Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-3293219-20140308235607/@comment-3293219-20140310180654

(For those of you who don't like hefty reads, this is a dream sequence, so its not essential. It was just a lot of fun to write. :P)

==Living the dream==

Nepht awoke, feeling unusually fresh faced and awake. She smiled as she looked up at the ceiling of the tavern, taking in a deep breath and exhaling as she opened her eyes to greet the day.

She took a few moments to get used to her surroundings. The oil lamp on her bedside table, the over powering wardrobe, the empty trunk at the foot of her bed.

The Dunmer propped herself up with her pillow, she deserved a lie in, after the number of times that she had saved the world.

Well… she and…

The door burst open and Daniel stood before her, holding his trusty dwemer crossbow and bolts, wearing his impenetrable leather armour, complete with matching gloves and boots. It was quite noticeable, even after all this time that his gloves had two fingers cut off as he lost them, all those years ago…

His hair was a lot longer and combed back, reaching down to his lower neck and he had grown a bit of stubble on his chin, mostly to impress the Mrs.

“Morning sleepy.” He grinned, shutting the door behind him.

“What time is it?” Nepht slurred, pretending that she had just woken up to excuse her laziness, as she dragged herself out of bed and threw on a dressing gown, to cover herself up.

“It’s time to take the fight to the, evil, tyrannical, scythe wielding maniac of Red Mountain!”

Nepht’s ears pricked up, finally an adventure! She looked up at him and smiled; getting a smile in return as she picked up her ebony sword and shield and followed him out.

After closing and locking the door, Nepht and her Breton companion walked down the hallway, ready to vanquish evil once more.

“So…” Nepht began, hoping to start off a conversation to make the walk more interesting. “What’s ole Shadow man up to this time?”

“World domination, haunting the dreams of every little girl and boy of Tamriel, so that they’ll be afraid of sleeping…

So, you know, the usual.” He smirked.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Bah!” Nepht snapped, throwing her arms up, into the air. “He doesn’t need magic to do that! He could just hand out flyers with a picture of his face on them.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel laughed, a hearty laugh, as they stepped onto the landing pad of Dragon’s Reach.

<p class="MsoNormal">The two of them looked up as the flying behemoth approached them, landing before them with an almighty thud, that shook the ground around them. The dragon flapped its wings as it adjusted to being on the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Good morning Miss Adlis.” It said, cheerfully.

<p class="MsoNormal">The dunmer smiled at the dragon and waved.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Good morning Ogvvere.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I trust that you are ready for the up and coming battle?” Ogvere beamed, he knew that he was.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Of course!” Nepht snapped, in excitement.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’ve been ready for this, my whole life!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, no matter what happens, from this day forwards, they would become Legends of Nirn.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Breton climbed onto the dragon’s back and offered his hand to his dark elf companion. In return, she smiled back at him and took it, clambering onto the dragon’s back as Daniel’s arm wrapped around her waist. She spun around and looked back at him. So far, everything was just so… perfect.

<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel’s smiled as they gazed at each other, lost in the memories of past adventures.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:74.9pt">The Breton shot his head up and cried out, “Ready!” Causing Ogvere to flap his wings and take off. It was so sudden, that Nepht almost fell, screaming as she did so before she was grabbed and saved by Daniel’s arms that were wrapped around her waist, like a harness.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Dunmer burst into a giggling fit as she was pulled up, trying her best to seem annoyed by it but she couldn’t she was having too much fun. The two of them flew over Skyrim, passing over Riften as they crossed the Morrowind boarder.

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht loved that feeling of the wind, hitting her face. She closed her eyes as it whistled past her ears and filled her hair.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Dunmer looked back, over her shoulder and saw that Daniel was deep in thought. Probably thinking about the up and coming battle as he had a lot to worry about, having a wife, who was waiting for him at home…

<p class="MsoNormal">She lost her smile for a moment as her concern for him grew. He didn’t seem to notice her at all anymore. She sighed and took the breton’s hand, easily able to wrap her hand around his, due to the absence of the ring/pinkie finger. This got his attention, causing him to look down at her.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I’ll be okay…” She assured him, smiling at him as she did so.

