I have finished the book. I think it's really good. Eleven pages on Microsoft Word. I wanted this to be a book in several volumes, and remember, this is completely fiction. Thanks
A’tor and his Last Stand
He was left there all alone, bleeding and helpless. His vision was blurring all the while, but not so much as to deter him from seeing the empire ships leaving. He was alone, amidst a body strewn battlefield. The stench of death filled his nostrils, and drove him into hysterics. But he was not so psychotic as to not realize the chance that had been given to him. The chance at revenge.
“And you want us to help you fight the Ra Gada?†said the chief, staring down at A’tor, who was kneeling down. His clothes were ripped, and his face was dirty.
“That is what I ask of you, Arnus. The Ra Gada are greedy and to be trusted. There is little time before they come for your land, and they will not hesitate to kill whoever gets in their way. We must fight†He replied, stuttering.
“Get up man, and speak loudly for what you believe in. If what you say is true, then what are we to do?â€Â
“Desert the village. We have little time to gather a militia before it is too lateâ€Â
“Desert the village! I would be hung for suggesting such a preposterous idea. Give me proof!â€Â
“Look at me! I have walked over deserts, through swamps, through misty caves and stood atop mountains to get here. My kin have been killed, and I have been left for dead. I did this for you, for my people. Do not turn your backs on salvation.â€Â
The chief sat there awhile, watching the trees sway in the gentle breeze. This feat would risk everything he had ever worked for. If it failed, he would be a fool in history, but if he failed to act, he would be known as the man who ignored the obvious. “Fine, I will ready my army by tomorrow.â€Â
The next day, A’tor and the army, only but forty warriors set out towards Malath Azol, a city which had been marked on his map. The chief of the village said he had only laid eyes upon their city, which was constructed of stone and metal. It was in the middle of the desert, and a gruelling three day journey lay ahead of them. To A’tor, this was like an evening stroll, but the warriors were not to easygoing. “Three days through this infernal wasteland!†Shouted some, and the chief turned to them.
“Go back then, if you would like to fight against the Ra Gada filth. I will spare no energy for persuading you to come,â€Â
“Sorry chief,†he said, and walked with his head down.
The next three days were the worst in the warriors’ lives. Some collapsed, and A’tor, the chief, and some of the larger soldiers carried them. A’tor was twitchy, and every time he heard the clang of a sword in its sheath, he would jump. The battle had scared him, but he was loyal to his father, and he wanted revenge.
When they climbed the last sand dune on their journey, some fell to their knees out of wonder. The city of Malath Azol was huge, and it gleamed in the setting sun. The warriors began to run towards the gates, but it was soon evident that the city was not unguarded. They were met by a legion of soldiers dressed in black armor, and they carried swords engulfed in flame. “Who dares trespass onto the territory of Malath Azol,†said the general, who was carrying a much larger sword, and was dressed in white and golden armor.
“It is I, A’tor, prince of Na-Totambu,†he said, stepping forward out of the crowd of warriors. The general bowed, as did all the others. The chief looked at A’tor, confused.
“Stand my friends. I do not seek formality, only assistance from your great people.â€Â
“How can we assist you my lord?†said the general, his hands straight at his side.
“How many soldiers do you have?†asked A’tor, scanning the small battalion that the general controlled.
“Malath Azol houses an army of twenty thousand, but they have never experienced war for there has been no reason.â€Â
“Excellent. We are at war with the Empire and the Ra Gada, and the pride of the Na-Totambu cannot be lost! Do you understand?â€Â
“Yes sir! The troops will be ready at noon tomorrow. Follow me my lord; I will bring you to your house for the night.â€Â
The next morning, A’tor rose to the sounds of shouts and the clashing of blades. He quickly put on his silver armor and rushed out the door. The soldiers of Malath Azol were training, and the general was watching as the soldiers fought each other for practice. “General Vatechyon, I broke my sword!†shouted a soldier, running towards the general. “Well, go get another one from my room in the inn,†he said, and the young warrior ran off, “ah, A’tor, you’ve woken up. Sorry for the noise, but these men need to be warmed up before this trip.â€Â
“Not a problem general. Are we going to be walking?†A’tor said.
“Ha, of course not! We are the Na-Totambu. We do not fear magic as the Ra Gada do. We have a great vessel that rolls over the dunes and the rocks, powered by magicka†said the general, with a touch of pride.
“Good, good. Give me a sword, I want to test the expertise of your troops,â€Â
“Do not bother yourself my liege,†said the general, stepping back.
“Do not worry, just hand me a longsword and I will see what your troops are made of,â€Â
Vatechyon handed A’tor his own silver longsword, and led him to the higher ranked soldiers. A’tor stepped into the ring, which was a crudely set up square of stones.
“Take your best shot!†shouted A’tor, as a light breeze blew over the two combatants. He was up against an older warrior, who used a much larger and heavier steel claymore. He sent an overhead blow straight at A’tor, who quickly sidestepped and tried to hit the old man in the back, but the warrior was quite skilled. He jumped over to the other side of A’tor and blocked the strike with his claymore, which was still stuck in the ground. The warrior lifted his claymore from the ground with surprising speed and sent it upwards, glancing off A’tor’s armor, which gleamed in the rising sun. A’tor smiled, and his eyes gleamed for a split second, in which he took his sword with two hands, said a couple of words under his breath and swiped at the warrior’s claymore, splitting it in half. The two pieces clattered to the ground, and the man stood there awestruck .A’tor gave the sword back to Vatechyon,
“you have trained these men well general, but I hope it’s enough for our opponents.†With that, he turned towards the inn once again, waving to the chief, who had just walked out.
When noon arrived, the chief, the general, A’tor and a few of the high ranked warriors sat at a table at the inn.
“A’tor, tell me, how did you survive?†said the general, setting down his knife and fork and sitting up straighter.
“Well, at that final battle, it seemed that all was lost. We were surrounded by merciless savages who cared not for this land or its people, only for its profitability. But then a man came to me, one of the peasants of the village that we had turned into a fortress, and he said to me, “Lord, I have devised a plan to save you.†Interested, I inquired further, and he told me the plan which sounded fine to me, for he had steered away from the final outcome. He wanted to be a decoy, and a good one at that. He had a strange likeness to me, in looks, voice and all that. But he would die, and I would not let that happen. So I said no and I thought that was it, or so I assumed. Youth are not to be trusted. On the morn of battle, it seemed that my armor had been stolen, as had my weapon and my horn. I knew what had happened. I ran out to save the boy, but it was too late. Everyone had died, the battle had ended and I was left alone. The boy had died to save me, and had put a potion in my evening mead. I woke up just in time to see the empire ships leaving. One last arrow pierced me in the thigh from an empire soldier who was running to his ship. That was a horrible day.â€Â
The great vessel did indeed exist, as did the legions of soldiers that Vatechyon claimed he had. Over the great desert they rode for three days and three nights, through rain and storms they endured, when at last, they could see the city of Rihad. “Ho! There it is! Do not get too close, Vatechyon, for they will see us,†cried A’tor, his hand shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. One of the sorcerers walked up to A’tor, “My lord, we have not trained all our lives for nothing. This ship is invisible, as are we. We could stop at the very gates of this city and raise no alarm.â€Â
“In that case… full speed ahead!â€Â
“Ready your weapons!†yelled the general, and the reply was the loud clanging of metal on metal.
The ship stopped but a few paces from the gates, and the sorcerers began to open fire on the wooden gates. They began to burn and collapse, and shouts were heard from within the city. A’tor drew his sword, which had been forged for him in Malath Azol. It gleamed pure white in the setting sun, and he ran forward through the gate, followed by the general and all the soldiers. They entered the city quickly enough to see the last of the citizens fleeing towards the castle. A loud horn sounded from somewhere to the north, which was followed by many others. The soldiers began to tremble, for a dark silence had settled upon the air. A sudden rumbling shook the ground below them and A’tor stopped running towards the castle. Yells, carried by the gale of wind sent shivers down A’tor’s spine and he stepped backwards, hitting another soldier.
“A’tor, what the hell is that noise?†cried Vatechyon, scanning the horizon with a hand shielding his eyes from the sun, which was nearly gone.
“It is the empire! They have come for me! Ei Bateki,†A’tor turned to his army, “everybody, I have led you into your deaths. I have taken you away from your families to fight an impossible fight. I’m--I’m sorry.â€Â
“Is that anyway to make a motivation speech, Sir A’tor,†laughed General Vatechyon, “everybody, these empire fools are weak. Why do you think they attack in such great numbers… they are afraid of us, afraid of the great Na-Totambu. We are the true men of this land, and we will kill Empire filth and Ra Gada defectors alike. Good men, today is the day when we must fight. We fight for the honor of our ancestors, the pride of our people and for Hammerfel and its true Gods!â€Â
Flowing down the mountain slope, a flood of silver dotted with golden lights grew closer to the Na-Totambu army. A’tor stepped forward, and met up with an Empire knight, atop a silver horse.
“A’tor, you somehow escaped us last time. By what work of sorcery I do not know, but that is not my concern now. I am a good man, who gives chances to his brothers. A’tor, we are all men of honor and wisdom, join us my friend and your race will be preserved. Your traditions will never be forgotten. Come now, A’tor, come to the empire,†the knight had a queer and pompous voice to A’tor, a lying voice, the voice of a tyrant.
“Empire knight, we are both men, of honor and of wisdom, but only in that you are correct. The Ra Gada were once a great civilization, but now they are but another part of the empire. We will not stand for this insolence. This is our land, protected by our forefathers. You cannot claim it as your own. I have nothing else to say to you. You have but two choices… leave this land, or fight us,†A’tor stared at the shining armor of the knight, wondering if he had made the right decision. Maybe he should have joined them. The empire was powerful and all those within its ranks were happy.
“So be it, dear A’tor, I will try to make your death as quick and painless as possible, as a hunter cuts the throat of his prey in one quick movement,†the knight moved away, back to his army, and A’tor did the same.
The Empire army was huge. It took up the whole field for miles across. “At least twenty thousand,†said Vatechyon, his sword resting on his shoulder, his expression unreadable.
“We may never see the light of day again,†said A’tor, “how I will miss the sounds of the birds and the gentle clouds drifting past on a hot afternoon. How I will miss the faint aroma of the honeycombs in the twilight hours. Alas, we live like we’ll never die, and we die like we never lived. Good men of Na-Totambu! We will go down in history tonight, whether we defeat the horde or are scattered across this battlefield like mice, the Na-Totambu will be glorious for eternity. Now, we charge!â€Â
The sounds of thousands of sword clashing against iron shields broke the silence of the night. The grunts and yells of the two sides held a steady rhythm, both sides losing warriors quickly. The ground was stained red with the blood of both sides, and the once noble men viciously ripped apart their attackers. Suddenly, a fire emerged from the middle of the battlefield. One of the empire troops was throwing torches to the ground, trying to create a wall of fire. “These savages will be afraid of the fire. Build it high!†shouted one of the higher ranked empire troops.
A’tor laughed at this remark, and ran at the horseback fire starter. He jumped up until he was nearly face to face with the rider, and with a swift stab of his dagger, killed him. A’tor grabbed the horse and with all his strength, lifted himself up onto the saddle, kicking the dead rider off. The Na-Totambu cheered, and with a new energy, pressed forward. The fear on the faces of the empire troops was evident, and they stood frozen, watching the impending warriors. “Retreat!†yelled the empire commander, “we will defeat them another day!â€Â
The Na-Totambu, however, were not satisfied, and took out their bows. “Fire at will!†yelled A’tor, as he pulled out his bow as well. A hundred flaming arrows flew up into the air, frozen in silhouette against the moon, and fell back down again against the fleeing soldiers. Yells echoed through the night, and A’tor raised his bow in triumph. “Run, you fools! Run, you cowards! We are the Na-Totambu!†shouted the warriors, laughing and cheering.
The next morning, each Na-Totambu warriors was well rested, having slept in the elaborate quarters in the empire outpost. A’tor, having slept in the commander’ quarters helped himself to some of the brandy in the cupboard. The night before had seemed like a dream to him. None of his troops had died. What sorcery was this! The empire army had outnumbered his tenfold. They were better equipped, better trained, better everything. Willpower alone could not win a fight, nor could determination. It was the gods…they were with us on that battlefield, he thought. He sat down in the couch behind the fireplace, and put his legs on the table. The sun shined directly at his feet, and the heat was comfortable. He closed his eyes and drifted into a reminisce. Not even a month ago, he had been at the head of the greatest empire in the world, and now he was the leader of a band of survivors. He remembered walking through his marble palace, with an open ceiling and those familiar palm trees every few feet. He remembered his wife, who had gone with him to every war, on every adventure. He remembered his children, neither yet able to wield a sword, both captured by the empire filth. Why was the empire so keen on invading land? What anomaly in the minds of these men caused them to be so cruel? A’tor sat there for an hour, questioning the motives of tyrants. There was no answer for A’tor or any of the oppressed. He only hoped that the afterlife would be more pleasant. A’tor made to open his eyes, but was unable to. The darkness of his closed eyes was turned to bright white, and a dark figure appeared in the distance. It was robed in a purple ensemble of flowing garments, which flew around in some ethereal wind. “A’tor,†said the figure, in a rumbling voice. The voice calmed A’tor down. It was soothing, but commanded respect.
“Yes?†A’tor’s knees were shaking.
“You have been chosen to lead my people, A’torâ€Â
“Chosen?†said A’tor
“The Na-Totambu are the rightful inhabitants of Hammerfel, and you are my warrior, A’tor.
“Why me?â€Â
“Do you question my judgement, mortal!â€Â
“No, not at all,†cried A’tor, falling to his knees.
“You have a task on Tamriel now. I intervened in the last battle, but I will not do so again. It was foolish to attack a fortified outpost with so few troops.â€Â
“Are my children still alive?†said A’tor, walking towards the figure.
“That is my decision, mortal. Do something for me, and I will reward you with your kingdom and your family. Now, you have work to do. Good day.â€Â
A’tor jumped up from his seat and banged his head on the low hanging wall torch, but he was too awestruck by what he had just experienced to care. He whipped open the door, and ran outside. It was already high noon, and the Na-Totambu warriors were all awake. A’tor spotted Vatechyon sitting on a bench on the seashore. He saw A’tor approaching and stood up, his hand on his chest as a customary sign of respect.
“Vatechyon, I have seen God!†shouted A’tor.
“God? What?†A’tor put his hand down, and raised his eyebrows.
“I had a dream – no, a vision. I saw Bateki, and he told me that we must keep fighting. We must win!â€Â
“Are you sure you weren’t dreaming,â€Â
“Have you no faith, Vatechyon! We must defeat the empire, no longer for our own freedom, but for the favor of the gods.
Vatechyon looked out into the horizon, and rested his chin on his hand, thinking.
“Fine, we will go, but first, our soldiers need to know what we are up against. Most of these men have never seen an empire battalion before.â€Â
“Then go, quickly. I will meet up with you later,†A’tor replied, putting his right hand on his heart, and then he ran towards the camp.
It was high noon when Vatechyon called the soldiers to a circle of rocks. A’tor sat in the middle, along with Arnus and Captain Vatechyon. Around them, seated on the rocks were the two hundred soldiers.
“We have called you hear for many reasons,†said A’tor, standing up, “we are up against the empire. The empire which has backed us up into a corner, the empire which consists of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. They have enchanted swords that can cut stone with a single swipe. They have cannons which can fire many miles. They have huge ships and catapults and magical bombs, but there is one thing they don’t have. They do not have faith. They believe in blasphemous gods and worship invisible creatures. Wherever we go, we are protected by Bateki. I have seen many winters, and have walked many miles. I have lived for months in the wilderness, and have realized that we were wrong. We were wrong to worship a god for ever aspect of life. There is only one God and all the qualities of our other gods are within Him.â€Â
There were many gasps through the ranks, and Arnus looked up towards A’tor with awe.
“A’tor!?†He cried and stood up.
“What is this blasphemy!†yelled one of the soldiers from the crowd.
“Is it blasphemy, or is it reason! Would not Bateki come down and rip out my heart if I were committing heresy. This is the truth! We were fools, just like the Imperials, just like all the others. It is time that we face the real truth,†yelled A’tor.
