text stringlengths 0 41.4k |
|---|
The twinkle of amusement was slowly returning to his eyes and his lips curled in more than just a grimace. "Both?" |
"I try to walk better these days and watch where I put my feet, and honestly I don’t really think about the times or the likelihood of getting hurt. I guess it’s something that I have come to expect but whether it’s from Legion training or not I wouldn’t be able to tell you." |
"How can you not think of something like that?" |
It was my turn to shrug. "If you work it out please tell me and we’ll both know. Although, come to think of it, if I ever did stop myself long enough to think about what I was doing I wouldn’t have gone hunting minotaurs or throw myself into an Oblivion portal." |
Alexi snorted at that and leaned against the fence. "I don’t think you realise how much I respect you for all the things you have done. There is truly no one more deserving of leading the Knights of the Nine than yourself. I know that you aren’t the type to seek out fame and glory but you have earned everything you ha... |
Almost on its own volition I lightly bounced my fist off his bicep, feeling how solid his arms truly were. "You’ll be fine Alexi. Both of us have got many more years left in us..." I paused and scowled for a second. "Granted as long as Mehrunes Dagon and Umaril don’t wreck the world in the near future." |
"I hope so. I hate feeling like I haven’t achieved anything." He sighed again, glancing between me and the ground. "I have only gotten this far from luck. Only lucky break after another." |
"You’ve worked your arse off to be as good as you are." |
"Besides my skill with a sword, what am I?" His eyes burned into mine again, drawing his sword and holding it up on an angle as though he was inspecting it for the first time. "I was granted this sword by Count Caro because I proved to him and his court that I could fight." The pommel thudded into his chest as he rapp... |
"That’s more than I can say about myself. My father was a hunter to the local lord. When he died I was too young to take his place and so my family and I were left to our own devices. I was fourteen when I joined the Legion and had never picked up a sword before some centurion pressed a gladius into my hand." |
"It shows." Slowly his usual amusement and teasing attitude was returning. "Although you are also the prime example that there is no better teacher than combat." |
"Yeah, but I wouldn’t recommend it. You tend to get beat up regularly." |
Both of us shared a chuckle and while I could still tell his dark mood was still gripping tight he was still able to smile that wasn’t just a scowl of scar tissue. "What is the plan from here o’great and worthy commander?" |
"Well, I was thinking about doing a bit more training, kicking your arse again and then promoting you to Knight-Captain. After that Viconia and I were planning on lunch and going to the Cathedral to see what we can do about retrieving the Mace." |
"If you think that I’ll let you have it easy again you are going to be sorely disappointed." This time his laugh was almost entirely that of a challenge as I moved from the fence, drew Sunchild and gave a few experimental swings. "Wait... Knight-Captain? When did I get demoted?" |
"When you swore your oath to me of course." I replied with a full volley of sarcasm. "You don’t bring your rank with you when you change orders. You’re going to have to prove you’re worthy." |
"By the Nine you can be a bastard, but you’re a bastard I can follow into battle." His own sword once again grew into a silverly swirl as he swung it about himself to loosen his shoulders and arms for another bout of training. "Maybe I can actually train you well enough that you will be a challenge for once." |
Our laughter this time was loud enough to be heard over the sound of our swords striking together once more. |
As it was to be expected, the Cathedral dedicated to the Craftsman God was enormously impressive and reflected all of Zenithar’s glories. It was by far the largest, tallest and grandest building in the entire city, towering over every other building by dozens of metres. The dual belltowers alone were seventy metres tal... |
Although with my obvious nervousness and unease approaching or entering holy places was not being helped that myself and the group with me was drawing the attention of everyone living within sight. At the best of times Viconia and I turned heads on our own even if we dressed shabbily and left our signature armours beh... |
What I did find amusing was that we didn’t actually find it difficult to move through crowds despite all of this. Viconia’s expression that somehow conveyed the high likelihood of dying messily in the gutter if anyone considered getting in her way was usually enough but with individuals like Mazoga and Falid it was as... |
Entering the subjective cool of the Cathedral’s interior and immediately being assaulted by the smells of incense we also laid eyes on the dozens of priests, worshippers and visitors filling its space. It may have been Middas but there were still quite a number of petitioners and faithful attending private sermons or ... |
"Security has definitely increased." Alexi muttered offhandedly at my side as we entered and I couldn’t help but nod. While this was my first time within the Cathedral it was obvious there were a considerable number of armed men and women scattered about. Some were city guards, but there were others who varied from th... |