<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel’s worried look, slowly, faded as he took a tight grip of her hand, pressing it against her stomach.

<p class="MsoNormal">“This fight should be fun; it’ll be something to write home to the wife about.”   She smiled as she felt his grip tighten.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I see the Red Mountain, up ahead!” Ogvere called back to them, beginning his descent.

<p class="MsoNormal">Without warning, he swooped down, landing on a ridge that was jutting out of the side of the mountain. The ridge was built into the side of the mountain; it was probably built to receive them.

<p class="MsoNormal">As they landed, several magmamen revealed themselves, armed with spears and lances.

<p class="MsoNormal">The two adventurers wasted no time, descending from their mount and drawing their weapons. Nepth was the first to strike, driving her ebony longsword down, into the soldier’s head. It erupted into a puddle of lava that bubbled, violently as it hit the floor. Nepht jumped back, to avoid burning her feet on the fiery liquid.

<p class="MsoNormal">Another magmaman charged forward, with his spear at the ready but he was swiftly dealt with by one of Daniel’s crossbow bolts.

<p class="MsoNormal">“C’mon! The Shadow man is inside; we don’t have to kill them all!” Daniel pointed out, throwing his crossbow over his shoulder and grabbing her hand.

<p class="MsoNormal">The two of them took off and sprinted through the horde of fire warriors, dodging them as they attacked from every angle. Fortunately, the magmamen’s heavy armour slowed them down and it made it difficult for them to manoeuvre, making getting past them mercifully easy. Daniel burst inside and shut the door, behind him, putting the large wooden catch down to block access from the front door and preventing any reinforcements from reaching them.

<p class="MsoNormal">He carried on, letting go of Nepht’s arm, so that she could use her sword if needed. They ran inside, ready to face their arch nemesis. The Dunmer’s heart was pounding as she was lead through the labyrinth like layout of the, unnaturally formed, volcano base.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Come on, I think he’s this way!” Daniel informed her.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Right!” She nodded in response, trying to keep up.

<p class="MsoNormal">As they came closer to the Shadow leader’s room, a presence of uneasiness fell upon them. They could sense the Shadow man’s aura of unease and despair.

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht didn’t want to admit it but she was growing uneasy as the presence grew stronger, finding herself approaching Daniel, in case anything happened.

<p class="MsoNormal">Suddenly, he materialised above them, slowly descending as his shadow cast over them, those who were caught inside its boundaries were overcome by fear, self doubt and a desire to flee.

<p class="MsoNormal">As he reached their level, the torchlight case inside his hood, revealing his face to them.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Shadow man was a Redguard with glowing golden eyes, like an altmer, Nepht had no idea what race he was as Daniel had never told her but she often asked herself if he was even human to begin with…

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">He smiled, darkly, as he saw them, thinking about the punishments that he had in store for them. The fun that he would have, as soon as the fight was over, inflicting them upon the meddlesome fools.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Give it up!” Daniel snapped, “and we’ll spare you!”

<p class="MsoNormal">The Redguard looked up, insulted.

<p class="MsoNormal">They thought that he’d surrender that easily, did they consider him weak or stupid?

<p class="MsoNormal">“You overestimate your chances…”

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht felt saddened, as she hated killing. Not even someone as evil as the Shadow man deserved to die, in her eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Then you leave me no choice…” The Breton seethed, drawing his crossbow and raising it.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Shadow man just laughed as his feet touched the ground and his scythe was teleported to his hand.

<p class="MsoNormal">“You, who would stand against me,” he got into his stance, ready to strike, “prepare to die…”

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht drew her sword and shield and threw herself forward, she could take him. Her sword clashed with the Tyrant’s scythe and knocked them both off balance but Shadow man was the first to recover as he was far more experienced than his Dunmer opponent. He saw this as his chance to drive his scythe through Nepht’s head, during the brief window of opportunity when her guard was down. However, Daniel intervened, firing a bolt, into the Shadow man’s shoulder.