“How could you come to such a conclusion!?†yelled Vatechyon. A’tor paused for a second, and began to speak, but was interrupted by a loud noise. A peal of thunder echoed through the sky, and the clear day was suddenly turned to night. A’tor looked towards the sun, and saw that it was covered by a black circle. He was blinded, and fell to the ground, his eyes in pain. Gales of wind whipped his clothes, and he could hear the trees being ripped from the ground. He opened his eyes, just in time to dodge a branch flying towards him. The sky was covered with black clouds, all except for an opening in the clouds. Golden light streamed through it, illuminating only the circle of rocks. A figure descended from the opening. In his right hand, he held a sword, and in his left, he held an hourglass. It was Bateki, and he was dressed in flowing white garments. His face was the image of perfection, and his skin was a color that could not be described by any word. The soldiers, Arnus, Vatechyon and A’tor shrank back from the circle of rocks, and Bateki landed on the ground. “I am God of Tamriel. I am God of the Imperials. I am God of the Ra Gada. I am God of the Na-Totambu. My children, I have come to thank A’tor. He has revealed to you the truth, and that is what I wanted him to do. I have also come to bless you, dear Na-Totambu. You are the chosen people. You are chosen to spread the truth. It is imperative that the empire falls. The empire is a threat to the truth. Hundreds of races coming together as one, the truth becomes lost in all the blasphemous pagan religions. Destroy the empire my people, and spread the truth. Take this, A’tor, as proof,†said Bateki, and in a bright flash of white light, everything had returned to normal. A sword clattered to the stony ground. It shone with a light of the purest white. The hilt was of pure gold. The sword was many feet long, and as A’tor walked towards it, he wondered how he would be able to fight with such a sword. He picked it up, and it was lighter than a feather. He walked over to a tree, and with a single slash, the tree crashed to the ground.
The next morning, after a great breakfast, all the soldiers had assembled on the field, ready to walk towards the great Imperial fortress, Avalon. It was twelve miles away, and they could already see its towers in the clear air. A’tor’s shield, forged of dark black metal shone in the bright sun. The face of Bateki was embossed upon its front, and it was reflected onto the ground in front of him. His sword shone with some ethereal light, and he rested it on his shoulder. He had no helmet, nor any armor apart from his breastplate. On either side of him, Arnus and Vatechyon walked with their heads high. Arnus held an axe, double sided and silver. He had no shield, for he claimed it threw off his balance. Vatechyon held a dagger, for him true strength lay in his marksmanship. He was able to pierce an insect on a tree five hundred feet away. His bow was of elven craftsmanship, and the bowstring he had taken from the single hair of a unicorn’s tail.
“Hold!†yelled A’tor, and the command was repeated by the first of every row. A man walked up to A’tor, his sword strapped to his back. He was dressed in an odd assortment of clothing. His robes were red, and he had metal gloves on.
“Name yourself and your business,†said A’tor.
“I am Radagast, and I am a wandering Na-Totambu,†he replied, his voice cracking. With that, the man fell to his knees, his canteen fell from his side, empty.
Vatechyon lifted the man to his feet, and handed him back his canteen. Arnus, gave the man his gourd, and the man drank. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and color returned to his face.
“From which tribe do you hail?†asked A’tor.
“I come from no tribe. I am a wanderer, in search of a purpose. I was raised as a warrior of Sim’Nora, but the village was burned to the ground by the empire. I have wandered for many years, in search of the empire general who killed my parents. I will never forget his face.â€Â
“We are going to Avalon, to try to destroy the empire!†yelled A’tor, and a cheer rang out from the soldiers.
“You’re going to Avalon with one hundred soldiers?†cried Radagast, “are you insane?â€Â
“We go with the blessing of Bateki!†said A’tor, and he handed Radagast his sword, “Feel this! This is the sword of Bateki. Light as a feather, sharp as death, quick as lightning. We go with the blessing of Bateki!
Radagast held the sword in his hand, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth several times, as if to say something, but could find no words. He gave the sword back to A’tor, and knelt down. “I pledge allegiance to A’tor, king of the Na-Totambu.â€Â
A’tor pulled him back to his feet, and shook his hand, but a glint of solver caught his eye. It was the back of his glove. It was the gold star and the hourglass. A’tor shrank back. Radagast smiled shrewdly, and pulled out his sword. “It is I, Radagast Xathra, commander of the White Helm.â€Â
A’tor kneeled down in front of him, and the others followed. “Get up, the White Helm was destroyed by the empire a year ago, but we severely damaged their forces. I am the only one left. I no longer hold any power,†He said.
“The White Helm…destroyed! How?†cried A’tor, as he rose to his feet.
“We were attacked by one hundred thousand empire soldiers. Surrounded. Our thousand were no match,†Radagast said.
“Those are indeed evil tidings. Alas, I ask you Radagast, will you fight with us?†A’tor asked.
“Of course. I have nothing else to live for. Let us go,†Radagast unsheathed his sword, which was black as night, and was engulfed in fire, “We must reach Avalon by nightfall!â€Â
“Onward!†yelled A’tor, and the roar from the soldiers that followed was uplifting.
The sun had nearly set by the time the Na-Totambu fighting force reached the gate of the fortress. They had already been seen by the archers atop the towers, and were under close surveillance. Suddenly a cry pierced the silence, and like ants issuing from a hill, empire soldiers came from both sides of the fort.
“Hold!†yelled A’tor, and the soldiers went down on their knees, and put up their shields. The empire troops neared, but A’tor did not give another command. The empire fighters crashed upon the shields, but the shields created a defensive wall, and the feeble spears of the empire splintered on the cold metal of the Na-Totambu.
“Heave!†yelled A’tor, and his warriors pushed against the enemy. The enemy was thrust back, creating valuable time. The soldiers took out their swords, and began to kill the enemies. The dense empire crowd began to disperse and Radagast saw this. “Forwards, through the army!†he yelled, and the Na-Totambu ran through the lines of soldiers. A’tor ran forward. An empire grunt ran at him, his sword above his head. A’tor lifted his shield, blocked the blow, and slit the man’s throat. Behind him, he heard footsteps, so he fell to the ground, just in time to see the cold steel swipe over his face. He kicked the man’s legs, and he fell to the ground, onto A’tor’s sword. A’tor got up, and saw the Arnus was surrounded by six empire troops. A’tor ran towards him, and killed the man fighting Arnus head on. He then threw his shield at another trying to stab him from behind. From his right, an empire veteran jumped into the air with a giant leap, and slashed at A’tor with a downward slash of his claymore. A’tor could do nothing but put his sword in the way. The enemy’s sword was split clean in half, and A’tor felt no impact upon his blade. He kicked the empire soldier in the chest, and he fell upon his shattered sword. “Retreat!†cried somebody from the empire’s ranks. The soldiers began to run, but the battle was not yet over. The ground began to rumble, and great machines of war rolled towards them. Huge mobile towers, with archers upon their every plank. Take cover cried A’tor to his soldiers, and they ran to the other side of the fortress. Vatechyon took out an arrow, and set fire to it with a spell. He shot it at the closest tower, and the arrow exploded in flames. The tower was set on fire, and the enemies tried to leap out, but the fire was fast and hot, and the tower collapsed upon them. Vatechyon did the same for the other two towers, and the Na-Totambu soldiers ran out of their hiding places, and disposed of the rest of the empire troops. The last tower collapsed onto the wall of the fortress, cracking it through the middle.
“Into the fortress!†cried Arnus, and the whole contingent ran through the hole in the wall. Once inside, Radagast summoned a wall of fire to defend them. Through the flames walked skeletons and diseased corpses. “Filthy necromancers!†yelled Vatechyon, and he speared a bonewalker which had been walking towards him. But as the fire died down, they realized that the fortresses walls were double layered, and they had not come into the inner area. A’tor took out his sword, and swiped at the stone wall. The sword glowed bright white, and the wall was broken. “By the Gods!†yelled Radagast, and it was A’tor’s turn to smile understandingly.
The courtyard was saturated with empire filth, and the Na-Totambu rushed forth to clean it. A’tor was knocked onto his back by a ten foot orc brandishing a glass hammer. A’tor swiped his sword in a circle, and the feet of every soldier around him were separated. The falling orc caused a chain reaction which knocked down seven soldiers behind him. A’tor thrust his sword into the ground, and a great fissure erupted, and flames rose from the black depths. The sword jumped out the ground and back into A’tor’s hands. The flames burned only the empire troops, and healed the wounds of the Na-Totambu. Suddenly, from the flames, a giant troll emerged a knocked A’tor back into a wall. It picked him up by the neck, and began to punch him in the gut. The troll was fifteen feet high, and A’tor knew these seconds were his last. Vatechyon took out four arrows from his quiver, set them all in his bow, and pulled back as hard as he could. The arrows caught the troll in the head but did not stop. They carried the troll into the wall, and exploded within the beast, instantly killing it. A’tor fell to the ground, badly bruised and battered. “Thanks,†he said weakly.
“No prob--†Vatechyon tried to reply, but at that moment, a dark figure on horseback unsheathed his sword and with a single slash, Vatechyon fell to the ground, beheaded. A’tor froze, his eyes began to water. It was said that at that time, A’tor lost his mind. He began to shake, at first, very little, but then violently. He picked up his sword, and got to his feet. His eyes were no longer the concentrated, intelligent eyes. No…they were bloodthirsty. He ran towards the horseback rider, at lightning speed and with a huge swipe, cut the man in half from the top down. He became crazed, and swung his sword violently. Empire troops were sent thirty feet into the air, horses were sent to the ground, swords and shields were cut like cheese. A’tor and his sword were no longer human. Within a minute, he had destroyed the whole empire line. He fell to his knees, exhausted. He dropped his sword, and lay down on his back, he closed his eyes, and remembered no more.
“A’tor, are you alright,†said a familiar voice.
“What?†A’tor replied under his breath.
“It’s been three days since the battle. You need to get up. The empire has sent the largest army they have.â€Â
A’tor rose to his feet, trying to remember what it was he had been doing. The remembered great sadness, but why? Vatechyon! The empire! He jumped to his feet, and lifted his sword. “How far are they, Radagast?†he cried.
“Three hours at the most,†he replied, his face grim.
“How large is the army?â€Â
“Two hundred thousand. We cannot defeat them A’tor. It is foolishness to go up against so many with a mere hundred troops. We must surrender!†cried Arnus.
“Ha! Surrender! And did Vatechyon die in vain. We will go meet them in battle. If we die, then by Bateki do we have a great story. We will be known as the fighters of the Na-Totambu. We will be remembered for millennia. But we will not die. We cannot die. We are invincible!â€Â
“A’tor, this is madness!†shouted Arnus, “two hundred thousand. They cover the land beyond my sight. We are but a single ant to a city of men. We must fall at their feet and worship them.â€Â
“You bastard! What have we left to live for. If we cower back to our cities, do you think they will leave us. They will chase us to the very ends of the Earth. You are a traitor to your family, to your race and to your God unless you fight!†yelled A’tor.
“Fine! We will fight! And we will die! And we will be wasted lives! We will be remembered as the hundred fools who tried to fight two hundred thousand empire troops!†With that, Arnus stormed out of the room.
“A’tor, the fortress is filled with catapults, armor and weapons. We can do this,†said Radagast.
“Good. Let’s go!â€Â
The sky was dark as the empire approached Avalon. The hundred Na-Totambu troops shivered in the cold wind, and it began to snow. Whatever snow landed on A’tor’s sword turned to steam, and the light of the blade bathed the area in light. A’tor turned to face his men, a familiar face among a sea of menace. “Dear brothers, this is our final hour. Our story is concluded with this chapter. With this battle, we write history. With this battle, we can destroy the empire. The enemy is well armed, well clothed and well fed, but they have no faith. They are blasphemers. We follow the one true God! So my friends, this is our time to regain the pride of the Na-Totambu. Blessed are we who bathe in the glories of God’s creation. Blessed are we whose eyes see His many wonders. Dear friends, it is the will of God that we are hear today, and I pray that it is His will that we are victorious. Now if you don’t mind… FIRE THE CATAPULTS!â€Â
Flaming stones flew into the air, and fell upon the Empire front lines. Radagast sent a great ball of fire at the Empire, setting the grass in front on fire. The fire grew greater and greater, until the Empire march was forced to stop. “Charge!†yelled A’tor, and the one hundred soldiers ran forward through the fire, which did not harm them. A’tor had longed to try something with the sword, but feared it would look comical, but now, he found he did not care. He held the sword in both his outstretched hands, and began to spin. He walked into the enemy lines, and hundreds fell at the power of the sword. Soldiers flew every which way, and bodies rained down upon the enemy. A wind began to blow around A’tor, and it became a whirlwind. Radagast shot a ball of fire into the whirlwind, and it burst into flame. The cyclone became larger and larger, and it split the Empire army. Every second, scorched soldiers were flung high into the air. A’tor thrust his sword into the sky, and the clouds above began to glow with electricity. Huge bolts of lightning hit the ground, killing the enemies. A’tor thrust his sword into the ground, and great cracks began to appear. Soldiers began to fall into the holes, but through all this, the Na-Totambu were unharmed. The snow began to fall thicker and thicker, and began to turn to ice. The Na-Totambu kneeled down and rose their shields above their heads. Pieces of ice as large as apples were falling upon the enemy. From the sky, great pillars of fire descended upon the battlefield. The sea began to overflow, and as the wind grew stronger, the huge waves traveled the thirty mile distance in seconds, drowning the enemies who could not swim. Suddenly, the sky opened up, and Bateki descended upon the battlefield, and the Na-Totambu rushed towards him, destroying the enemy as they ran. A’tor’s sword was now so white, that it could not be described with words. It seemed that the whole world had turned black because of the great white sword. Vatechyon descended from the sky, flying without wings. He was firing arrows upon the enemy. He looked towards A’tor, and nodded, and instantly A’tor knew what to do. He put the sword into the ground again, but this time was shot up high, high into the air. Above the clouds, over the rainbows. He saw the sun and the red and pink clouds. For a second, he became stationary in the air. He looked around through the openings in the cloud, and saw the Earth. He saw how little Tamriel was compared with the rest of the world. How insignificant the empire was compared to the rest of the world. He saw the fabled oceans; he saw the legendary ice islands at either end of the planet. He saw the flying machines of the Dwemer, then he began to fall. Through the clouds, through the darkness, through the lightning. He threw the sword down with all his might into the middle of the empire army. It began to flame, and it began to explode. The whole world seemed to warp around the sword. The night was turned to day. The sword hit the ground and the greatest sound, the greatest sight and the greatest feeling that had ever been sensed upon the Earth occurred in that moment. The empire army was disintegrated, and A’tor landed on the ground, unharmed. Several explosions followed, and the clouds dispersed, and all the calamities that had been set on the land were swept away with the swish of Bateki’s hand.
After that night, there was a great feast. Bateki ate with them, in the form of a human. He was not male or female. He was not of any race. He was perfect, and he talked for very long about everything. Then he sent everybody back to Avalon, which had been repaired. Not as a fortress, but as a paradise. “This is for the great people who preserved my word! This is but a sample of what you will experience in the afterlife, but for now, enjoy!†Bateki ascended into the clouds, and upon entering the gates of the paradise, A’tor met this family. Radagast’s family had been sent back by Bateki, as was Vatechyon. From all over Hammerfel, the Na-Totambu flocked to Avalon, and they lived there for the rest of their lives in happiness.
A'tor's Last Stand [Finished, needs Gramamr/Lore Check?]
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Sky Captain
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Don't forget to start a new paragraph every time someone new starts talking! 
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[06/19/2012 04:15AM] +Cat table stabbing is apparently a really popular sport in morrowind
[August 29, 2014 04:05PM] <+Katze> I am writing an IRC bot! :O
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[06/19/2012 04:15AM] +Cat table stabbing is apparently a really popular sport in morrowind
[August 29, 2014 04:05PM] <+Katze> I am writing an IRC bot! :O
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Sky Captain
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- Location: Zanarkand, Spira
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Sky Captain
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- Location: Zanarkand, Spira
Alrighty, Version 2 up. Changed Ba'albek to Malath Azol, corrected some mistakes, and added half a page.
A’tor and his Last Stand
He was left there all alone, bleeding and helpless. His vision was blurring all the while, but not so much as to deter him from seeing the empire ships leaving. He was alone, amidst a body strewn battlefield. The stench of death filled his nostrils, and drove him into hysterics. But he was not so psychotic as to not realize the chance that had been given to him. The chance at revenge.
