scooted around the fire to my side, laying down close by, using her satchel as a pillow but otherwise ignoring the need of any bedding.

    Smiling softly I reached to stroke her hair before relaxing, my back against the wall as I wove a couple of quick spells around the chamber. Anti scrying and a warning one on the door. If the door moved, the spell would 'snap' and zap me slightly.

    Even then, the door was closed and had a wooden wedge hammered in under it to keep it from being able to open. Simple and practical.

    Letting my eyes half close, I just relaxed. Couldn't fall asleep, but I still needed to get as much rest as I could if we were helping her deeper into the tunnels tomorrow.

    Alexis was asleep already... or pretending to be asleep. One of the two.

    Likely the second unless she was extremely tired, which wasn't unreasonable considering the circumstances.

    I hoped that she would end up being what she seemed to be and this wasn't some kind of play. She seemed to be a good person, and this world needed more of those.

    But... if she continued like this, she might get herself killed. Maybe I could hire her for the Consortium, get her a job where she didn't need to do this. Or at the very least, had some backup when she did it.

    Besides, not like she wasn't obviously good at what she did, that's plenty of reason to offer her a job.

    Glancing down I noticed Ren looking up at me in amusement and I raised an eyebrow at her.

    What?

    She just smiled and closed her eyes.

    Women. I'll never understand them.




    AN// Many thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section.
     
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    • "So what exactly are we looking for?" I asked as we moved slowly down the tunnel.

    Alexis shook her head. "Amulet with a family seal on it. Made of some sort of dark metal. It's supposed to be carried by an Imperial. He went missing six months ago according to his family and this was the place he was going to study."

    "Any reason just for this catacomb?" Ren asked, taking up the rear.

    "I found his old campsite to the west of that large temple." she explained as we reached a door. "This catacomb was marked out on the map."

    I nodded. "Wonder what was so interesting about just this place." I mused. "Personally, I would have gone for one of the larger temples before resorting to the catacombs."

    Alexis shrugged and drew her sword. "He didn't leave any other notes. How would I know?"

    Then she reached, pushed the carved door open and entered.

    Shaking my head, I followed her into the chamber.

    That's not the right way to enter a potentially dangerous room. She is going to get herself killed.

    Holding my glaive ready, I followed her, covering her the best I could.

    The chamber was large, set up like a small arena, dipping into the ground with seats all around, a large throne overseeing it all.

    Whatever, the ancient Nords were into some sort of ritual combat. If it was between criminals, gladiators or some sort of games... no way to tell. In the middle of the arena a body was laying, he looked like he had been dead for a while, but not as dried out as the rest.

    The imperial we were looking for.

    Alexis circled right so I went left, there were undead... or dead. They were not moving and were not that many, just sitting in the stands and seats.

    Yeah, this wasn't creepy at all. Bloody hell.

    I looked over at Alexis and pointed my glaive at the closest 'spectators' on her side.

    She nodded and moved a bit closer, giving it a sharp poke.

    ...Okay, that was a bad plan.

    At the poke, all of them got up, all ten or twelve of them turning towards their closest targets. Well, crap.

    Channeling some magic into my glaive, I swung at the closest of them. At the blade hit, the energy blasted the undead off its feet and down into the arena.

    Even if that didn't kill it, it did put it out of the fight.

    "Ren!"

    "On it!"

    Fire and ice was flying through the air as she started to cast. I, on the other hand, suddenly found myself too busy to worry about either of them.

    Quickly raising my glaive into a cross block, I stopped a powerful swipe of a heavy battleaxe before stepping forward, using the butt end of the handle to sweep its feet out from under the dried-out husk, causing it to fall onto its back long enough for me to step back, spin my weapon around and putting the blade through its eye.

    "Atregos!" Ren shouted and I span around before diving out of the way, an arrow just barely missing me.

    Shit! I didn't think they had archers! Undead never have fucking archers!

    I didn't have time to worry about him, though, as the next undead approached with a sword and shield. I didn't try fighting it either.

    Instead I charged up a fireball and blasted it away, rolling back onto my knees to peek over the stands just in time to see Ren set the archer on fire.

    Alexis, on the other hand, was fighting, dodging and darting in for quick stabs, and from time to time she used some sort of shining white or yellow spells on herself.

    I had to find out what kind of spells those were. They were some kind of enhancements, that was for sure because she just blocked a heavy overhand swing with that rapier of hers, with one hand.