"It’s about time they starting looking out for themselves." Viconia’s voice was a low hiss and her tone was enough to tell more than just myself how she thought about the Nine and its followers. "What use is a church that can’t defend itself from attack? All the others I have seen have been ripe for plundering if not ... |
I gave a shrug and bowed very slightly to one of the priests who waved us to the left. "Until Umaril there wasn’t much of a threat to be worried about. There might have been an odd thief or two who would clean out the poor box or steal some of the silver but they didn’t have to worry about being massacred." |
All of us were left cold from more than just the temperature within the Cathedral. During our recovery of the Shield the Church of the Nine had publicly admitted that they had been suffering attacks and the faithful were dying as a result. The fact that they had done so had sent shockwaves to every corner of Tamriel t... |
If I was to be truly honest with myself I despised the fact that Viconia and my actions, and in turn those of our comrades were being distilled into propaganda but it was providing us all with a fighting chance. With something like the reclamation of the relics and the reestablishment of the Order of the Nine fuelling... |
"Good morning Sir Vanevius." One of the robed priests said as he bowed to Alexi. The movement made the teal robes flow like water as he bent at the waist. |
"Good morning Kantav. Blessings of Zenithar to you." |
"Thank you, my son. Have you come to try your luck again?" |
Alexi smiled, trying his best not to appear to be turning his head to the side to hide his injury. "Not myself, but my friends here would like to." |
The elderly priest looked at the rest of us in turn, smiling pleasantly as he nodded to each of us and trying not to look intimidated as he tilted his head up to meet Mazoga and Falid’s gaze. "Well, I trust that you know the routine by now. May Zenithar grant you his blessings." |
Without further word the priest had turned and shuffled away and Alexi noticed my bemused expression. |
"Just how many times have you tried to retrieve the mace?" I asked. |
"One or two times." He replied, turning away and motioning for us to follow. "Or a dozen or more. It’s almost a hobby for a lot of us in the Order." |
Seeing the splash of colour from the various surcoat wearing knights throughout the cathedral I could easily believe that. It was almost a rite of passage for the Order, or indeed any of the militaristic organisations within Leyawiin to try to retrieve the Mace. There was no doubt at all in my mind that all the lustre... |
"Names and ranks." He said, his tone almost as weary as his ink splattered robes and I felt uncomfortably reminded of my arrival at the Imperial Prison. This time I was not a condemned deserter dressed in sackcloth, but a Knight Commander in armour of moonstone and ebony. |
Heeding Alexi’s wave of a hand and before the long-suffering priest could sigh with annoyance I stepped forward. "Knight Commander Kaius Desin." |
Normally my name would have sent at least a tremor of recognition through anyone, even without my recent honorifics but the priest didn’t so much as twitch. Not that I could blame him as I watched him write my name and date into the book on the table and managed to read a couple of other names off the list. Apparently... |
Viconia, Mazoga and Falid followed suit and had their details recorded. Alexi hung back, choosing to be part of us but distancing himself. Our conversations through the morning had let me with full knowledge that he didn’t intend on trying for the Mace again, but there was nothing stopping the rest of us. |
Without a further word from the priest and little more than a gesture from him, one of the several armed men leaning against the wall lifted himself up and walked over to us. He was well into his fifties with salt and pepper hair, a neatly groomed goatee wrapping around his lips and surprisingly enough a solid appeari... |
"Good morning Sirs," he said with a smile that showed that he was missing a few teeth. "and Madames. My name is Carodus Oholin and I will be your guide for the day." |
"Were you a legionary?" Viconia asked, a split second before I could get the words out of my mouth and judging by her expression she did it to tease me more than any desire to personally know. |
"Indeed I was Madame. In a previous life I was Centurion Oholin, but now I am merely Citizen Oholin." |
Again his smile was large enough to show exactly how many teeth he was missing. Like some I had served with, missing teeth was to be expected, especially for those who fought in the shieldwall. Although, most who lost their teeth was as a result of tavern room brawls or the usual bouts of boxing and fights between coh... |
"Indeed I am Sir. Going on six years now but one cannot simply sit around his house all day, so here I am helping keeping an eye on things." |
"And give tours it seems." Despite her words Viconia’s tone was more teasing than her usual harshness but unknown to the rest of our group she was just as uneasy in being in the cathedral as I was. I was doubtful whether she would ever truly be comfortable in any houses of the Surfacer Gods. |
"That’s just an added bonus Madame." The accent of the retired Legionary made several of his words blur together and each time he spoke Viconia’s title it sounded very close to Ma’am. "I know some of you are more than familiar with the history of the Cathedral and the story of Saint Kaladas but is there anyone interes... |
Almost as a single mind we all went to move in the direction of his urging but a voice towards the rear of our party spoke up. "I would like to know a bit more about the place." |