“And you want us to help you fight the Ra Gada?†said the chief, staring down at A’tor, who was kneeling down. His clothes were ripped, and his face was dirty.
“That is what I ask of you. The Ra Gada are greedy and to be trusted. There is little time before they come for your land, and they will not hesitate to kill whoever gets in their way. We must fight†He replied, stuttering.
“Get up man, and speak loudly for what you believe in. If what you say is true, then what are we to do?â€Â
“Desert the village. We have little time to gather a militia before it is too lateâ€Â
“Desert the village! I would be hung for suggesting such a preposterous idea. Give me proof!â€Â
“Look at me! I have walked over deserts, through swamps, through misty caves and stood atop mountains to get here. My kin have been killed, and I have been left for dead. I did this for you, for my people. Do not turn your backs on salvation.â€Â
The chief sat there awhile, watching the trees sway in the gentle breeze. This feat would risk everything he had ever worked for. If it failed, he would be a fool in history, but if he failed to act, he would be known as the man who ignored the obvious. “Fine, I will ready my army by tomorrow.â€Â
The next day, A’tor and the army, only but forty warriors set out towards Malath Azol, a city which had been marked on his map. The chief of the village said he had only laid eyes upon their city, which was constructed of stone and metal. It was in the middle of the desert, and a grueling three day journey lay ahead of them. To A’tor, this was like an evening stroll, but the warriors were not to easygoing. “Three days through this infernal wasteland!†Shouted some, and the chief turned to them.
“Go back then, if you would like to fight against the Ra Gada filth. I will spare no energy for persuading you to come,â€Â
“Sorry chief,†he said, and walked with his head down.
The next three days were the worst in the warriors’ lives. Some collapsed, and A’tor, the chief, and some of the larger soldiers carried them. A’tor was twitchy, and every time he heard the clang of a sword in its sheath, he would jump. The battle had scared him, but he was loyal to his father, and he wanted revenge.
When they climbed the last sand dune on their journey, some fell to their knees out of wonder. The city of Malath Azol was huge, and it gleamed in the setting sun. The warriors began to run towards the gates, but it was soon evident that the city was not unguarded. They were met by a legion of soldiers dressed in black armor, and they carried swords engulfed in flame. “Who dares trespass onto the territory of Malath Azol,†said the general, who was carrying a much larger sword, and was dressed in white and golden armor.
“It is I, A’tor, prince of Na-Totambu,†he said, stepping forward out of the crowd of warriors. The general bowed, as did all the others. The chief looked at A’tor, confused.
“Stand my friends. I do not seek formality, only assistance from your great people.â€Â
“How can we assist you my lord?†said the general, his hands straight at his side.
“How many soldiers do you have?†asked A’tor, scanning the small battalion that the general controlled.
“Malath Azol houses an army of twenty thousand, but they have never experienced war for there has been no reason.â€Â
“Excellent. We are at war with the Empire and the Ra Gada, and the pride of the Na-Totambu cannot be lost! Do you understand?â€Â
“Yes sir! The troops will be ready at noon tomorrow. Follow me my lord; I will bring you to your house for the night.â€Â
The next morning, A’tor rose to the sounds of shouts and the clashing of blades. He quickly put on his silver armor and rushed out the door. The soldiers of Malath Azol were training, and the general was watching as the soldiers fought each other for practice. “General Vatechyon, I broke my sword!†shouted a soldier, running towards the general. “Well, go get another one from my room in the inn,†he said, and the young warrior ran off, “ah, A’tor, you’ve woken up. Sorry for the noise, but these men need to be warmed up before this trip.â€Â
“Not a problem general. Are we going to be walking?†A’tor said.
“Ha, of course not! We are the Na-Totambu. We do not fear magic as the Ra Gada do. We have a great vessel that rolls over the dunes and the rocks, powered by magicka†said the general, with a touch of pride.
“Good, good. Give me a sword, I want to test the expertise of your troops,â€Â
“Do not bother yourself my liege,†said the general, stepping back.
“Do not worry, just hand me a longsword and I will see what your troops are made of,â€Â
Vatechyon handed A’tor his own silver longsword, and led him to the higher ranked soldiers. A’tor stepped into the ring, which was a crudely set up square of stones.
“Take your best shot!†shouted A’tor, as a light breeze blew over the two combatants. He was up against an older warrior, who used a much larger and heavier steel claymore. He sent an overhead blow straight at A’tor, who quickly sidestepped and tried to hit the old man in the back, but the warrior was quite skilled. He jumped over to the other side of A’tor and blocked the strike with his claymore, which was still stuck in the ground. The warrior lifted his claymore from the ground with surprising speed and sent it upwards, glancing off A’tor’s armor, which gleamed in the rising sun. A’tor smiled, and his eyes gleamed for a split second, in which he took his sword with two hands, said a couple of words under his breath and swiped at the warrior’s claymore, splitting it in half. The two pieces clattered to the ground, and the man stood there awestruck .A’tor gave the sword back to Vatechyon,
“you have trained these men well general, but I hope it’s enough for our opponents.†With that, he turned towards the inn once again, waving to the chief, who had just walked out.
When noon arrived, the chief, the general, A’tor and a few of the high ranked warriors sat at a table at the inn.
“A’tor, tell me, how did you survive?†said the general, setting down his knife and fork and sitting up straighter.
“Well, at that final battle, it seemed that all was lost. We were surrounded by merciless savages who cared not for this land or its people, only for its profitability. But then a man came to me, one of the peasants of the village that we had turned into a fortress, and he said to me, “Lord, I have devised a plan to save you.†Interested, I inquired further, and he told me the plan which sounded fine to me, for he had steered away from the final outcome. He wanted to be a decoy, and a good one at that. He had a strange likeness to me, in looks, voice and all that. But he would die, and I would not let that happen. So I said no and I thought that was it, or so I assumed. Youth are not to be trusted. On the morn of battle, it seemed that my armor had been stolen, as had my weapon and my horn. I knew what had happened. I ran out to save the boy, but it was too late. Everyone had died, the battle had ended and I was left alone. The boy had died to save me, and had put a potion in my evening mead. I woke up just in time to see the empire ships leaving. One last arrow pierced me in the thigh from an empire soldier who was running to his ship. That was a horrible day.â€Â
The great vessel did indeed exist, as did the legions of soldiers that Vatechyon claimed he had. Over the great desert they rode for three days and three nights, through rain and storms they endured, when at last, they could see the city of Rihad. “Ho! There it is! Do not get too close, Vatechyon, for they will see us,†cried A’tor, his hand shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. One of the sorcerers walked up to A’tor, “My lord, we have not trained all our lives for nothing. This ship is invisible, as are we. We could stop at the very gates of this city and raise no alarm.â€Â
“In that case… full speed ahead!â€Â
“Ready your weapons!†yelled the general, and the reply was the loud clanging of metal on metal.
The ship stopped but a few paces from the gates, and the sorcerers began to open fire on the wooden gates. They began to burn and collapse, and shouts were heard from within the city. A’tor drew his sword, which had been forged for him in Malath Azol. It gleamed pure white in the setting sun, and he ran forward through the gate, followed by the general and all the soldiers. They entered the city quickly enough to see the last of the citizens fleeing towards the castle. A loud horn sounded from somewhere to the north, which was followed by many others. The soldiers began to tremble, for a dark silence had settled upon the air. A sudden rumbling shook the ground below them and A’tor stopped running towards the castle. Yells, carried by the gale of wind sent shivers down A’tor’s spine and he stepped backwards, hitting another soldier.
“A’tor, what the hell is that noise?†cried Vatechyon, scanning the horizon with a hand shielding his eyes from the sun, which was nearly gone.
“It is the empire! They have come for me! Ei Bateki,†A’tor turned to his army, “everybody, I have led you into your deaths. I have taken you away from your families to fight an impossible fight. I’m--I’m sorry.â€Â
“Is that anyway to make a motivation speech, Sir A’tor,†laughed General Vatechyon, “everybody, these empire fools are weak. Why do you think they attack in such great numbers… they are afraid of us, afraid of the great Na-Totambu. We are the true men of this land, and we will kill Empire filth and Ra Gada defectors alike. Good men, today is the day when we must fight. We fight for the honor of our ancestors, the pride of our people and for Hammerfel and its true Gods!â€Â
Flowing down the mountain slope, a flood of silver dotted with golden lights grew closer to the Na-Totambu army. A’tor stepped forward, and met up with an Empire knight, atop a silver horse.
“A’tor, you somehow escaped us last time. By what work of sorcery I do not know, but that is not my concern now. I am a good man, who gives chances to his brothers. A’tor, we are all men of honor and wisdom, join us my friend and your race will be preserved. Your traditions will never be forgotten. Come now, A’tor, come to the empire,†the knight had a queer and pompous voice to A’tor, a lying voice, the voice of a tyrant.
“Empire knight, we are both men, of honor and of wisdom, but only in that you are correct. The Ra Gada were once a great civilization, but now they are but another part of the empire. We will not stand for this insolence. This is our land, protected by our forefathers. You cannot claim it as your own. I have nothing else to say to you. You have but two choices… leave this land, or fight us,†A’tor stared at the shining armor of the knight, wondering if he had made the right decision. Maybe he should have joined them. The empire was powerful and all those within its ranks were happy.
“So be it, dear A’tor, I will try to make your death as quick and painless as possible, as a hunter cuts the throat of his prey in one quick movement,†the knight moved away, back to his army, and A’tor did the same.
The Empire army was huge. It took up the whole field for miles across. “At least twenty thousand,†said Vatechyon, his sword resting on his shoulder, his expression unreadable.
“We may never see the light of day again,†said A’tor, “how I will miss the sounds of the birds and the gentle clouds drifting past on a hot afternoon. How I will miss the faint aroma of the honeycombs in the twilight hours. Alas, we live like we’ll never die, and we die like we never lived. Good men of Na-Totambu! We will go down in history tonight, whether we defeat the horde or are scattered across this battlefield like mice, the Na-Totambu will be glorious for eternity. Now, we charge!â€Â
A’tor and his Last Stand
He was left there all alone, bleeding and helpless. His vision was blurring all the while, but not so much as to deter him from seeing the empire ships leaving. He was alone, amidst a body strewn battlefield. The stench of death filled his nostrils, and drove him into hysterics. But he was not so psychotic as to not realize the chance that had been given to him. The chance at revenge.
“And you want us to help you fight the Ra Gada?†said the chief, staring down at A’tor, who was kneeling down. His clothes were ripped, and his face was dirty.
“That is what I ask of you. The Ra Gada are greedy and to be trusted. There is little time before they come for your land, and they will not hesitate to kill whoever gets in their way. We must fight†He replied, stuttering.
“Get up man, and speak loudly for what you believe in. If what you say is true, then what are we to do?â€Â
“Desert the village. We have little time to gather a militia before it is too lateâ€Â
“Desert the village! I would be hung for suggesting such a preposterous idea. Give me proof!â€Â
“Look at me! I have walked over deserts, through swamps, through misty caves and stood atop mountains to get here. My kin have been killed, and I have been left for dead. I did this for you, for my people. Do not turn your backs on salvation.â€Â
The chief sat there awhile, watching the trees sway in the gentle breeze. This feat would risk everything he had ever worked for. If it failed, he would be a fool in history, but if he failed to act, he would be known as the man who ignored the obvious. “Fine, I will ready my army by tomorrow.â€Â
The next day, A’tor and the army, only but forty warriors set out towards Malath Azol, a city which had been marked on his map. The chief of the village said he had only laid eyes upon their city, which was constructed of stone and metal. It was in the middle of the desert, and a grueling three day journey lay ahead of them. To A’tor, this was like an evening stroll, but the warriors were not to easygoing. “Three days through this infernal wasteland!†Shouted some, and the chief turned to them.
“Go back then, if you would like to fight against the Ra Gada filth. I will spare no energy for persuading you to come,â€Â
“Sorry chief,†he said, and walked with his head down.
The next three days were the worst in the warriors’ lives. Some collapsed, and A’tor, the chief, and some of the larger soldiers carried them. A’tor was twitchy, and every time he heard the clang of a sword in its sheath, he would jump. The battle had scared him, but he was loyal to his father, and he wanted revenge.
When they climbed the last sand dune on their journey, some fell to their knees out of wonder. The city of Malath Azol was huge, and it gleamed in the setting sun. The warriors began to run towards the gates, but it was soon evident that the city was not unguarded. They were met by a legion of soldiers dressed in black armor, and they carried swords engulfed in flame. “Who dares trespass onto the territory of Malath Azol,†said the general, who was carrying a much larger sword, and was dressed in white and golden armor.
“It is I, A’tor, prince of Na-Totambu,†he said, stepping forward out of the crowd of warriors. The general bowed, as did all the others. The chief looked at A’tor, confused.
“Stand my friends. I do not seek formality, only assistance from your great people.â€Â
“How can we assist you my lord?†said the general, his hands straight at his side.
“How many soldiers do you have?†asked A’tor, scanning the small battalion that the general controlled.
“Malath Azol houses an army of twenty thousand, but they have never experienced war for there has been no reason.â€Â
“Excellent. We are at war with the Empire and the Ra Gada, and the pride of the Na-Totambu cannot be lost! Do you understand?â€Â
“Yes sir! The troops will be ready at noon tomorrow. Follow me my lord; I will bring you to your house for the night.â€Â
The next morning, A’tor rose to the sounds of shouts and the clashing of blades. He quickly put on his silver armor and rushed out the door. The soldiers of Malath Azol were training, and the general was watching as the soldiers fought each other for practice. “General Vatechyon, I broke my sword!†shouted a soldier, running towards the general. “Well, go get another one from my room in the inn,†he said, and the young warrior ran off, “ah, A’tor, you’ve woken up. Sorry for the noise, but these men need to be warmed up before this trip.â€Â
“Not a problem general. Are we going to be walking?†A’tor said.
“Ha, of course not! We are the Na-Totambu. We do not fear magic as the Ra Gada do. We have a great vessel that rolls over the dunes and the rocks, powered by magicka†said the general, with a touch of pride.
“Good, good. Give me a sword, I want to test the expertise of your troops,â€Â
“Do not bother yourself my liege,†said the general, stepping back.
“Do not worry, just hand me a longsword and I will see what your troops are made of,â€Â
Vatechyon handed A’tor his own silver longsword, and led him to the higher ranked soldiers. A’tor stepped into the ring, which was a crudely set up square of stones.
“Take your best shot!†shouted A’tor, as a light breeze blew over the two combatants. He was up against an older warrior, who used a much larger and heavier steel claymore. He sent an overhead blow straight at A’tor, who quickly sidestepped and tried to hit the old man in the back, but the warrior was quite skilled. He jumped over to the other side of A’tor and blocked the strike with his claymore, which was still stuck in the ground. The warrior lifted his claymore from the ground with surprising speed and sent it upwards, glancing off A’tor’s armor, which gleamed in the rising sun. A’tor smiled, and his eyes gleamed for a split second, in which he took his sword with two hands, said a couple of words under his breath and swiped at the warrior’s claymore, splitting it in half. The two pieces clattered to the ground, and the man stood there awestruck .A’tor gave the sword back to Vatechyon,
“you have trained these men well general, but I hope it’s enough for our opponents.†With that, he turned towards the inn once again, waving to the chief, who had just walked out.
When noon arrived, the chief, the general, A’tor and a few of the high ranked warriors sat at a table at the inn.
“A’tor, tell me, how did you survive?†said the general, setting down his knife and fork and sitting up straighter.