    Grinning, I moved to my next undead, stabbing it in the chest and channeling magic into my glaive, fire flaring around the blade and tearing the monster apart.

    Ren had the better overview, not being stuck in close combat so she saw it first. "Atregos! The big guy on the throne is getting up!"

    Spinning my glaive as I turned, I took the head of another approaching undead before looking over.

    The big boss undead was different from the rest. His armor was fancier, his helmet had bloody horns on it, his massive two handed sword shimmering with frost.

    "Alexis!" I yelled across the arena in warning to keep her distance.

    "I got it!" She answered and dispatched her last attacker. "You take left, I take right!" before she ran along the pathway around the arena towards him.

    Not what I fucking meant!

    Crap!

    Swinging my glaive, I channeled magic into it and blasted the last of the undead close to me off it's feet before I ran after her. Better to follow a bad plan than not have one.

    No plan kills more people than bad ones.

    She reached him first, ducking beneath his swing but before she was able to counter attack, he spoke up.

    "FUS!"

    The air rippled for a split second around him and then Alexis was airborne, thrown off her feet, four meters over the edge and down into the arena.

    What the fuck!?

    Reaching him, I didn't bother with anything fancy, I just lashed out with my weapon at maximum range before he was able to turn towards me and stabbed him in the neck.

    Fire flared around the blade as I channeled magic and it cut through him... but he didn't go down. Instead he pulled back and turned, swinging that massive twohander towards me, forcing me to pull back or get hit.

    Shout weapon, shout weapon!

    Diving out of the way of the expected shout, I landed hard behind his throne. "REN! BLAST THE FUCKER!"

    She didn't answer, instead a pyroblast struck him in the chest, throwing him back towards the throne and setting him on fire.

    By the time I was back on my feet, the undead was not moving and merrily burning in his seat.

    Panting softly to catch my breath, I leaned against the glaive for a second before I quickly headed to the edge of the arena. "Alexis! You okay?"

    "I'm going to need some help down here!" She shouted back, before she added, "My leg is broken... and I have some company."

    Looking over the edge into the arena, I could see why. Her right leg was clearly bent in a way it should not be and she was laying in one of those white circles of hers. Outside of it, two undead were shuffling around, unable to reach her with their weapons.

    "Would you mind killing these things before the spell runs out?" she yelled up at me.




    AN// Many thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section.
     
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    • "Are you sure about this?" I asked carefully, "This will hurt."

    Alexis nodded and gritted her teeth, "Yes. I'm not Master Goldmane. I can't heal it like this."

    This was going to suck for her.

    "Ren, could you...?" I asked and she nodded, shifting to hold Alexis down.

    Meanwhile I moved to check Alexis's leg the best I could. The lack of armor was actually a good thing here, I wouldn't need to destroy it completely.

    Instead I pulled my dagger and cut her pant leg up to her knee, "Ready?" I asked and gripped her leg as carefully as I could.

    "On a scale from one to ten, how much is this going to hurt?"

    "About a two."

    She looked at me in surprise "Really?"

    "No."

    Alexis gritted her teeth and then nodded, "Do it."

    "How will I know it will be in the right position?"

    She shook her head, "It won't need to be perfect, just close. The spells will do the rest."

    Healing spells that could heal bone. Quickly too. That was... high level stuff. If her teacher was even better, I would have to meet him at some point. My own healing spells couldn't do that, they were one of my worse schools of magic.

    To heal bone, you usually needed powerful potions.

    I nodded, "On three. One..." I started to count and then I pulled her leg straight before she could tense up.

    She groaned but didn't scream. Impressive.

    "T-there." She panted, looking pale before she struggled to sit up, her hands glowing as she reached for her leg, "A few minutes and I should be able to move. Won't be perfect, but I should be able to walk."

    I nodded and got up to check the dead Imperial in the middle of the arena as Ren moved to help Alexis, pulling out a healing potion.

    "Here. Drink this, it will help."

    "Thank you."

    Turning the Imperial over, I frowned. Poor guy, stabbed in the chest. Still, at the very least he was fully dead and not forced to be one of those abominations.

    Sighing I reached for his neck and pulled out a thin silver chain, leading to a silver medallion with a circle engraved on it with a buck rearing up on it's rear legs in the middle of it.

    I carefully took it off him before holding it up so Alexis could see it, "This is it?"

    She looked over, "Stag image?" she asked and I nodded, "That's it. Thank you." she finished at my confirmation.