Mazoga had a habit of almost blending into the background at times, which was a semi-remarkable feat for a being that weighed over a hundred and fifty kilograms. She had been looking about the interior of the chapel for some time with evident interest and had practically leapt at the chance to learn. |
Carodus in comparison looked just as pleased to teach and had the sudden appearance of being about to regale his grandchildren tales of his youth. "Really? Excellent. Follow me please and try to contain yourselves from acquiring mementos or the like otherwise I will have to beat you." |
The way he framed the statement and the grin didn’t quite remove the seriousness in his tone or words despite the fact he was addressing some of the most capable beings in the Empire. Like many old legionaries there was a strange streak of confidence that was impossible to remove and he was not making idle threats or ... |
"The legends say that in the wake of the Alessian Rebellion," he began, his face cheerful as he took a freshly lit lantern from the hands of the stationed priest before leading the way down the stairs to the catacombs. "and when Pelinal Whitestrake was slain by the Ayleids, a messenger carried the Mace to the human se... |
"Seems to me that he merely bought his way into Sainthood." Viconia muttered bitterly, framing her words as a mixture of a statement and question at the same time. |
For a brief moment Carodus couldn’t decide whether he was being insulted or asked a serious question before he chose to provide an answer. "You are partially right of course Ma’am. Saint Kaladas is more widely known and regarded for building this cathedral but these days it is merely the last of his works that still e... |
Moving into the ancient halls under the cathedral I suppressed a shiver from the obvious difference in temperature and saw that the catacombs were extremely old. They left me remembering the way the tunnels and passages under the Imperial City where the Emperor died had been before they had been filled with violence a... |
There were others moving back towards the surface and the ground level of the castle as Carodus led us through with the utmost confidence that experience and routine provided. "When the Saint finally died and was laid to rest, those who prayed to Zenithar at his tomb began to receive visions of the Mace of the Crusade... |
"How long have pilgrims been receiving these visions?" Mazoga asked again from the back of our group. |
"You’d have to ask one of the priests for a more definite answer but this cathedral was built in the late First Era, so for two thousand years or so at least." He gestured to the dozens of passages leading off the primary room connecting the stairs to the rest of the catacombs. "This was apparently the first portion b... |
"Two thousand years’ worth of attempts and no one has succeeded?" I asked this time, somewhat knowing the answer but still feeling uneasy with the question. |
"Not yet at least my Lord." The twinkle in his eye could not be undimmed even with age. "Someone will reclaim it, but only if they are truly blessed by Zenithar." |
He led us further into the depths, but not as far as I was expecting. The Catacombs had been massively expanded throughout the centuries since it was originally carved from the earth but Saint Kaladas’ tomb was within fifty metres of the stairs. There were hints that were several other levels beneath this one, sinking... |
"The Tomb of Saint Kaladas." Carodus’s voice was a whisper lest we disturbed the few people standing and kneeling around a large marble sarcophagus. The room itself was tiny, just enough space for the saint’s coffin and the two tiers of stairs that it sat upon in the direct centre. There were no carvings, no bas-relie... |
Of those already within the room two were a pair of stern faced, and heavily armed soldiers a match for any within the Order of the White Stallion. They stood silently but watched everyone carefully with their hands close to maces of their own clasped by the sides. It was only when the nearest looked over our group, t... |
As I returned the salute, Alexi whispered over my shoulder just loud enough that only those in our group could hear. "Iron Knights." He said, and I could almost hear the grin on his face. "They are the only Order exclusively dedicated to Zenithar. Most live in High Rock like the other orders but a dozen or so remain h... |
"How is everyone so certain it is here?" Mazoga asked this time, sizing herself up to the Iron Knights and trying to work out who was the larger of them. |
Carodus heard her question and like a good host he replied before the rest of us had the opportunity. "Extensive magical testing. I’ve even heard that they have consulted the Elder Scrolls but everyone agrees that it is here." |
I turned and looked at Viconia and raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?" |
"There is magicka here, very similar to that at the Priory and the other relics." The only other people in the room was another traveller with his assigned guide acting in a similar role to Carodus, except this traveller was kneeling in front of the tomb with his eyes closed, breathing softly. Viconia moved forward ve... |
While softly spoken her words were loud in the relative silence in the tomb and it echoed down the corridors as I stepped forward. The only true ornamentation besides the solid lid was a single line of carved lettering at the very base of the tomb closest to the door. |