“Well, at that final battle, it seemed that all was lost. We were surrounded by merciless savages who cared not for this land or its people, only for its profitability. But then a man came to me, one of the peasants of the village that we had turned into a fortress, and he said to me, “Lord, I have devised a plan to save you.†Interested, I inquired further, and he told me the plan which sounded fine to me, for he had steered away from the final outcome. He wanted to be a decoy, and a good one at that. He had a strange likeness to me, in looks, voice and all that. But he would die, and I would not let that happen. So I said no and I thought that was it, or so I assumed. Youth are not to be trusted. On the morn of battle, it seemed that my armor had been stolen, as had my weapon and my horn. I knew what had happened. I ran out to save the boy, but it was too late. Everyone had died, the battle had ended and I was left alone. The boy had died to save me, and had put a potion in my evening mead. I woke up just in time to see the empire ships leaving. One last arrow pierced me in the thigh from an empire soldier who was running to his ship. That was a horrible day.â€Â
The great vessel did indeed exist, as did the legions of soldiers that Vatechyon claimed he had. Over the great desert they rode for three days and three nights, through rain and storms they endured, when at last, they could see the city of Rihad. “Ho! There it is! Do not get too close, Vatechyon, for they will see us,†cried A’tor, his hand shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. One of the sorcerers walked up to A’tor, “My lord, we have not trained all our lives for nothing. This ship is invisible, as are we. We could stop at the very gates of this city and raise no alarm.â€Â
“In that case… full speed ahead!â€Â
“Ready your weapons!†yelled the general, and the reply was the loud clanging of metal on metal.
The ship stopped but a few paces from the gates, and the sorcerers began to open fire on the wooden gates. They began to burn and collapse, and shouts were heard from within the city. A’tor drew his sword, which had been forged for him in Malath Azol. It gleamed pure white in the setting sun, and he ran forward through the gate, followed by the general and all the soldiers. They entered the city quickly enough to see the last of the citizens fleeing towards the castle. A loud horn sounded from somewhere to the north, which was followed by many others. The soldiers began to tremble, for a dark silence had settled upon the air. A sudden rumbling shook the ground below them and A’tor stopped running towards the castle. Yells, carried by the gale of wind sent shivers down A’tor’s spine and he stepped backwards, hitting another soldier.
“A’tor, what the hell is that noise?†cried Vatechyon, scanning the horizon with a hand shielding his eyes from the sun, which was nearly gone.
“It is the empire! They have come for me! Ei Bateki,†A’tor turned to his army, “everybody, I have led you into your deaths. I have taken you away from your families to fight an impossible fight. I’m--I’m sorry.â€Â
“Is that anyway to make a motivation speech, Sir A’tor,†laughed General Vatechyon, “everybody, these empire fools are weak. Why do you think they attack in such great numbers… they are afraid of us, afraid of the great Na-Totambu. We are the true men of this land, and we will kill Empire filth and Ra Gada defectors alike. Good men, today is the day when we must fight. We fight for the honor of our ancestors, the pride of our people and for Hammerfel and its true Gods!â€Â
Flowing down the mountain slope, a flood of silver dotted with golden lights grew closer to the Na-Totambu army. A’tor stepped forward, and met up with an Empire knight, atop a silver horse.
“A’tor, you somehow escaped us last time. By what work of sorcery I do not know, but that is not my concern now. I am a good man, who gives chances to his brothers. A’tor, we are all men of honor and wisdom, join us my friend and your race will be preserved. Your traditions will never be forgotten. Come now, A’tor, come to the empire,†the knight had a queer and pompous voice to A’tor, a lying voice, the voice of a tyrant.
“Empire knight, we are both men, of honor and of wisdom, but only in that you are correct. The Ra Gada were once a great civilization, but now they are but another part of the empire. We will not stand for this insolence. This is our land, protected by our forefathers. You cannot claim it as your own. I have nothing else to say to you. You have but two choices… leave this land, or fight us,†A’tor stared at the shining armor of the knight, wondering if he had made the right decision. Maybe he should have joined them. The empire was powerful and all those within its ranks were happy.
“So be it, dear A’tor, I will try to make your death as quick and painless as possible, as a hunter cuts the throat of his prey in one quick movement,†the knight moved away, back to his army, and A’tor did the same.
The Empire army was huge. It took up the whole field for miles across. “At least twenty thousand,†said Vatechyon, his sword resting on his shoulder, his expression unreadable.
“We may never see the light of day again,†said A’tor, “how I will miss the sounds of the birds and the gentle clouds drifting past on a hot afternoon. How I will miss the faint aroma of the honeycombs in the twilight hours. Alas, we live like we’ll never die, and we die like we never lived. Good men of Na-Totambu! We will go down in history tonight, whether we defeat the horde or are scattered across this battlefield like mice, the Na-Totambu will be glorious for eternity. Now, we charge!â€Â
-
Sky Captain
- Member
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Zanarkand, Spira
ALRIGHTY G. V3 I think I am approx. 32.78596% done. Somebody, plz, if you have a conscience, or just a random cricket who speaks english fallowing you around,do yourself a big favor (and me too) and read this story, (so I don't think I'm a complete failure)
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A’tor and his Last Stand
He was left there all alone, bleeding and helpless. His vision was blurring all the while, but not so much as to deter him from seeing the empire ships leaving. He was alone, amidst a body strewn battlefield. The stench of death filled his nostrils, and drove him into hysterics. But he was not so psychotic as to not realize the chance that had been given to him. The chance at revenge.
“And you want us to help you fight the Ra Gada?†said the chief, staring down at A’tor, who was kneeling down. His clothes were ripped, and his face was dirty.
“That is what I ask of you. The Ra Gada are greedy and to be trusted. There is little time before they come for your land, and they will not hesitate to kill whoever gets in their way. We must fight†He replied, stuttering.
“Get up man, and speak loudly for what you believe in. If what you say is true, then what are we to do?â€Â
“Desert the village. We have little time to gather a militia before it is too lateâ€Â
“Desert the village! I would be hung for suggesting such a preposterous idea. Give me proof!â€Â
“Look at me! I have walked over deserts, through swamps, through misty caves and stood atop mountains to get here. My kin have been killed, and I have been left for dead. I did this for you, for my people. Do not turn your backs on salvation.â€Â
The chief sat there awhile, watching the trees sway in the gentle breeze. This feat would risk everything he had ever worked for. If it failed, he would be a fool in history, but if he failed to act, he would be known as the man who ignored the obvious. “Fine, I will ready my army by tomorrow.â€Â
The next day, A’tor and the army, only but forty warriors set out towards Malath Azol, a city which had been marked on his map. The chief of the village said he had only laid eyes upon their city, which was constructed of stone and metal. It was in the middle of the desert, and a grueling three day journey lay ahead of them. To A’tor, this was like an evening stroll, but the warriors were not to easygoing. “Three days through this infernal wasteland!†Shouted some, and the chief turned to them.
“Go back then, if you would like to fight against the Ra Gada filth. I will spare no energy for persuading you to come,â€Â
“Sorry chief,†he said, and walked with his head down.
The next three days were the worst in the warriors’ lives. Some collapsed, and A’tor, the chief, and some of the larger soldiers carried them. A’tor was twitchy, and every time he heard the clang of a sword in its sheath, he would jump. The battle had scared him, but he was loyal to his father, and he wanted revenge.
When they climbed the last sand dune on their journey, some fell to their knees out of wonder. The city of Malath Azol was huge, and it gleamed in the setting sun. The warriors began to run towards the gates, but it was soon evident that the city was not unguarded. They were met by a legion of soldiers dressed in black armor, and they carried swords engulfed in flame. “Who dares trespass onto the territory of Malath Azol,†said the general, who was carrying a much larger sword, and was dressed in white and golden armor.
“It is I, A’tor, prince of Na-Totambu,†he said, stepping forward out of the crowd of warriors. The general bowed, as did all the others. The chief looked at A’tor, confused.
“Stand my friends. I do not seek formality, only assistance from your great people.â€Â
“How can we assist you my lord?†said the general, his hands straight at his side.
“How many soldiers do you have?†asked A’tor, scanning the small battalion that the general controlled.
“Malath Azol houses an army of twenty thousand, but they have never experienced war for there has been no reason.â€Â
“Excellent. We are at war with the Empire and the Ra Gada, and the pride of the Na-Totambu cannot be lost! Do you understand?â€Â
“Yes sir! The troops will be ready at noon tomorrow. Follow me my lord; I will bring you to your house for the night.â€Â
The next morning, A’tor rose to the sounds of shouts and the clashing of blades. He quickly put on his silver armor and rushed out the door. The soldiers of Malath Azol were training, and the general was watching as the soldiers fought each other for practice. “General Vatechyon, I broke my sword!†shouted a soldier, running towards the general. “Well, go get another one from my room in the inn,†he said, and the young warrior ran off, “ah, A’tor, you’ve woken up. Sorry for the noise, but these men need to be warmed up before this trip.â€Â
“Not a problem general. Are we going to be walking?†A’tor said.
“Ha, of course not! We are the Na-Totambu. We do not fear magic as the Ra Gada do. We have a great vessel that rolls over the dunes and the rocks, powered by magicka†said the general, with a touch of pride.
“Good, good. Give me a sword, I want to test the expertise of your troops,â€Â
“Do not bother yourself my liege,†said the general, stepping back.
“Do not worry, just hand me a longsword and I will see what your troops are made of,â€Â
Vatechyon handed A’tor his own silver longsword, and led him to the higher ranked soldiers. A’tor stepped into the ring, which was a crudely set up square of stones.
“Take your best shot!†shouted A’tor, as a light breeze blew over the two combatants. He was up against an older warrior, who used a much larger and heavier steel claymore. He sent an overhead blow straight at A’tor, who quickly sidestepped and tried to hit the old man in the back, but the warrior was quite skilled. He jumped over to the other side of A’tor and blocked the strike with his claymore, which was still stuck in the ground. The warrior lifted his claymore from the ground with surprising speed and sent it upwards, glancing off A’tor’s armor, which gleamed in the rising sun. A’tor smiled, and his eyes gleamed for a split second, in which he took his sword with two hands, said a couple of words under his breath and swiped at the warrior’s claymore, splitting it in half. The two pieces clattered to the ground, and the man stood there awestruck .A’tor gave the sword back to Vatechyon,
“you have trained these men well general, but I hope it’s enough for our opponents.†With that, he turned towards the inn once again, waving to the chief, who had just walked out.
When noon arrived, the chief, the general, A’tor and a few of the high ranked warriors sat at a table at the inn.
“A’tor, tell me, how did you survive?†said the general, setting down his knife and fork and sitting up straighter.
“Well, at that final battle, it seemed that all was lost. We were surrounded by merciless savages who cared not for this land or its people, only for its profitability. But then a man came to me, one of the peasants of the village that we had turned into a fortress, and he said to me, “Lord, I have devised a plan to save you.†Interested, I inquired further, and he told me the plan which sounded fine to me, for he had steered away from the final outcome. He wanted to be a decoy, and a good one at that. He had a strange likeness to me, in looks, voice and all that. But he would die, and I would not let that happen. So I said no and I thought that was it, or so I assumed. Youth are not to be trusted. On the morn of battle, it seemed that my armor had been stolen, as had my weapon and my horn. I knew what had happened. I ran out to save the boy, but it was too late. Everyone had died, the battle had ended and I was left alone. The boy had died to save me, and had put a potion in my evening mead. I woke up just in time to see the empire ships leaving. One last arrow pierced me in the thigh from an empire soldier who was running to his ship. That was a horrible day.â€Â
The great vessel did indeed exist, as did the legions of soldiers that Vatechyon claimed he had. Over the great desert they rode for three days and three nights, through rain and storms they endured, when at last, they could see the city of Rihad. “Ho! There it is! Do not get too close, Vatechyon, for they will see us,†cried A’tor, his hand shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. One of the sorcerers walked up to A’tor, “My lord, we have not trained all our lives for nothing. This ship is invisible, as are we. We could stop at the very gates of this city and raise no alarm.â€Â
“In that case… full speed ahead!â€Â
“Ready your weapons!†yelled the general, and the reply was the loud clanging of metal on metal.
The ship stopped but a few paces from the gates, and the sorcerers began to open fire on the wooden gates. They began to burn and collapse, and shouts were heard from within the city. A’tor drew his sword, which had been forged for him in Malath Azol. It gleamed pure white in the setting sun, and he ran forward through the gate, followed by the general and all the soldiers. They entered the city quickly enough to see the last of the citizens fleeing towards the castle. A loud horn sounded from somewhere to the north, which was followed by many others. The soldiers began to tremble, for a dark silence had settled upon the air. A sudden rumbling shook the ground below them and A’tor stopped running towards the castle. Yells, carried by the gale of wind sent shivers down A’tor’s spine and he stepped backwards, hitting another soldier.
“A’tor, what the hell is that noise?†cried Vatechyon, scanning the horizon with a hand shielding his eyes from the sun, which was nearly gone.
“It is the empire! They have come for me! Ei Bateki,†A’tor turned to his army, “everybody, I have led you into your deaths. I have taken you away from your families to fight an impossible fight. I’m--I’m sorry.â€Â
“Is that anyway to make a motivation speech, Sir A’tor,†laughed General Vatechyon, “everybody, these empire fools are weak. Why do you think they attack in such great numbers… they are afraid of us, afraid of the great Na-Totambu. We are the true men of this land, and we will kill Empire filth and Ra Gada defectors alike. Good men, today is the day when we must fight. We fight for the honor of our ancestors, the pride of our people and for Hammerfel and its true Gods!â€Â
Flowing down the mountain slope, a flood of silver dotted with golden lights grew closer to the Na-Totambu army. A’tor stepped forward, and met up with an Empire knight, atop a silver horse.
“A’tor, you somehow escaped us last time. By what work of sorcery I do not know, but that is not my concern now. I am a good man, who gives chances to his brothers. A’tor, we are all men of honor and wisdom, join us my friend and your race will be preserved. Your traditions will never be forgotten. Come now, A’tor, come to the empire,†the knight had a queer and pompous voice to A’tor, a lying voice, the voice of a tyrant.
“Empire knight, we are both men, of honor and of wisdom, but only in that you are correct. The Ra Gada were once a great civilization, but now they are but another part of the empire. We will not stand for this insolence. This is our land, protected by our forefathers. You cannot claim it as your own. I have nothing else to say to you. You have but two choices… leave this land, or fight us,†A’tor stared at the shining armor of the knight, wondering if he had made the right decision. Maybe he should have joined them. The empire was powerful and all those within its ranks were happy.
“So be it, dear A’tor, I will try to make your death as quick and painless as possible, as a hunter cuts the throat of his prey in one quick movement,†the knight moved away, back to his army, and A’tor did the same.
The Empire army was huge. It took up the whole field for miles across. “At least twenty thousand,†said Vatechyon, his sword resting on his shoulder, his expression unreadable.
“We may never see the light of day again,†said A’tor, “how I will miss the sounds of the birds and the gentle clouds drifting past on a hot afternoon. How I will miss the faint aroma of the honeycombs in the twilight hours. Alas, we live like we’ll never die, and we die like we never lived. Good men of Na-Totambu! We will go down in history tonight, whether we defeat the horde or are scattered across this battlefield like mice, the Na-Totambu will be glorious for eternity. Now, we charge!â€Â
The sounds of thousands of sword clashing against iron shields broke the silence of the night. The grunts and yells of the two sides held a steady rhythm, both sides losing warriors quickly. The ground was stained red with the blood of both sides, and the once noble men viciously ripped apart their attackers. Suddenly, a fire emerged from the middle of the battlefield. One of the empire troops was throwing torches to the ground, trying to create a wall of fire. “These savages will be afraid of the fire. Build it high!†shouted one of the higher ranked empire troops.
A’tor laughed at this remark, and ran at the horseback fire starter. He jumped up until he was nearly face to face with the rider, and with a swift stab of his dagger, killed him. A’tor grabbed the horse and with all his strength, lifted himself up onto the saddle, kicking the dead rider off. The Na-Totambu cheered, and with a new energy, pressed forward. The fear on the faces of the empire troops was evident, and they stood frozen, watching the impending warriors. “Retreat!†yelled the empire commander, “we will defeat them another day!â€Â
The Na-Totambu, however, were not satisfied, and took out their bows. “Fire at will!†yelled A’tor, as he pulled out his bow as well. A hundred flaming arrows flew up into the air, frozen in silhouette against the moon, and fell back down again against the fleeing soldiers. Yells echoed through the night, and A’tor raised his bow in triumph. “Run, you fools! Run, you cowards! We are the Na-Totambu!†shouted the warriors, laughing and cheering.