<p class="MsoNormal">Shadow man groaned as he stumbled, sparing the girl from his deadly strike. He looked back up at her with a look of confusion. She was stood there, staring at him with a sympathetic look.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Are you okay?” She asked, lowering her shield. Even if he was her enemy, he was still human or something close to it and he still felt pain…

<p class="MsoNormal">“Mercy?” He asked, sounding incredibly confused, it sounded more like a request than a question.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah…” She whispered, lowering her sword.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Mercy is for the weak!” He snapped, breaking out of his ‘poor little thing’ façade and striking down, with his scythe. The Dunmer girl screamed as she raised her shield. The blade clashed with her block, creating a loud thump and knocking her to the floor.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Nepht!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Daniel was disgusted with the Shadow man’s cowardice, he fired another bolt at the Shadow Mage, however, unlike last time, the Shadow man was expecting it. He blocked the bolts, with a ward, knocking them out of the air.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Oh…” he muttered, turning to Daniel, “I almost forgot…”

<p class="MsoNormal">He spun around and drove his scythe into the floor, causing the ground to open up around them, cracking open and creating a large crevice that split the room in two. The crevice caused the whole mountain to shake as it became a structural weakness.

<p class="MsoNormal">Several shadow warriors were formed around its edges, they drew their swords and shields, prompting Daniel to draw his sword and step forward.

<p class="MsoNormal">Nepht crawled back as the Shadow man loomed over her, raising his scythe.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“You have no idea, how long I have waited for this moment…” He said, delight in his tone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Nepht suddenly felt afraid…

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">For herself…

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">For Daniel…

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">She glanced over to her Breton friend. He was barely holding off the shadow warriors, there was little chance of escape for him and even less for her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“Y-You’re going to kill me…” Nepht trembled.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">She didn’t fear dying, especially in a glorious battle like this one. She had lived a good life, made lots of good friends and she had been on many grand adventures.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">But… being hacked, or slowly stabbed, to death by a scythe did not sound pleasant…

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“Eventually…”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Nepht’s heart sank as she, quickly, began to pray for a quick death. She looked around, trying to think of a way to save herself. Then she saw it, of course!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">She crawled around Shadow man, this time to the left, instead of going backwards, circling her enemy until his back was to the crevice.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“Enough!” He snapped, striking his scythe down, hitting the floor, next to her. Nepht shuddered as she thought that was the end. The mage, however, just stood there, towering over her as he basked in her fear and suffering.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">The Dunmer glanced up at him, hoping to distract him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“So…” She panted, looking up to him as her eyes shook and glistened. “You said that you’ve been looking forward to this?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“Yes… I longed for the moment that you became a martyr to your hopeless cause.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">He raised his scythe, ready to bring it down and commence the pleasure of carving the skin off the teenager’s bones, entrancing himself in her agonised screams.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Now was her chance!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">She sat up and scrambled to her feet, grabbing her shield and deflecting his strike.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“You really need a hobby!” She quipped as she charged forward, bashing him around the head with her shield. There was an almighty crash as the shield’s steel base connected with his left temple, knocking him out and sending his unconscious body keeling over, into the crevice and felt to its bottomless depths.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">As he fell, his influence on the world faded. Without his power, his Shadow warriors dispersed and his magmamen melted away, leaving the Red Mountain desolate like it should be.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Daniel looked around, bewildered by the miracle that had just occurred. All of his questions, however, were answered as he saw Nepht, stood over the scar in the floor as it swiftly healed, closing the surface and banishing the Shadow man’s body to the depths of Nirn, never to return.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">He ran over to her and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her in and embracing her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“Are you okay?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Nepht broke out of her trance and looked back at him, giving him an exhausted smile.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“I am now…”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">She whispered, falling into the Breton and burying her face into his shoulder. She felt his fingers, slowly wrap around her head as she breathed out, with a smile.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“It’s finally over…”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Daniel pulled away and looked into her eyes with a concerned looked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">“For now…”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">The Breton turned away, leading her back to the landing pad. She looked up at him as he kept a tight grip on her hand.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Now it was time to celebrate their heroism and enjoy the calm…

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Before the inevitable storm…

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">-

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">Nepht awoke in her sleeping bag, the cold air of the cave and the ugly stone ceiling were there to greet her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">She smiled as she looked over, to see that Lucian was still sleeping and placed her hands behind her head.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:right 451.3pt">At least nobody cares if I lie in, in this world...