"Ambulare per fidem." I answered, eyes narrowing at the writing that was strangely crude in comparison to the rest of the cathedral. "Walk in the faith." |
"As cryptic as usual." She said, moving back into our group. "Do any of the Nine lack subtlety?" |
"Of the original divines, Zenithar is thought to be the most in touch with the mortal realm. "Carodus began, rubbing his face for a moment and sharing a brief nod with his fellow guide on the far wall. Most legends say that Zenithar has close ties to Kynareth, an idea that is supported by the manner in which the two g... |
"Sounds to me that you should be worshipping the stronger woman instead of the man." Viconia replied and Carodus looked like he was struggling to hold back a laugh. |
"I think you would have gotten along well with my second wife ma’am." |
"So, I guess that he is taking the test?" I asked, gesturing to the kneeling figure at the base of the tomb who had so far paid no heed to our sudden presence. |
"You are correct Sir." Unlike the rest of us Carodus didn’t move with the same grace or care, and didn’t lower his voice. "You don’t need to worry about disturbing him, those who are undertaking the test are utterly oblivious to everything around them." |
"What is the test?" Mazoga asked, peering forward and leaning to look at the Knight’s face as he knelt on the stones with his hands on his knees and eyes closed. |
"It’s a test of faith." Carodus moved over to a wall and leant against it, placing his lantern on the ground. "To take the test you simply kneel right on that spot, say the words; "Zenithar, test my resolve’ and you are then given a vision of the Mace on a floating island above a gigantic chasm." |
"The chasm represents your doubt." As deep as the bowels of the earth, Falid’s voice reverberated through the room. "Your faith must be a guide across it." |
Carodus nodded to the Black Knight. "Many have tried over the centuries, ever since the first pilgrims began receiving the visions but no one’s faith has been strong enough." |
The silence fell over us like a blanket as we all watched the knight continue undertaking the test. If not for the steady rise and fall of his chest there was very little to show that he was indeed alive and breathing. It was uncertain how long that he had been attempting to retrieve the Mace before we had arrived but... |
What little dignity he had left was carefully measured as he picked himself up off the cold stone tiles, glancing around at us with an expression of embarrassment that quickly turned into indignation and anger. "This is impossible." He said bitterly, wrapping up his cloak and flicking it over his shoulder before storm... |
"Another one down." there was a trace of amusement through Carodus’ tone as he watched the knight disappear through the doorway. The two Iron Knights stood impassively without a flicker of emotion and I guess that such a sight was extremely common to them. "Who’s first?" |
Before any of us could even twitch Viconia stepped forward, her expression grim and determined. "I will try." |
Without the slightest hesitation she knelt before the tomb, relaxing as though she was mediating and mouthing the words for the test. There was no change, no sudden rush of magicka or even the slightest hint of anything changing but her breathing slowed and steadied and her eyes remained firmly closed. |
"Viconia?" I asked carefully, feeling foolish as I moved forward towards her. At my presence and voice she made no sign of having noticed and didn’t even twitch in the slightest. |
Behind me, Alexi made a surprised sound and chuckled. "Huh. If I’m honest I’m surprised that that actually worked for her." |
"What do you mean?" Carodus looked somewhat confused and I saw one of the Knights angle his head towards us in interest. |
"She’s technically a heathen and doesn’t follow the teachings of the Nine." I replied. |
Carodus looked between me, the Tomb and Viconia and shrugged. "She’s not the first and there’s no law against it." |
Unlike the previous Knight who had failed, Viconia didn’t remain kneeling for even a fraction of the time. In less than a minute she suddenly jolted as though struck with a bolt of lightning or being plunged into a pool of freezing water. |
"That was disconcerting." |
"What did you see?" Alexi moved forward and watched her expression carefully as she rose from her kneeling position and brushed her hands down her sides. It was the only sign of any nervousness or anxiety that she would permit to show. |
"I was standing on a broken island floating in a sea of nothingness. In front of me was another island, similar in size and shape to the one I was standing on but between them there was nothing, just an abyss." |
"Did you see the Mace?" |
She nodded to Alexi. "It’s definitely a Relic. I can’t sense it now but when I was... wherever that was, I was able to feel it. I couldn’t get close though, as soon as I stepped forward off the island I fell." |
"Looks like faith doesn’t affect the vison." Alexi said after a brief moment of contemplation. "That’s interesting." |
"It is indeed." Viconia’s eyes locked onto mine and I could feel the uncertainty of her thoughts. She hadn’t believe for a second that she would have been successful in retrieving the Mace but had been "testing the test’. It had obviously left her with more questions than answers but her mind was already working on th... |
It wasn’t certain which was more amusing, the way that she had framed her question as a statement that brooked no option but to comply or the fact that I was technically her superior. |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.