The next morning, each Na-Totambu warriors was well rested, having slept in the elaborate quarters in the empire outpost. A’tor, having slept in the commander’ quarters helped himself to some of the brandy in the cupboard. The night before had seemed like a dream to him. None of his troops had died. What sorcery was this! The empire army had outnumbered his tenfold. They were better equipped, better trained, better everything. Willpower alone could not win a fight, nor could determination. It was the gods…they were with us on that battlefield, he thought. He sat down in the couch behind the fireplace, and put his legs on the table. The sun shined directly at his feet, and the heat was comfortable. He closed his eyes and drifted into a reminisce. Not even a month ago, he had been at the head of the greatest empire in the world, and now he was the leader of a band of survivors. He remembered walking through his marble palace, with an open ceiling and those familiar palm trees every few feet. He remembered his wife, who had gone with him to every war, on every adventure. He remembered his children, neither yet able to wield a sword, both captured by the empire filth. Why was the empire so keen on invading land? What anomaly in the minds of these men caused them to be so cruel? A’tor sat there for an hour, questioning the motives of tyrants. There was no answer for A’tor or any of the oppressed. He only hoped that the afterlife would be more pleasant. A’tor made to open his eyes, but was unable to. The darkness of his closed eyes was turned to bright white, and a dark figure appeared in the distance. It was robed in a purple ensemble of flowing garments, which flew around in some ethereal wind. “A’tor,†said the figure, in a rumbling voice. The voice calmed A’tor down. It was soothing, but commanded respect.
“Yes?†A’tor’s knees were shaking.
“You have been chosen to lead my people, A’torâ€Â
“Chosen?†said A’tor
“The Na-Totambu are the rightful inhabitants of Hammerfel, and you are my warrior, A’tor.
“Why me?â€Â
“Do you question my judgment, mortal!â€Â
“No, not at all,†cried A’tor, falling to his knees.
“You have a task on Tamriel now. I intervened in the last battle, but I will not do so again. It was foolish to attack a fortified outpost with so few troops.â€Â
“Are my children still alive?†said A’tor, walking towards the figure.
“That is my decision, mortal. Do something for me, and I will reward you with your kingdom and your family. Now, you have work to do. Good day.â€Â
A’tor jumped up from his seat and banged his head on the low hanging wall torch, but he was too awestruck by what he had just experienced to care.
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A’tor and his Last Stand
He was left there all alone, bleeding and helpless. His vision was blurring all the while, but not so much as to deter him from seeing the empire ships leaving. He was alone, amidst a body strewn battlefield. The stench of death filled his nostrils, and drove him into hysterics. But he was not so psychotic as to not realize the chance that had been given to him. The chance at revenge.
“And you want us to help you fight the Ra Gada?†said the chief, staring down at A’tor, who was kneeling down. His clothes were ripped, and his face was dirty.
“That is what I ask of you. The Ra Gada are greedy and to be trusted. There is little time before they come for your land, and they will not hesitate to kill whoever gets in their way. We must fight†He replied, stuttering.
“Get up man, and speak loudly for what you believe in. If what you say is true, then what are we to do?â€Â
“Desert the village. We have little time to gather a militia before it is too lateâ€Â
“Desert the village! I would be hung for suggesting such a preposterous idea. Give me proof!â€Â
“Look at me! I have walked over deserts, through swamps, through misty caves and stood atop mountains to get here. My kin have been killed, and I have been left for dead. I did this for you, for my people. Do not turn your backs on salvation.â€Â
The chief sat there awhile, watching the trees sway in the gentle breeze. This feat would risk everything he had ever worked for. If it failed, he would be a fool in history, but if he failed to act, he would be known as the man who ignored the obvious. “Fine, I will ready my army by tomorrow.â€Â
The next day, A’tor and the army, only but forty warriors set out towards Malath Azol, a city which had been marked on his map. The chief of the village said he had only laid eyes upon their city, which was constructed of stone and metal. It was in the middle of the desert, and a grueling three day journey lay ahead of them. To A’tor, this was like an evening stroll, but the warriors were not to easygoing. “Three days through this infernal wasteland!†Shouted some, and the chief turned to them.
“Go back then, if you would like to fight against the Ra Gada filth. I will spare no energy for persuading you to come,â€Â
“Sorry chief,†he said, and walked with his head down.
The next three days were the worst in the warriors’ lives. Some collapsed, and A’tor, the chief, and some of the larger soldiers carried them. A’tor was twitchy, and every time he heard the clang of a sword in its sheath, he would jump. The battle had scared him, but he was loyal to his father, and he wanted revenge.
When they climbed the last sand dune on their journey, some fell to their knees out of wonder. The city of Malath Azol was huge, and it gleamed in the setting sun. The warriors began to run towards the gates, but it was soon evident that the city was not unguarded. They were met by a legion of soldiers dressed in black armor, and they carried swords engulfed in flame. “Who dares trespass onto the territory of Malath Azol,†said the general, who was carrying a much larger sword, and was dressed in white and golden armor.
“It is I, A’tor, prince of Na-Totambu,†he said, stepping forward out of the crowd of warriors. The general bowed, as did all the others. The chief looked at A’tor, confused.
“Stand my friends. I do not seek formality, only assistance from your great people.â€Â
“How can we assist you my lord?†said the general, his hands straight at his side.
“How many soldiers do you have?†asked A’tor, scanning the small battalion that the general controlled.
“Malath Azol houses an army of twenty thousand, but they have never experienced war for there has been no reason.â€Â
“Excellent. We are at war with the Empire and the Ra Gada, and the pride of the Na-Totambu cannot be lost! Do you understand?â€Â
“Yes sir! The troops will be ready at noon tomorrow. Follow me my lord; I will bring you to your house for the night.â€Â
The next morning, A’tor rose to the sounds of shouts and the clashing of blades. He quickly put on his silver armor and rushed out the door. The soldiers of Malath Azol were training, and the general was watching as the soldiers fought each other for practice. “General Vatechyon, I broke my sword!†shouted a soldier, running towards the general. “Well, go get another one from my room in the inn,†he said, and the young warrior ran off, “ah, A’tor, you’ve woken up. Sorry for the noise, but these men need to be warmed up before this trip.â€Â
“Not a problem general. Are we going to be walking?†A’tor said.
“Ha, of course not! We are the Na-Totambu. We do not fear magic as the Ra Gada do. We have a great vessel that rolls over the dunes and the rocks, powered by magicka†said the general, with a touch of pride.
“Good, good. Give me a sword, I want to test the expertise of your troops,â€Â
“Do not bother yourself my liege,†said the general, stepping back.
“Do not worry, just hand me a longsword and I will see what your troops are made of,â€Â
Vatechyon handed A’tor his own silver longsword, and led him to the higher ranked soldiers. A’tor stepped into the ring, which was a crudely set up square of stones.
“Take your best shot!†shouted A’tor, as a light breeze blew over the two combatants. He was up against an older warrior, who used a much larger and heavier steel claymore. He sent an overhead blow straight at A’tor, who quickly sidestepped and tried to hit the old man in the back, but the warrior was quite skilled. He jumped over to the other side of A’tor and blocked the strike with his claymore, which was still stuck in the ground. The warrior lifted his claymore from the ground with surprising speed and sent it upwards, glancing off A’tor’s armor, which gleamed in the rising sun. A’tor smiled, and his eyes gleamed for a split second, in which he took his sword with two hands, said a couple of words under his breath and swiped at the warrior’s claymore, splitting it in half. The two pieces clattered to the ground, and the man stood there awestruck .A’tor gave the sword back to Vatechyon,
“you have trained these men well general, but I hope it’s enough for our opponents.†With that, he turned towards the inn once again, waving to the chief, who had just walked out.
When noon arrived, the chief, the general, A’tor and a few of the high ranked warriors sat at a table at the inn.
“A’tor, tell me, how did you survive?†said the general, setting down his knife and fork and sitting up straighter.
“Well, at that final battle, it seemed that all was lost. We were surrounded by merciless savages who cared not for this land or its people, only for its profitability. But then a man came to me, one of the peasants of the village that we had turned into a fortress, and he said to me, “Lord, I have devised a plan to save you.†Interested, I inquired further, and he told me the plan which sounded fine to me, for he had steered away from the final outcome. He wanted to be a decoy, and a good one at that. He had a strange likeness to me, in looks, voice and all that. But he would die, and I would not let that happen. So I said no and I thought that was it, or so I assumed. Youth are not to be trusted. On the morn of battle, it seemed that my armor had been stolen, as had my weapon and my horn. I knew what had happened. I ran out to save the boy, but it was too late. Everyone had died, the battle had ended and I was left alone. The boy had died to save me, and had put a potion in my evening mead. I woke up just in time to see the empire ships leaving. One last arrow pierced me in the thigh from an empire soldier who was running to his ship. That was a horrible day.â€Â
The great vessel did indeed exist, as did the legions of soldiers that Vatechyon claimed he had. Over the great desert they rode for three days and three nights, through rain and storms they endured, when at last, they could see the city of Rihad. “Ho! There it is! Do not get too close, Vatechyon, for they will see us,†cried A’tor, his hand shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. One of the sorcerers walked up to A’tor, “My lord, we have not trained all our lives for nothing. This ship is invisible, as are we. We could stop at the very gates of this city and raise no alarm.â€Â
“In that case… full speed ahead!â€Â
“Ready your weapons!†yelled the general, and the reply was the loud clanging of metal on metal.
The ship stopped but a few paces from the gates, and the sorcerers began to open fire on the wooden gates. They began to burn and collapse, and shouts were heard from within the city. A’tor drew his sword, which had been forged for him in Malath Azol. It gleamed pure white in the setting sun, and he ran forward through the gate, followed by the general and all the soldiers. They entered the city quickly enough to see the last of the citizens fleeing towards the castle. A loud horn sounded from somewhere to the north, which was followed by many others. The soldiers began to tremble, for a dark silence had settled upon the air. A sudden rumbling shook the ground below them and A’tor stopped running towards the castle. Yells, carried by the gale of wind sent shivers down A’tor’s spine and he stepped backwards, hitting another soldier.
“A’tor, what the hell is that noise?†cried Vatechyon, scanning the horizon with a hand shielding his eyes from the sun, which was nearly gone.
“It is the empire! They have come for me! Ei Bateki,†A’tor turned to his army, “everybody, I have led you into your deaths. I have taken you away from your families to fight an impossible fight. I’m--I’m sorry.â€Â
“Is that anyway to make a motivation speech, Sir A’tor,†laughed General Vatechyon, “everybody, these empire fools are weak. Why do you think they attack in such great numbers… they are afraid of us, afraid of the great Na-Totambu. We are the true men of this land, and we will kill Empire filth and Ra Gada defectors alike. Good men, today is the day when we must fight. We fight for the honor of our ancestors, the pride of our people and for Hammerfel and its true Gods!â€Â
Flowing down the mountain slope, a flood of silver dotted with golden lights grew closer to the Na-Totambu army. A’tor stepped forward, and met up with an Empire knight, atop a silver horse.
“A’tor, you somehow escaped us last time. By what work of sorcery I do not know, but that is not my concern now. I am a good man, who gives chances to his brothers. A’tor, we are all men of honor and wisdom, join us my friend and your race will be preserved. Your traditions will never be forgotten. Come now, A’tor, come to the empire,†the knight had a queer and pompous voice to A’tor, a lying voice, the voice of a tyrant.
“Empire knight, we are both men, of honor and of wisdom, but only in that you are correct. The Ra Gada were once a great civilization, but now they are but another part of the empire. We will not stand for this insolence. This is our land, protected by our forefathers. You cannot claim it as your own. I have nothing else to say to you. You have but two choices… leave this land, or fight us,†A’tor stared at the shining armor of the knight, wondering if he had made the right decision. Maybe he should have joined them. The empire was powerful and all those within its ranks were happy.
“So be it, dear A’tor, I will try to make your death as quick and painless as possible, as a hunter cuts the throat of his prey in one quick movement,†the knight moved away, back to his army, and A’tor did the same.
The Empire army was huge. It took up the whole field for miles across. “At least twenty thousand,†said Vatechyon, his sword resting on his shoulder, his expression unreadable.
“We may never see the light of day again,†said A’tor, “how I will miss the sounds of the birds and the gentle clouds drifting past on a hot afternoon. How I will miss the faint aroma of the honeycombs in the twilight hours. Alas, we live like we’ll never die, and we die like we never lived. Good men of Na-Totambu! We will go down in history tonight, whether we defeat the horde or are scattered across this battlefield like mice, the Na-Totambu will be glorious for eternity. Now, we charge!â€Â
The sounds of thousands of sword clashing against iron shields broke the silence of the night. The grunts and yells of the two sides held a steady rhythm, both sides losing warriors quickly. The ground was stained red with the blood of both sides, and the once noble men viciously ripped apart their attackers. Suddenly, a fire emerged from the middle of the battlefield. One of the empire troops was throwing torches to the ground, trying to create a wall of fire. “These savages will be afraid of the fire. Build it high!†shouted one of the higher ranked empire troops.
A’tor laughed at this remark, and ran at the horseback fire starter. He jumped up until he was nearly face to face with the rider, and with a swift stab of his dagger, killed him. A’tor grabbed the horse and with all his strength, lifted himself up onto the saddle, kicking the dead rider off. The Na-Totambu cheered, and with a new energy, pressed forward. The fear on the faces of the empire troops was evident, and they stood frozen, watching the impending warriors. “Retreat!†yelled the empire commander, “we will defeat them another day!â€Â
The Na-Totambu, however, were not satisfied, and took out their bows. “Fire at will!†yelled A’tor, as he pulled out his bow as well. A hundred flaming arrows flew up into the air, frozen in silhouette against the moon, and fell back down again against the fleeing soldiers. Yells echoed through the night, and A’tor raised his bow in triumph. “Run, you fools! Run, you cowards! We are the Na-Totambu!†shouted the warriors, laughing and cheering.
The next morning, each Na-Totambu warriors was well rested, having slept in the elaborate quarters in the empire outpost. A’tor, having slept in the commander’ quarters helped himself to some of the brandy in the cupboard. The night before had seemed like a dream to him. None of his troops had died. What sorcery was this! The empire army had outnumbered his tenfold. They were better equipped, better trained, better everything. Willpower alone could not win a fight, nor could determination. It was the gods…they were with us on that battlefield, he thought. He sat down in the couch behind the fireplace, and put his legs on the table. The sun shined directly at his feet, and the heat was comfortable. He closed his eyes and drifted into a reminisce. Not even a month ago, he had been at the head of the greatest empire in the world, and now he was the leader of a band of survivors. He remembered walking through his marble palace, with an open ceiling and those familiar palm trees every few feet. He remembered his wife, who had gone with him to every war, on every adventure. He remembered his children, neither yet able to wield a sword, both captured by the empire filth. Why was the empire so keen on invading land? What anomaly in the minds of these men caused them to be so cruel? A’tor sat there for an hour, questioning the motives of tyrants. There was no answer for A’tor or any of the oppressed. He only hoped that the afterlife would be more pleasant. A’tor made to open his eyes, but was unable to. The darkness of his closed eyes was turned to bright white, and a dark figure appeared in the distance. It was robed in a purple ensemble of flowing garments, which flew around in some ethereal wind. “A’tor,†said the figure, in a rumbling voice. The voice calmed A’tor down. It was soothing, but commanded respect.
“Yes?†A’tor’s knees were shaking.
“You have been chosen to lead my people, A’torâ€Â
“Chosen?†said A’tor
“The Na-Totambu are the rightful inhabitants of Hammerfel, and you are my warrior, A’tor.
“Why me?â€Â
“Do you question my judgment, mortal!â€Â
“No, not at all,†cried A’tor, falling to his knees.
“You have a task on Tamriel now. I intervened in the last battle, but I will not do so again. It was foolish to attack a fortified outpost with so few troops.â€Â
“Are my children still alive?†said A’tor, walking towards the figure.
“That is my decision, mortal. Do something for me, and I will reward you with your kingdom and your family. Now, you have work to do. Good day.â€Â
A’tor jumped up from his seat and banged his head on the low hanging wall torch, but he was too awestruck by what he had just experienced to care.
TEXAN: "Where are you from?"
HARVARD GRAD: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
TEXAN: "OK - where are you from, jackass?"
HARVARD GRAD: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
TEXAN: "OK - where are you from, jackass?"
This isn't that bad, but I'm not about to review this until you're 100.00000000% done with it. This will take me a good couple of hours as it is.