    Nodding again I looked at it, activating the 'mage sight' for a second to check it over. Completely non-magical. I glanced over at Alexis but she had finished her healing and was now massaging her calf. Damn, I was hoping to pick up some ideas about her spell work.

    While I could hardly copy a spell like that, it might have given me some hints on how to improve my own healing spells.

    Returning, I put it on the ground next to her, "You better be paid well for this."

    "...Not as much as I likely should be." She said and frowned, "A couple of hundred gold and a enchanted set of gloves. Mostly, I just wanted his widow to get his amulet back."

    Noble but... a bit foolish.

    Damn it, I couldn't even call it stupid. She clearly could handle herself. Only really stupid thing she did was go at it alone.

    Also, a couple of hundred gold was hardly something to sneeze at. You could live on that for months, even renting a room at a inn.

    Alexis picked up the medallion and put it in a pouch in her belt before I carefully helped her onto her feet.

    Trying her right leg she nodded, "...It's going to be sore for a couple of days, but I can walk."

    Ren nodded, "We should leave this place."

    Nodding, Alexis reached for her bag on the floor and almost stumbled, forcing me to quickly catch her, "Perhaps be a little careful. Five minutes ago, your leg was broken."

    She sighed and then nodded, "...Yeah. Sorry."

    Making sure she was stable again, I let go and stepped back, "Come on, let's head back to the surface."

    Alexis nodded and picked up her sword, sheathing it, "...What was your name again?"

    I frowned at that, I told her that yesterday, "Atreus. Why?"

    "I just thought Ren called you something else during the fight."

    Oh.

    "It's an... adjustment." I sighed, "Atregos is my actual name. But Atreus is easier for most people to say so that's what I go by most of the time."

    Usually she remembered to use Atreus, but in the heat of battle... Well, it is the name she got to know me with.

    Alexis looked a bit unsure about that answer but she nodded, "I see."

    "Call me whichever you want." I said and shrugged, "But we really should get going back to the surface."

    She nodded, "I just hope we don't run into whatever scared the trolls off. There was a loud roar when I was sneaking into the ruins and suddenly all the trolls were running for the hills. I only had to fight one of them on the way in."

    I glanced at Ren who smiled happily at me before I shook my head, "I doubt that will be a problem. For all we know, the trolls have returned."

    Alexis frowned at that, "..I'm not sure that would be any better..."






    AN// Many thanks to Rune and Firethorn for betaing this section.
     
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    • esotericist said:
    That is a truly stunningly weaksauce explanation. :D
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    definitely weaksauce.....just say its a nickname or petname and that it means sexy beast or something....how the hell would she know the difference :p

    I was actually hoping that this temple had one of those dragon speech walls of text...would be interesting to see how it interacts with 2 "real" dragons...
     
    mojtaba said:
    definitely weaksauce.....just say its a nickname or petname and that it means sexy beast or something....how the hell would she know the difference :p

    I was actually hoping that this temple had one of those dragon speech walls of text...would be interesting to see how it interacts with 2 "real" dragons...
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    It actually does. They just didn't notice because they were too busy going 'man, fuck this place', plus they had wounded.
     
    esotericist said:
    I'm not sure it should either, I was just noting a word wall exists in that location but went unnoticed due to a combination of higher priorities and a lack of weird chanting in anyone's heads. :p
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    ah i see.....yeah i have never played the game before so im not familiar with the location of the word walls....i only know of them through fanfiction....mmm now im wondering how long it will take until they plan on going back if they ever will
     
    mojtaba said:
    ah i see.....yeah i have never played the game before so im not familiar with the location of the word walls....i only know of them through fanfiction....mmm now im wondering how long it will take until they plan on going back if they ever will
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    Now that Atreus knows there's a population of undead, and he doesn't have a specific REASON to be there, I suspect he's unlikely to return until he pays for an actual legitimate expedition.
     
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    • "I'm still having trouble getting over the fact that you have an actual flying carpet." Alexis said as she climbed off it a couple of kilometers outside Whiterun.

    I grinned at that. "You just need to know where to look.". Well, that and have a skilled consort. Even back in Azeroth flying carpets were 'Expensive' with capital E unless you enchanted them on your own.

    Then again, so were bags that were bigger on the inside. You could hire a small caravan for the same amount of cash and carry more goods.

    Sadly, caravans didn't exactly work in my circumstances.