"You can remove spells from your list in Morrowind. I think it was shift-click, don't quote me on that though." - Cathartis
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Sky Captain
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A'tor's Last Stand
I have finished the book. I think it's really good. Eleven pages on Microsoft Word. I wanted this to be a book in several volumes, and remember, this is completely fiction. Thanks
A’tor and his Last Stand
He was left there all alone, bleeding and helpless. His vision was blurring all the while, but not so much as to deter him from seeing the empire ships leaving. He was alone, amidst a body strewn battlefield. The stench of death filled his nostrils, and drove him into hysterics. But he was not so psychotic as to not realize the chance that had been given to him. The chance at revenge.
“And you want us to help you fight the Ra Gada?†said the chief, staring down at A’tor, who was kneeling down. His clothes were ripped, and his face was dirty.
“That is what I ask of you, Arnus. The Ra Gada are greedy and to be trusted. There is little time before they come for your land, and they will not hesitate to kill whoever gets in their way. We must fight†He replied, stuttering.
“Get up man, and speak loudly for what you believe in. If what you say is true, then what are we to do?â€Â
“Desert the village. We have little time to gather a militia before it is too lateâ€Â
“Desert the village! I would be hung for suggesting such a preposterous idea. Give me proof!â€Â
“Look at me! I have walked over deserts, through swamps, through misty caves and stood atop mountains to get here. My kin have been killed, and I have been left for dead. I did this for you, for my people. Do not turn your backs on salvation.â€Â
The chief sat there awhile, watching the trees sway in the gentle breeze. This feat would risk everything he had ever worked for. If it failed, he would be a fool in history, but if he failed to act, he would be known as the man who ignored the obvious. “Fine, I will ready my army by tomorrow.â€Â
The next day, A’tor and the army, only but forty warriors set out towards Malath Azol, a city which had been marked on his map. The chief of the village said he had only laid eyes upon their city, which was constructed of stone and metal. It was in the middle of the desert, and a grueling three day journey lay ahead of them. To A’tor, this was like an evening stroll, but the warriors were not to easygoing. “Three days through this infernal wasteland!†Shouted some, and the chief turned to them.
“Go back then, if you would like to fight against the Ra Gada filth. I will spare no energy for persuading you to come,â€Â
“Sorry chief,†he said, and walked with his head down.
The next three days were the worst in the warriors’ lives. Some collapsed, and A’tor, the chief, and some of the larger soldiers carried them. A’tor was twitchy, and every time he heard the clang of a sword in its sheath, he would jump. The battle had scared him, but he was loyal to his father, and he wanted revenge.
When they climbed the last sand dune on their journey, some fell to their knees out of wonder. The city of Malath Azol was huge, and it gleamed in the setting sun. The warriors began to run towards the gates, but it was soon evident that the city was not unguarded. They were met by a legion of soldiers dressed in black armor, and they carried swords engulfed in flame. “Who dares trespass onto the territory of Malath Azol,†said the general, who was carrying a much larger sword, and was dressed in white and golden armor.
“It is I, A’tor, prince of Na-Totambu,†he said, stepping forward out of the crowd of warriors. The general bowed, as did all the others. The chief looked at A’tor, confused.
“Stand my friends. I do not seek formality, only assistance from your great people.â€Â
“How can we assist you my lord?†said the general, his hands straight at his side.
“How many soldiers do you have?†asked A’tor, scanning the small battalion that the general controlled.
“Malath Azol houses an army of twenty thousand, but they have never experienced war for there has been no reason.â€Â
“Excellent. We are at war with the Empire and the Ra Gada, and the pride of the Na-Totambu cannot be lost! Do you understand?â€Â
“Yes sir! The troops will be ready at noon tomorrow. Follow me my lord; I will bring you to your house for the night.â€Â
The next morning, A’tor rose to the sounds of shouts and the clashing of blades. He quickly put on his silver armor and rushed out the door. The soldiers of Malath Azol were training, and the general was watching as the soldiers fought each other for practice. “General Vatechyon, I broke my sword!†shouted a soldier, running towards the general. “Well, go get another one from my room in the inn,†he said, and the young warrior ran off, “ah, A’tor, you’ve woken up. Sorry for the noise, but these men need to be warmed up before this trip.â€Â
“Not a problem general. Are we going to be walking?†A’tor said.
“Ha, of course not! We are the Na-Totambu. We do not fear magic as the Ra Gada do. We have a great vessel that rolls over the dunes and the rocks, powered by magicka†said the general, with a touch of pride.
“Good, good. Give me a sword, I want to test the expertise of your troops,â€Â
“Do not bother yourself my liege,†said the general, stepping back.
“Do not worry, just hand me a longsword and I will see what your troops are made of,â€Â
Vatechyon handed A’tor his own silver longsword, and led him to the higher ranked soldiers. A’tor stepped into the ring, which was a crudely set up square of stones.
“Take your best shot!†shouted A’tor, as a light breeze blew over the two combatants. He was up against an older warrior, who used a much larger and heavier steel claymore. He sent an overhead blow straight at A’tor, who quickly sidestepped and tried to hit the old man in the back, but the warrior was quite skilled. He jumped over to the other side of A’tor and blocked the strike with his claymore, which was still stuck in the ground. The warrior lifted his claymore from the ground with surprising speed and sent it upwards, glancing off A’tor’s armor, which gleamed in the rising sun. A’tor smiled, and his eyes gleamed for a split second, in which he took his sword with two hands, said a couple of words under his breath and swiped at the warrior’s claymore, splitting it in half. The two pieces clattered to the ground, and the man stood there awestruck .A’tor gave the sword back to Vatechyon,
“you have trained these men well general, but I hope it’s enough for our opponents.†With that, he turned towards the inn once again, waving to the chief, who had just walked out.
When noon arrived, the chief, the general, A’tor and a few of the high ranked warriors sat at a table at the inn.
“A’tor, tell me, how did you survive?†said the general, setting down his knife and fork and sitting up straighter.
“Well, at that final battle, it seemed that all was lost. We were surrounded by merciless savages who cared not for this land or its people, only for its profitability. But then a man came to me, one of the peasants of the village that we had turned into a fortress, and he said to me, “Lord, I have devised a plan to save you.†Interested, I inquired further, and he told me the plan which sounded fine to me, for he had steered away from the final outcome. He wanted to be a decoy, and a good one at that. He had a strange likeness to me, in looks, voice and all that. But he would die, and I would not let that happen. So I said no and I thought that was it, or so I assumed. Youth are not to be trusted. On the morn of battle, it seemed that my armor had been stolen, as had my weapon and my horn. I knew what had happened. I ran out to save the boy, but it was too late. Everyone had died, the battle had ended and I was left alone. The boy had died to save me, and had put a potion in my evening mead. I woke up just in time to see the empire ships leaving. One last arrow pierced me in the thigh from an empire soldier who was running to his ship. That was a horrible day.â€Â
The great vessel did indeed exist, as did the legions of soldiers that Vatechyon claimed he had. Over the great desert they rode for three days and three nights, through rain and storms they endured, when at last, they could see the city of Rihad. “Ho! There it is! Do not get too close, Vatechyon, for they will see us,†cried A’tor, his hand shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. One of the sorcerers walked up to A’tor, “My lord, we have not trained all our lives for nothing. This ship is invisible, as are we. We could stop at the very gates of this city and raise no alarm.â€Â
“In that case… full speed ahead!â€Â
“Ready your weapons!†yelled the general, and the reply was the loud clanging of metal on metal.
The ship stopped but a few paces from the gates, and the sorcerers began to open fire on the wooden gates. They began to burn and collapse, and shouts were heard from within the city. A’tor drew his sword, which had been forged for him in Malath Azol. It gleamed pure white in the setting sun, and he ran forward through the gate, followed by the general and all the soldiers. They entered the city quickly enough to see the last of the citizens fleeing towards the castle. A loud horn sounded from somewhere to the north, which was followed by many others. The soldiers began to tremble, for a dark silence had settled upon the air. A sudden rumbling shook the ground below them and A’tor stopped running towards the castle. Yells, carried by the gale of wind sent shivers down A’tor’s spine and he stepped backwards, hitting another soldier.
“A’tor, what the hell is that noise?†cried Vatechyon, scanning the horizon with a hand shielding his eyes from the sun, which was nearly gone.
“It is the empire! They have come for me! Ei Bateki,†A’tor turned to his army, “everybody, I have led you into your deaths. I have taken you away from your families to fight an impossible fight. I’m--I’m sorry.â€Â
“Is that anyway to make a motivation speech, Sir A’tor,†laughed General Vatechyon, “everybody, these empire fools are weak. Why do you think they attack in such great numbers… they are afraid of us, afraid of the great Na-Totambu. We are the true men of this land, and we will kill Empire filth and Ra Gada defectors alike. Good men, today is the day when we must fight. We fight for the honor of our ancestors, the pride of our people and for Hammerfel and its true Gods!â€Â
Flowing down the mountain slope, a flood of silver dotted with golden lights grew closer to the Na-Totambu army. A’tor stepped forward, and met up with an Empire knight, atop a silver horse.
“A’tor, you somehow escaped us last time. By what work of sorcery I do not know, but that is not my concern now. I am a good man, who gives chances to his brothers. A’tor, we are all men of honor and wisdom, join us my friend and your race will be preserved. Your traditions will never be forgotten. Come now, A’tor, come to the empire,†the knight had a queer and pompous voice to A’tor, a lying voice, the voice of a tyrant.
“Empire knight, we are both men, of honor and of wisdom, but only in that you are correct. The Ra Gada were once a great civilization, but now they are but another part of the empire. We will not stand for this insolence. This is our land, protected by our forefathers. You cannot claim it as your own. I have nothing else to say to you. You have but two choices… leave this land, or fight us,†A’tor stared at the shining armor of the knight, wondering if he had made the right decision. Maybe he should have joined them. The empire was powerful and all those within its ranks were happy.
“So be it, dear A’tor, I will try to make your death as quick and painless as possible, as a hunter cuts the throat of his prey in one quick movement,†the knight moved away, back to his army, and A’tor did the same.
The Empire army was huge. It took up the whole field for miles across. “At least twenty thousand,†said Vatechyon, his sword resting on his shoulder, his expression unreadable.
“We may never see the light of day again,†said A’tor, “how I will miss the sounds of the birds and the gentle clouds drifting past on a hot afternoon. How I will miss the faint aroma of the honeycombs in the twilight hours. Alas, we live like we’ll never die, and we die like we never lived. Good men of Na-Totambu! We will go down in history tonight, whether we defeat the horde or are scattered across this battlefield like mice, the Na-Totambu will be glorious for eternity. Now, we charge!â€Â
The sounds of thousands of sword clashing against iron shields broke the silence of the night. The grunts and yells of the two sides held a steady rhythm, both sides losing warriors quickly. The ground was stained red with the blood of both sides, and the once noble men viciously ripped apart their attackers. Suddenly, a fire emerged from the middle of the battlefield. One of the empire troops was throwing torches to the ground, trying to create a wall of fire. “These savages will be afraid of the fire. Build it high!†shouted one of the higher ranked empire troops.
A’tor laughed at this remark, and ran at the horseback fire starter. He jumped up until he was nearly face to face with the rider, and with a swift stab of his dagger, killed him. A’tor grabbed the horse and with all his strength, lifted himself up onto the saddle, kicking the dead rider off. The Na-Totambu cheered, and with a new energy, pressed forward. The fear on the faces of the empire troops was evident, and they stood frozen, watching the impending warriors. “Retreat!†yelled the empire commander, “we will defeat them another day!â€Â
The Na-Totambu, however, were not satisfied, and took out their bows. “Fire at will!†yelled A’tor, as he pulled out his bow as well. A hundred flaming arrows flew up into the air, frozen in silhouette against the moon, and fell back down again against the fleeing soldiers. Yells echoed through the night, and A’tor raised his bow in triumph. “Run, you fools! Run, you cowards! We are the Na-Totambu!†shouted the warriors, laughing and cheering.
The next morning, each Na-Totambu warriors was well rested, having slept in the elaborate quarters in the empire outpost. A’tor, having slept in the commander’ quarters helped himself to some of the brandy in the cupboard. The night before had seemed like a dream to him. None of his troops had died. What sorcery was this! The empire army had outnumbered his tenfold. They were better equipped, better trained, better everything. Willpower alone could not win a fight, nor could determination. It was the gods…they were with us on that battlefield, he thought. He sat down in the couch behind the fireplace, and put his legs on the table. The sun shined directly at his feet, and the heat was comfortable. He closed his eyes and drifted into a reminisce. Not even a month ago, he had been at the head of the greatest empire in the world, and now he was the leader of a band of survivors. He remembered walking through his marble palace, with an open ceiling and those familiar palm trees every few feet. He remembered his wife, who had gone with him to every war, on every adventure. He remembered his children, neither yet able to wield a sword, both captured by the empire filth. Why was the empire so keen on invading land? What anomaly in the minds of these men caused them to be so cruel? A’tor sat there for an hour, questioning the motives of tyrants. There was no answer for A’tor or any of the oppressed. He only hoped that the afterlife would be more pleasant. A’tor made to open his eyes, but was unable to. The darkness of his closed eyes was turned to bright white, and a dark figure appeared in the distance. It was robed in a purple ensemble of flowing garments, which flew around in some ethereal wind. “A’tor,†said the figure, in a rumbling voice. The voice calmed A’tor down. It was soothing, but commanded respect.
“Yes?†A’tor’s knees were shaking.
“You have been chosen to lead my people, A’torâ€Â
“Chosen?†said A’tor
“The Na-Totambu are the rightful inhabitants of Hammerfel, and you are my warrior, A’tor.
“Why me?â€Â
“Do you question my judgment, mortal!â€Â
“No, not at all,†cried A’tor, falling to his knees.
“You have a task on Tamriel now. I intervened in the last battle, but I will not do so again. It was foolish to attack a fortified outpost with so few troops.â€Â
“Are my children still alive?†said A’tor, walking towards the figure.
“That is my decision, mortal. Do something for me, and I will reward you with your kingdom and your family. Now, you have work to do. Good day.â€Â
A’tor jumped up from his seat and banged his head on the low hanging wall torch, but he was too awestruck by what he had just experienced to care. He whipped open the door, and ran outside. It was already high noon, and the Na-Totambu warriors were all awake. A’tor spotted Vatechyon sitting on a bench on the seashore. He saw A’tor approaching and stood up, his hand on his chest as a customary sign of respect.
“Vatechyon, I have seen God!†shouted A’tor.
“God? What?†A’tor put his hand down, and raised his eyebrows.
“I had a dream – no, a vision. I saw Bateki, and he told me that we must keep fighting. We must win!â€Â
“Are you sure you weren’t dreaming,â€Â
“Have you no faith, Vatechyon! We must defeat the empire, no longer for our own freedom, but for the favor of the gods.
Vatechyon looked out into the horizon, and rested his chin on his hand, thinking.
“Fine, we will go, but first, our soldiers need to know what we are up against. Most of these men have never seen an empire battalion before.â€Â
“Then go, quickly. I will meet up with you later,†A’tor replied, putting his right hand on his heart, and then he ran towards the camp.
It was high noon when Vatechyon called the soldiers to a circle of rocks. A’tor sat in the middle, along with Arnus and Captain Vatechyon. Around them, seated on the rocks were the two hundred soldiers.
“We have called you hear for many reasons,†said A’tor, standing up, “we are up against the empire. The empire which has backed us up into a corner, the empire which consists of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. They have enchanted swords that can cut stone with a single swipe. They have cannons which can fire many miles. They have huge ships and catapults and magical bombs, but there is one thing they don’t have. They do not have faith. They believe in blasphemous gods and worship invisible creatures. Wherever we go, we are protected by Bateki. I have seen many winters, and have walked many miles. I have lived for months in the wilderness, and have realized that we were wrong. We were wrong to worship a god for ever aspect of life. There is only one God and all the qualities of our other gods are within Him.â€Â
There were many gasps through the ranks, and Arnus looked up towards A’tor with awe.
“A’tor!?†He cried and stood up.
“What is this blasphemy!†yelled one of the soldiers from the crowd.
“Is it blasphemy, or is it reason! Would not Bateki come down and rip out my heart if I were committing heresy. This is the truth! We were fools, just like the Imperials, just like all the others. It is time that we face the real truth,†yelled A’tor.
“How could you come to such a conclusion!?†yelled Vatechyon. A’tor paused for a second, and began to speak, but was interrupted by a loud noise. A peal of thunder echoed through the sky, and the clear day was suddenly turned to night. A’tor looked towards the sun, and saw that it was covered by a black circle. He was blinded, and fell to the ground, his eyes in pain. Gales of wind whipped his clothes, and he could hear the trees being ripped from the ground. He opened his eyes, just in time to dodge a branch flying towards him. The sky was covered with black clouds, all except for an opening in the clouds. Golden light streamed through it, illuminating only the circle of rocks. A figure descended from the opening. In his right hand, he held a sword, and in his left, he held an hourglass. It was Bateki, and he was dressed in flowing white garments. His face was the image of perfection, and his skin was a color that could not be described by any word. The soldiers, Arnus, Vatechyon and A’tor shrank back from the circle of rocks, and Bateki landed on the ground. “I am God of Tamriel. I am God of the Imperials. I am God of the Ra Gada. I am God of the Na-Totambu. My children, I have come to thank A’tor. He has revealed to you the truth, and that is what I wanted him to do. I have also come to bless you, dear Na-Totambu. You are the chosen people. You are chosen to spread the truth. It is imperative that the empire falls. The empire is a threat to the truth. Hundreds of races coming together as one, the truth becomes lost in all the blasphemous pagan religions. Destroy the empire my people, and spread the truth. Take this, A’tor, as proof,†said Bateki, and in a bright flash of white light, everything had returned to normal. A sword clattered to the stony ground. It shone with a light of the purest white. The hilt was of pure gold. The sword was many feet long, and as A’tor walked towards it, he wondered how he would be able to fight with such a sword. He picked it up, and it was lighter than a feather. He walked over to a tree, and with a single slash, the tree crashed to the ground.
The next morning, after a great breakfast, all the soldiers had assembled on the field, ready to walk towards the great Imperial fortress, Avalon. It was twelve miles away, and they could already see its towers in the clear air. A’tor’s shield, forged of dark black metal shone in the bright sun. The face of Bateki was embossed upon its front, and it was reflected onto the ground in front of him. His sword shone with some ethereal light, and he rested it on his shoulder. He had no helmet, nor any armor apart from his breastplate. On either side of him, Arnus and Vatechyon walked with their heads high. Arnus held an axe, double sided and silver. He had no shield, for he claimed it threw off his balance. Vatechyon held a dagger, for him true strength lay in his marksmanship. He was able to pierce an insect on a tree five hundred feet away. His bow was of elven craftsmanship, and the bowstring he had taken from the single hair of a unicorn’s tail.
“Hold!†yelled A’tor, and the command was repeated by the first of every row. A man walked up to A’tor, his sword strapped to his back. He was dressed in an odd assortment of clothing. His robes were red, and he had metal gloves on.
“Name yourself and your business,†said A’tor.
“I am Radagast, and I am a wandering Na-Totambu,†he replied, his voice cracking. With that, the man fell to his knees, his canteen fell from his side, empty.
Vatechyon lifted the man to his feet, and handed him back his canteen. Arnus, gave the man his gourd, and the man drank. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and color returned to his face.
“From which tribe do you hail?†asked A’tor.
“I come from no tribe. I am a wanderer, in search of a purpose. I was raised as a warrior of Sim’Nora, but the village was burned to the ground by the empire. I have wandered for many years, in search of the empire general who killed my parents. I will never forget his face.â€Â
“We are going to Avalon, to try to destroy the empire!†yelled A’tor, and a cheer rang out from the soldiers.
“You’re going to Avalon with one hundred soldiers?†cried Radagast, “are you insane?â€Â
“We go with the blessing of Bateki!†said A’tor, and he handed Radagast his sword, “Feel this! This is the sword of Bateki. Light as a feather, sharp as death, quick as lightning. We go with the blessing of Bateki!
Radagast held the sword in his hand, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth several times, as if to say something, but could find no words. He gave the sword back to A’tor, and knelt down. “I pledge allegiance to A’tor, king of the Na-Totambu.â€Â
A’tor pulled him back to his feet, and shook his hand, but a glint of solver caught his eye. It was the back of his glove. It was the gold star and the hourglass. A’tor shrank back. Radagast smiled shrewdly, and pulled out his sword. “It is I, Radagast Xathra, commander of the White Helm.â€Â
A’tor kneeled down in front of him, and the others followed. “Get up, the White Helm was destroyed by the empire a year ago, but we severely damaged their forces. I am the only one left. I no longer hold any power,†He said.
“The White Helm…destroyed! How?†cried A’tor, as he rose to his feet.
“We were attacked by one hundred thousand empire soldiers. Surrounded. Our thousand were no match,†Radagast said.
“Those are indeed evil tidings. Alas, I ask you Radagast, will you fight with us?†A’tor asked.
“Of course. I have nothing else to live for. Let us go,†Radagast unsheathed his sword, which was black as night, and was engulfed in fire, “We must reach Avalon by nightfall!â€Â
“Onward!†yelled A’tor, and the roar from the soldiers that followed was uplifting.
The sun had nearly set by the time the Na-Totambu fighting force reached the gate of the fortress. They had already been seen by the archers atop the towers, and were under close surveillance. Suddenly a cry pierced the silence, and like ants issuing from a hill, empire soldiers came from both sides of the fort.
“Hold!†yelled A’tor, and the soldiers went down on their knees, and put up their shields. The empire troops neared, but A’tor did not give another command. The empire fighters crashed upon the shields, but the shields created a defensive wall, and the feeble spears of the empire splintered on the cold metal of the Na-Totambu.
“Heave!†yelled A’tor, and his warriors pushed against the enemy. The enemy was thrust back, creating valuable time. The soldiers took out their swords, and began to kill the enemies. The dense empire crowd began to disperse and Radagast saw this. “Forwards, through the army!†he yelled, and the Na-Totambu ran through the lines of soldiers. A’tor ran forward. An empire grunt ran at him, his sword above his head. A’tor lifted his shield, blocked the blow, and slit the man’s throat. Behind him, he heard footsteps, so he fell to the ground, just in time to see the cold steel swipe over his face. He kicked the man’s legs, and he fell to the ground, onto A’tor’s sword. A’tor got up, and saw the Arnus was surrounded by six empire troops. A’tor ran towards him, and killed the man fighting Arnus head on. He then threw his shield at another trying to stab him from behind. From his right, an empire veteran jumped into the air with a giant leap, and slashed at A’tor with a downward slash of his claymore. A’tor could do nothing but put his sword in the way. The enemy’s sword was split clean in half, and A’tor felt no impact upon his blade. He kicked the empire soldier in the chest, and he fell upon his shattered sword. “Retreat!†cried somebody from the empire’s ranks. The soldiers began to run, but the battle was not yet over. The ground began to rumble, and great machines of war rolled towards them. Huge mobile towers, with archers upon their every plank. Take cover cried A’tor to his soldiers, and they ran to the other side of the fortress. Vatechyon took out an arrow, and set fire to it with a spell. He shot it at the closest tower, and the arrow exploded in flames. The tower was set on fire, and the enemies tried to leap out, but the fire was fast and hot, and the tower collapsed upon them. Vatechyon did the same for the other two towers, and the Na-Totambu soldiers ran out of their hiding places, and disposed of the rest of the empire troops. The last tower collapsed onto the wall of the fortress, cracking it through the middle.
“Into the fortress!†cried Arnus, and the whole contingent ran through the hole in the wall. Once inside, Radagast summoned a wall of fire to defend them. Through the flames walked skeletons and diseased corpses. “Filthy necromancers!†yelled Vatechyon, and he speared a bonewalker which had been walking towards him. But as the fire died down, they realized that the fortresses walls were double layered, and they had not come into the inner area. A’tor took out his sword, and swiped at the stone wall. The sword glowed bright white, and the wall was broken. “By the Gods!†yelled Radagast, and it was A’tor’s turn to smile understandingly.
The courtyard was saturated with empire filth, and the Na-Totambu rushed forth to clean it. A’tor was knocked onto his back by a ten foot orc brandishing a glass hammer. A’tor swiped his sword in a circle, and the feet of every soldier around him were separated. The falling orc caused a chain reaction which knocked down seven soldiers behind him. A’tor thrust his sword into the ground, and a great fissure erupted, and flames rose from the black depths. The sword jumped out the ground and back into A’tor’s hands. The flames burned only the empire troops, and healed the wounds of the Na-Totambu. Suddenly, from the flames, a giant troll emerged a knocked A’tor back into a wall. It picked him up by the neck, and began to punch him in the gut. The troll was fifteen feet high, and A’tor knew these seconds were his last. Vatechyon took out four arrows from his quiver, set them all in his bow, and pulled back as hard as he could. The arrows caught the troll in the head but did not stop. They carried the troll into the wall, and exploded within the beast, instantly killing it. A’tor fell to the ground, badly bruised and battered. “Thanks,†he said weakly.
“No prob--†Vatechyon tried to reply, but at that moment, a dark figure on horseback unsheathed his sword and with a single slash, Vatechyon fell to the ground, beheaded. A’tor froze, his eyes began to water. It was said that at that time, A’tor lost his mind. He began to shake, at first, very little, but then violently. He picked up his sword, and got to his feet. His eyes were no longer the concentrated, intelligent eyes. No…they were bloodthirsty. He ran towards the horseback rider, at lightning speed and with a huge swipe, cut the man in half from the top down. He became crazed, and swung his sword violently. Empire troops were sent thirty feet into the air, horses were sent to the ground, swords and shields were cut like cheese. A’tor and his sword were no longer human. Within a minute, he had destroyed the whole empire line. He fell to his knees, exhausted. He dropped his sword, and lay down on his back, he closed his eyes, and remembered no more.
“A’tor, are you alright,†said a familiar voice.
“What?†A’tor replied under his breath.
“It’s been three days since the battle. You need to get up. The empire has sent the largest army they have.â€Â
A’tor rose to his feet, trying to remember what it was he had been doing. The remembered great sadness, but why? Vatechyon! The empire! He jumped to his feet, and lifted his sword. “How far are they, Radagast?†he cried.
“Three hours at the most,†he replied, his face grim.
“How large is the army?â€Â
“Two hundred thousand. We cannot defeat them A’tor. It is foolishness to go up against so many with a mere hundred troops. We must surrender!†cried Arnus.
“Ha! Surrender! And did Vatechyon die in vain. We will go meet them in battle. If we die, then by Bateki do we have a great story. We will be known as the fighters of the Na-Totambu. We will be remembered for millennia. But we will not die. We cannot die. We are invincible!â€Â
“A’tor, this is madness!†shouted Arnus, “two hundred thousand. They cover the land beyond my sight. We are but a single ant to a city of men. We must fall at their feet and worship them.â€Â
“You bastard! What have we left to live for. If we cower back to our cities, do you think they will leave us. They will chase us to the very ends of the Earth. You are a traitor to your family, to your race and to your God unless you fight!†yelled A’tor.
“Fine! We will fight! And we will die! And we will be wasted lives! We will be remembered as the hundred fools who tried to fight two hundred thousand empire troops!†With that, Arnus stormed out of the room.
“A’tor, the fortress is filled with catapults, armor and weapons. We can do this,†said Radagast.
“Good. Let’s go!â€Â
The sky was dark as the empire approached Avalon. The hundred Na-Totambu troops shivered in the cold wind, and it began to snow. Whatever snow landed on A’tor’s sword turned to steam, and the light of the blade bathed the area in light. A’tor turned to face his men, a familiar face among a sea of menace. “Dear brothers, this is our final hour. Our story is concluded with this chapter. With this battle, we write history. With this battle, we can destroy the empire. The enemy is well armed, well clothed and well fed, but they have no faith. They are blasphemers. We follow the one true God! So my friends, this is our time to regain the pride of the Na-Totambu. Blessed are we who bathe in the glories of God’s creation. Blessed are we whose eyes see His many wonders. Dear friends, it is the will of God that we are hear today, and I pray that it is His will that we are victorious. Now if you don’t mind… FIRE THE CATAPULTS!â€Â
Flaming stones flew into the air, and fell upon the Empire front lines. Radagast sent a great ball of fire at the Empire, setting the grass in front on fire. The fire grew greater and greater, until the Empire march was forced to stop. “Charge!†yelled A’tor, and the one hundred soldiers ran forward through the fire, which did not harm them. A’tor had longed to try something with the sword, but feared it would look comical, but now, he found he did not care. He held the sword in both his outstretched hands, and began to spin. He walked into the enemy lines, and hundreds fell at the power of the sword. Soldiers flew every which way, and bodies rained down upon the enemy. A wind began to blow around A’tor, and it became a whirlwind. Radagast shot a ball of fire into the whirlwind, and it burst into flame. The cyclone became larger and larger, and it split the Empire army. Every second, scorched soldiers were flung high into the air. A’tor thrust his sword into the sky, and the clouds above began to glow with electricity. Huge bolts of lightning hit the ground, killing the enemies. A’tor thrust his sword into the ground, and great cracks began to appear. Soldiers began to fall into the holes, but through all this, the Na-Totambu were unharmed. The snow began to fall thicker and thicker, and began to turn to ice. The Na-Totambu kneeled down and rose their shields above their heads. Pieces of ice as large as apples were falling upon the enemy. From the sky, great pillars of fire descended upon the battlefield. The sea began to overflow, and as the wind grew stronger, the huge waves traveled the thirty mile distance in seconds, drowning the enemies who could not swim. Suddenly, the sky opened up, and Bateki descended upon the battlefield, and the Na-Totambu rushed towards him, destroying the enemy as they ran. A’tor’s sword was now so white, that it could not be described with words. It seemed that the whole world had turned black because of the great white sword. Vatechyon descended from the sky, flying without wings. He was firing arrows upon the enemy. He looked towards A’tor, and nodded, and instantly A’tor knew what to do. He put the sword into the ground again, but this time was shot up high, high into the air. Above the clouds, over the rainbows. He saw the sun and the red and pink clouds. For a second, he became stationary in the air. He looked around through the openings in the cloud, and saw the Earth. He saw how little Tamriel was compared with the rest of the world. How insignificant the empire was compared to the rest of the world. He saw the fabled oceans; he saw the legendary ice islands at either end of the planet. He saw the flying machines of the Dwemer, then he began to fall. Through the clouds, through the darkness, through the lightning. He threw the sword down with all his might into the middle of the empire army. It began to flame, and it began to explode. The whole world seemed to warp around the sword. The night was turned to day. The sword hit the ground and the greatest sound, the greatest sight and the greatest feeling that had ever been sensed upon the Earth occurred in that moment. The empire army was disintegrated, and A’tor landed on the ground, unharmed. Several explosions followed, and the clouds dispersed, and all the calamities that had been set on the land were swept away with the swish of Bateki’s hand.
After that night, there was a great feast. Bateki ate with them, in the form of a human. He was not male or female. He was not of any race. He was perfect, and he talked for very long about everything. Then he sent everybody back to Avalon, which had been repaired. Not as a fortress, but as a paradise. “This is for the great people who preserved my word! This is but a sample of what you will experience in the afterlife, but for now, enjoy!†Bateki ascended into the clouds, and upon entering the gates of the paradise, A’tor met this family. Radagast’s family had been sent back by Bateki, as was Vatechyon. From all over Hammerfel, the Na-Totambu flocked to Avalon, and they lived there for the rest of their lives in happiness.
A’tor and his Last Stand
He was left there all alone, bleeding and helpless. His vision was blurring all the while, but not so much as to deter him from seeing the empire ships leaving. He was alone, amidst a body strewn battlefield. The stench of death filled his nostrils, and drove him into hysterics. But he was not so psychotic as to not realize the chance that had been given to him. The chance at revenge.
“And you want us to help you fight the Ra Gada?†said the chief, staring down at A’tor, who was kneeling down. His clothes were ripped, and his face was dirty.
“That is what I ask of you, Arnus. The Ra Gada are greedy and to be trusted. There is little time before they come for your land, and they will not hesitate to kill whoever gets in their way. We must fight†He replied, stuttering.