    "Sorry we can't fly the whole way in." I said as Ren helped me roll up the carpet, already wearing the 'dress illusion' again. "Like I said, this thing is rather rare and expensive. We'd rather avoid the attention."

    She nodded. "Yeah, makes sense. Want some help carrying that thing?"

    I shook my head and shouldered the carpet. "I've got it."

    "Going to meet up with your teacher?" Ren asked her as she took my spear from me to make it easier to carry the rolled up carpet.

    Alexis nodded. "He should still be in Whiterun. He said something about studying something or the other. I just need to drop off the amulet first. Thank you for your help, by the way."

    Ren smiled. "You're welcome. Not like we could just leave you to face that place on your own."

    "Not everyone would have." Alexis said and shrugged. "Thanks."

    I shook my head and started towards the city.

    "So... "Alexis, said quietly to Ren. "You and Atreus are... a couple?"

    "Something like that." Ren answered, a smile in her voice. "It's a bit more complex than that but yes."

    "That... thing you are wearing though..."

    "What, I like it! What's wrong with my armor?"

    Shaking my head, I tuned them out.

    While Alexis was clearly an adult, she was not good enough to be running around undead-infested dungeons solo. I was not good enough to run around undead infested dungeons solo.

    I needed to have a word with her so-called teacher. Yes, it was her choice, but he was clearly responsible for her education... and while she was good, it seemed to be more theoretical than practical.

    "So, Alexis." I started and glanced back at them. "I have been thinking... You showed some real skills back there. Want a job?"

    She hesitated. "...What kind of job?"

    "Working for the Azure Consortium, mostly recovering items and research. Magical items and such. You can clearly look after yourself and you wouldn't need to do it yourself either. You could have people watching your back."

    Alexis frowned slightly and then shook her head. "I don't want to be tied down to one location. While we are here for now, Master Goldmane and I are likely to move on to somewhere else, sooner or later."

    "We are planning to expand to other places as well, such as Cyrodiil, Morrowind and Hammerfell." I said, trying again. "Research wouldn't be limited to Skyrim."

    She grinned slightly. "Sorry, I doubt you will be sending groups where we are going. It's... pretty far away."

    Sigh.

    "It's fine." Ren said and shrugged. "Job is here if you want it."

    "Thanks. I really do appreciate it, especially as I pulled you two into my troubles."

    "So what do you plan on do-" I started to ask before I was interrupted by a loud roar in the distance.

    What was that?

    I turned to search the horizon before I spotted it. Large, two wings, two legs. It looked like a proto-drake, a thin one with plenty of narrow horns.

    Dragon.

    "Ren?" I asked softly, dropping the flying carpet on the ground.

    "Yeah, I see it." She said and handed my spear back. "It's coming this way."

    "Is that a Dragon?" Alexis asked with a frown, holding her hand up above her eyes to protect them from the sun.

    I nodded and looked at it as it slowly got closer. "Yeah. It might be going for the city."

    Oh crap. The city. While at least Ren would be able to transform back in time, there was no way we could risk it this close to the city. We were only ten minutes' walk from the city gates, close enough to hear the alarm bells ringing.

    Ren looked at me.

    I'm not even sure we could fight that damn thing. Not in mortal form. Even ignoring its possible magic, which according to rumors they had and were able to use the same 'voice magic' this 'dragon born' could do, that thing was big.

    Not as big as an actual Dragon, but way bigger than a Drake.

    But if it was hitting the town...

    I closed my eyes and sighed. Fuck. To many people could be hurt, we had to at least help.

    "We have to help." I said. "Come on." I ordered and started to run towards the city gates. Couldn't risk using the carpet.




    AN// Many thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section.
     
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    • "Sorry, I doubt you will be sending groups where we are going. It's... pretty far away."
    That seems to be code speak for, inter dimensional traveler.;)
     
    esotericist said:
    ... I don't know about anyone else, but I'm kind of hyped at the idea of them in natural form jumping a skyrim dragon.
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    I kind've want them to get their asses kicked and get saved by the Dovakhiin, so Atreus learns to stop underestimating different kinds of dragons just because they look different from him.
     
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    • We reached the outer defenses at the same time as the dragon.

    With a roar it strafed a group of guards, letting out a stream of flame with its breath attack. The guards ran, trying to get out of the way.

    Some even made it.

    Their screams echoed against the city walls as archers started to pepper the dragon with arrows. Not that it did much, they just stuck in its brown hide. I doubt they even went through the skin.

    Then the dragon was out of range again, slowly wheeling around in the distance.

    Very few of my spells were actually of the 'do damage' kind. At least of the scale that would be useful against a dragon. Closest was my breath weapon and then I needed to be in my true form.

    It wasn't how I fought.

    No time to pull out summons, but... how about this then?

    Ren charged up and flung a crackling ball of flame, a Pyroblast in the direction of the approaching dragon as I dug deep into my connection with the Nexus, weaving an illusion spell.

    Well, it was technically an illusion, and as such pretty easy to do for me, but to hit a distant and moving target with it like this, I had to put a couple of twists to it. Making it into a projectile for one thing.

    Let's see how you like this, you fucker.

    I waited until I could see the whites of his eyes before I flung the spell at him. As soon as I let it go, Alexis stepped forward.

    "Get behind me!" she yelled at us.

    There was no time to argue.

    My spell hit the dragon as it opened its mouth, letting loose a stream of fire in our direction. Alexis' arms glowed white and she raised them towards the dragon, a shield flowing from her hands and out into a full sphere around us.

    The dragonfire hit the shield and flared.

    For a couple of moments it was like we were standing in a bubble of fire. That's when I felt it. With Alexis close enough to me that I could smell her hair, I was close enough to feel her magic.

    She was using Land magic. White Land Magic.

    That's impossible.

    Then as suddendly as it hit, the fire was gone and the dragon crashed to the ground behind us, rolling to a halt against the wall, causing the sturdy wall section to collapse under the impact.

    Alexis let the shield drop as she spun around to stare at the dragon as it struggled back up. "What did you do!?"

    I'll figure out how she know that kind of magic later. Instead I flashed her a grin. "A rather powerful illusion. I blinded it and disrupted its balance. That should level the playing field." I explained quickly, gripping my glaive tighter.

    "It's not over yet." Ren warned, firing up another spell and flinging it at the Dragon as it got up, struggling fully onto all fours and shaking its head.

    My illusion was still wrapped around its head, covering its eyes in dancing colors.

    "Atreus, keep it distracted." Ren ordered. "I'll try to find a weak spot. Alexis, cover us."

    "Got it." Alexis quickly said with a nod.

    Keep it distracted. Yeah, sure. Easy.

    ...It can't see! I don't think I can make it more distracted! But apparently that wasn't enough as it shuffled around and opened its mouth to let loose another jet of flame in our direction.

    It might not be able to see and its balance might be fucked, but it could still tell where we were and that we were the largest threat.

    Before it was able to let lose its breath lose, somebody threw himself from the top of the wall, wielding a large battleaxe, clobbering the dragon over the head.

    It didn't penetrate, but hundred and fifty kilos of Nord wearing heavy plate armor and wielding a large axe does have a tendency to distract you, no matter if you are a dragon or not.

    The dragon's jaw hit the ground at the massive blow and it jerked away from its unseen attacker, snapping after him.

    The nord managed to just about roll out of the way to avoid its jaws. I took the opportunity to fling an Arcane Missile in the dragon's direction, joining Ren in her small barrage.

    Our distraction allowed the Nord to get back onto his feet and clobber the dragon again with a mighty roar, teeth going flying as the large axe hit it across its lower jaw.

    Ren charged up another powerful pyroblast when, suddenly, a beam of white light struck the dragon, causing it to shine a bright white and... dissolve into sparks, the flesh dissolving off its skeleton.

    The Nord stepped back as the energy of the dragon flowed into him.

    I recognized him now. It was Halgar. Damn, Galkir was right in hiring the guy.

    The fuck just happened!?

    Above him on the wall, one foot up on the battlements, Ajani was standing, towering over the archer next to him, a massive axe in one hand, his other hand aimed in the direction of where the dragon had been, a white spell already fading from his hand.

    ...Did he just...

    He just caused a dragon to dissolve into nothing with a single spell.

    Let's avoid pissing him off.

    "Alexis!" Ajani called out. "I did not expect to see you back so soon!"

    "It went faster than I thought, Master!" she called back. "I got some help!"

    He is Master Goldmane? He taught her. He was the one that taught her to use Land Magic. He knew how to use Land Magic... and was clearly powerful as all hell.

    I have to find out what he knew!




    AN// Many thanks to Grey Rook for betaing this section. Tomorrows part today as I will not be home at my normal posting time tomorrow.
     
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