“Get up man, and speak loudly for what you believe in. If what you say is true, then what are we to do?â€Â
“Desert the village. We have little time to gather a militia before it is too lateâ€Â
“Desert the village! I would be hung for suggesting such a preposterous idea. Give me proof!â€Â
“Look at me! I have walked over deserts, through swamps, through misty caves and stood atop mountains to get here. My kin have been killed, and I have been left for dead. I did this for you, for my people. Do not turn your backs on salvation.â€Â
The chief sat there awhile, watching the trees sway in the gentle breeze. This feat would risk everything he had ever worked for. If it failed, he would be a fool in history, but if he failed to act, he would be known as the man who ignored the obvious. “Fine, I will ready my army by tomorrow.â€Â
The next day, A’tor and the army, only but forty warriors set out towards Malath Azol, a city which had been marked on his map. The chief of the village said he had only laid eyes upon their city, which was constructed of stone and metal. It was in the middle of the desert, and a grueling three day journey lay ahead of them. To A’tor, this was like an evening stroll, but the warriors were not to easygoing. “Three days through this infernal wasteland!†Shouted some, and the chief turned to them.
“Go back then, if you would like to fight against the Ra Gada filth. I will spare no energy for persuading you to come,â€Â
“Sorry chief,†he said, and walked with his head down.
The next three days were the worst in the warriors’ lives. Some collapsed, and A’tor, the chief, and some of the larger soldiers carried them. A’tor was twitchy, and every time he heard the clang of a sword in its sheath, he would jump. The battle had scared him, but he was loyal to his father, and he wanted revenge.
When they climbed the last sand dune on their journey, some fell to their knees out of wonder. The city of Malath Azol was huge, and it gleamed in the setting sun. The warriors began to run towards the gates, but it was soon evident that the city was not unguarded. They were met by a legion of soldiers dressed in black armor, and they carried swords engulfed in flame. “Who dares trespass onto the territory of Malath Azol,†said the general, who was carrying a much larger sword, and was dressed in white and golden armor.
“It is I, A’tor, prince of Na-Totambu,†he said, stepping forward out of the crowd of warriors. The general bowed, as did all the others. The chief looked at A’tor, confused.
“Stand my friends. I do not seek formality, only assistance from your great people.â€Â
“How can we assist you my lord?†said the general, his hands straight at his side.
“How many soldiers do you have?†asked A’tor, scanning the small battalion that the general controlled.
“Malath Azol houses an army of twenty thousand, but they have never experienced war for there has been no reason.â€Â
“Excellent. We are at war with the Empire and the Ra Gada, and the pride of the Na-Totambu cannot be lost! Do you understand?â€Â
“Yes sir! The troops will be ready at noon tomorrow. Follow me my lord; I will bring you to your house for the night.â€Â
The next morning, A’tor rose to the sounds of shouts and the clashing of blades. He quickly put on his silver armor and rushed out the door. The soldiers of Malath Azol were training, and the general was watching as the soldiers fought each other for practice. “General Vatechyon, I broke my sword!†shouted a soldier, running towards the general. “Well, go get another one from my room in the inn,†he said, and the young warrior ran off, “ah, A’tor, you’ve woken up. Sorry for the noise, but these men need to be warmed up before this trip.â€Â
“Not a problem general. Are we going to be walking?†A’tor said.
“Ha, of course not! We are the Na-Totambu. We do not fear magic as the Ra Gada do. We have a great vessel that rolls over the dunes and the rocks, powered by magicka†said the general, with a touch of pride.
“Good, good. Give me a sword, I want to test the expertise of your troops,â€Â
“Do not bother yourself my liege,†said the general, stepping back.
“Do not worry, just hand me a longsword and I will see what your troops are made of,â€Â
Vatechyon handed A’tor his own silver longsword, and led him to the higher ranked soldiers. A’tor stepped into the ring, which was a crudely set up square of stones.
“Take your best shot!†shouted A’tor, as a light breeze blew over the two combatants. He was up against an older warrior, who used a much larger and heavier steel claymore. He sent an overhead blow straight at A’tor, who quickly sidestepped and tried to hit the old man in the back, but the warrior was quite skilled. He jumped over to the other side of A’tor and blocked the strike with his claymore, which was still stuck in the ground. The warrior lifted his claymore from the ground with surprising speed and sent it upwards, glancing off A’tor’s armor, which gleamed in the rising sun. A’tor smiled, and his eyes gleamed for a split second, in which he took his sword with two hands, said a couple of words under his breath and swiped at the warrior’s claymore, splitting it in half. The two pieces clattered to the ground, and the man stood there awestruck .A’tor gave the sword back to Vatechyon,
“you have trained these men well general, but I hope it’s enough for our opponents.†With that, he turned towards the inn once again, waving to the chief, who had just walked out.
When noon arrived, the chief, the general, A’tor and a few of the high ranked warriors sat at a table at the inn.
“A’tor, tell me, how did you survive?†said the general, setting down his knife and fork and sitting up straighter.
“Well, at that final battle, it seemed that all was lost. We were surrounded by merciless savages who cared not for this land or its people, only for its profitability. But then a man came to me, one of the peasants of the village that we had turned into a fortress, and he said to me, “Lord, I have devised a plan to save you.†Interested, I inquired further, and he told me the plan which sounded fine to me, for he had steered away from the final outcome. He wanted to be a decoy, and a good one at that. He had a strange likeness to me, in looks, voice and all that. But he would die, and I would not let that happen. So I said no and I thought that was it, or so I assumed. Youth are not to be trusted. On the morn of battle, it seemed that my armor had been stolen, as had my weapon and my horn. I knew what had happened. I ran out to save the boy, but it was too late. Everyone had died, the battle had ended and I was left alone. The boy had died to save me, and had put a potion in my evening mead. I woke up just in time to see the empire ships leaving. One last arrow pierced me in the thigh from an empire soldier who was running to his ship. That was a horrible day.â€Â
The great vessel did indeed exist, as did the legions of soldiers that Vatechyon claimed he had. Over the great desert they rode for three days and three nights, through rain and storms they endured, when at last, they could see the city of Rihad. “Ho! There it is! Do not get too close, Vatechyon, for they will see us,†cried A’tor, his hand shielding his eyes from the blazing sun. One of the sorcerers walked up to A’tor, “My lord, we have not trained all our lives for nothing. This ship is invisible, as are we. We could stop at the very gates of this city and raise no alarm.â€Â
“In that case… full speed ahead!â€Â
“Ready your weapons!†yelled the general, and the reply was the loud clanging of metal on metal.
The ship stopped but a few paces from the gates, and the sorcerers began to open fire on the wooden gates. They began to burn and collapse, and shouts were heard from within the city. A’tor drew his sword, which had been forged for him in Malath Azol. It gleamed pure white in the setting sun, and he ran forward through the gate, followed by the general and all the soldiers. They entered the city quickly enough to see the last of the citizens fleeing towards the castle. A loud horn sounded from somewhere to the north, which was followed by many others. The soldiers began to tremble, for a dark silence had settled upon the air. A sudden rumbling shook the ground below them and A’tor stopped running towards the castle. Yells, carried by the gale of wind sent shivers down A’tor’s spine and he stepped backwards, hitting another soldier.
“A’tor, what the hell is that noise?†cried Vatechyon, scanning the horizon with a hand shielding his eyes from the sun, which was nearly gone.
“It is the empire! They have come for me! Ei Bateki,†A’tor turned to his army, “everybody, I have led you into your deaths. I have taken you away from your families to fight an impossible fight. I’m--I’m sorry.â€Â
“Is that anyway to make a motivation speech, Sir A’tor,†laughed General Vatechyon, “everybody, these empire fools are weak. Why do you think they attack in such great numbers… they are afraid of us, afraid of the great Na-Totambu. We are the true men of this land, and we will kill Empire filth and Ra Gada defectors alike. Good men, today is the day when we must fight. We fight for the honor of our ancestors, the pride of our people and for Hammerfel and its true Gods!â€Â
Flowing down the mountain slope, a flood of silver dotted with golden lights grew closer to the Na-Totambu army. A’tor stepped forward, and met up with an Empire knight, atop a silver horse.
“A’tor, you somehow escaped us last time. By what work of sorcery I do not know, but that is not my concern now. I am a good man, who gives chances to his brothers. A’tor, we are all men of honor and wisdom, join us my friend and your race will be preserved. Your traditions will never be forgotten. Come now, A’tor, come to the empire,†the knight had a queer and pompous voice to A’tor, a lying voice, the voice of a tyrant.
“Empire knight, we are both men, of honor and of wisdom, but only in that you are correct. The Ra Gada were once a great civilization, but now they are but another part of the empire. We will not stand for this insolence. This is our land, protected by our forefathers. You cannot claim it as your own. I have nothing else to say to you. You have but two choices… leave this land, or fight us,†A’tor stared at the shining armor of the knight, wondering if he had made the right decision. Maybe he should have joined them. The empire was powerful and all those within its ranks were happy.
“So be it, dear A’tor, I will try to make your death as quick and painless as possible, as a hunter cuts the throat of his prey in one quick movement,†the knight moved away, back to his army, and A’tor did the same.
The Empire army was huge. It took up the whole field for miles across. “At least twenty thousand,†said Vatechyon, his sword resting on his shoulder, his expression unreadable.
“We may never see the light of day again,†said A’tor, “how I will miss the sounds of the birds and the gentle clouds drifting past on a hot afternoon. How I will miss the faint aroma of the honeycombs in the twilight hours. Alas, we live like we’ll never die, and we die like we never lived. Good men of Na-Totambu! We will go down in history tonight, whether we defeat the horde or are scattered across this battlefield like mice, the Na-Totambu will be glorious for eternity. Now, we charge!â€Â
The sounds of thousands of sword clashing against iron shields broke the silence of the night. The grunts and yells of the two sides held a steady rhythm, both sides losing warriors quickly. The ground was stained red with the blood of both sides, and the once noble men viciously ripped apart their attackers. Suddenly, a fire emerged from the middle of the battlefield. One of the empire troops was throwing torches to the ground, trying to create a wall of fire. “These savages will be afraid of the fire. Build it high!†shouted one of the higher ranked empire troops.
A’tor laughed at this remark, and ran at the horseback fire starter. He jumped up until he was nearly face to face with the rider, and with a swift stab of his dagger, killed him. A’tor grabbed the horse and with all his strength, lifted himself up onto the saddle, kicking the dead rider off. The Na-Totambu cheered, and with a new energy, pressed forward. The fear on the faces of the empire troops was evident, and they stood frozen, watching the impending warriors. “Retreat!†yelled the empire commander, “we will defeat them another day!â€Â
The Na-Totambu, however, were not satisfied, and took out their bows. “Fire at will!†yelled A’tor, as he pulled out his bow as well. A hundred flaming arrows flew up into the air, frozen in silhouette against the moon, and fell back down again against the fleeing soldiers. Yells echoed through the night, and A’tor raised his bow in triumph. “Run, you fools! Run, you cowards! We are the Na-Totambu!†shouted the warriors, laughing and cheering.
The next morning, each Na-Totambu warriors was well rested, having slept in the elaborate quarters in the empire outpost. A’tor, having slept in the commander’ quarters helped himself to some of the brandy in the cupboard. The night before had seemed like a dream to him. None of his troops had died. What sorcery was this! The empire army had outnumbered his tenfold. They were better equipped, better trained, better everything. Willpower alone could not win a fight, nor could determination. It was the gods…they were with us on that battlefield, he thought. He sat down in the couch behind the fireplace, and put his legs on the table. The sun shined directly at his feet, and the heat was comfortable. He closed his eyes and drifted into a reminisce. Not even a month ago, he had been at the head of the greatest empire in the world, and now he was the leader of a band of survivors. He remembered walking through his marble palace, with an open ceiling and those familiar palm trees every few feet. He remembered his wife, who had gone with him to every war, on every adventure. He remembered his children, neither yet able to wield a sword, both captured by the empire filth. Why was the empire so keen on invading land? What anomaly in the minds of these men caused them to be so cruel? A’tor sat there for an hour, questioning the motives of tyrants. There was no answer for A’tor or any of the oppressed. He only hoped that the afterlife would be more pleasant. A’tor made to open his eyes, but was unable to. The darkness of his closed eyes was turned to bright white, and a dark figure appeared in the distance. It was robed in a purple ensemble of flowing garments, which flew around in some ethereal wind. “A’tor,†said the figure, in a rumbling voice. The voice calmed A’tor down. It was soothing, but commanded respect.
“Yes?†A’tor’s knees were shaking.
“You have been chosen to lead my people, A’torâ€Â
“Chosen?†said A’tor
“The Na-Totambu are the rightful inhabitants of Hammerfel, and you are my warrior, A’tor.
“Why me?â€Â
“Do you question my judgment, mortal!â€Â
“No, not at all,†cried A’tor, falling to his knees.
“You have a task on Tamriel now. I intervened in the last battle, but I will not do so again. It was foolish to attack a fortified outpost with so few troops.â€Â
“Are my children still alive?†said A’tor, walking towards the figure.
“That is my decision, mortal. Do something for me, and I will reward you with your kingdom and your family. Now, you have work to do. Good day.â€Â
A’tor jumped up from his seat and banged his head on the low hanging wall torch, but he was too awestruck by what he had just experienced to care. He whipped open the door, and ran outside. It was already high noon, and the Na-Totambu warriors were all awake. A’tor spotted Vatechyon sitting on a bench on the seashore. He saw A’tor approaching and stood up, his hand on his chest as a customary sign of respect.
“Vatechyon, I have seen God!†shouted A’tor.
“God? What?†A’tor put his hand down, and raised his eyebrows.
“I had a dream – no, a vision. I saw Bateki, and he told me that we must keep fighting. We must win!â€Â
“Are you sure you weren’t dreaming,â€Â
“Have you no faith, Vatechyon! We must defeat the empire, no longer for our own freedom, but for the favor of the gods.
Vatechyon looked out into the horizon, and rested his chin on his hand, thinking.
“Fine, we will go, but first, our soldiers need to know what we are up against. Most of these men have never seen an empire battalion before.â€Â
“Then go, quickly. I will meet up with you later,†A’tor replied, putting his right hand on his heart, and then he ran towards the camp.
It was high noon when Vatechyon called the soldiers to a circle of rocks. A’tor sat in the middle, along with Arnus and Captain Vatechyon. Around them, seated on the rocks were the two hundred soldiers.
“We have called you hear for many reasons,†said A’tor, standing up, “we are up against the empire. The empire which has backed us up into a corner, the empire which consists of hundreds of thousands of soldiers. They have enchanted swords that can cut stone with a single swipe. They have cannons which can fire many miles. They have huge ships and catapults and magical bombs, but there is one thing they don’t have. They do not have faith. They believe in blasphemous gods and worship invisible creatures. Wherever we go, we are protected by Bateki. I have seen many winters, and have walked many miles. I have lived for months in the wilderness, and have realized that we were wrong. We were wrong to worship a god for ever aspect of life. There is only one God and all the qualities of our other gods are within Him.â€Â
There were many gasps through the ranks, and Arnus looked up towards A’tor with awe.
“A’tor!?†He cried and stood up.
“What is this blasphemy!†yelled one of the soldiers from the crowd.
“Is it blasphemy, or is it reason! Would not Bateki come down and rip out my heart if I were committing heresy. This is the truth! We were fools, just like the Imperials, just like all the others. It is time that we face the real truth,†yelled A’tor.
“How could you come to such a conclusion!?†yelled Vatechyon. A’tor paused for a second, and began to speak, but was interrupted by a loud noise. A peal of thunder echoed through the sky, and the clear day was suddenly turned to night. A’tor looked towards the sun, and saw that it was covered by a black circle. He was blinded, and fell to the ground, his eyes in pain. Gales of wind whipped his clothes, and he could hear the trees being ripped from the ground. He opened his eyes, just in time to dodge a branch flying towards him. The sky was covered with black clouds, all except for an opening in the clouds. Golden light streamed through it, illuminating only the circle of rocks. A figure descended from the opening. In his right hand, he held a sword, and in his left, he held an hourglass. It was Bateki, and he was dressed in flowing white garments. His face was the image of perfection, and his skin was a color that could not be described by any word. The soldiers, Arnus, Vatechyon and A’tor shrank back from the circle of rocks, and Bateki landed on the ground. “I am God of Tamriel. I am God of the Imperials. I am God of the Ra Gada. I am God of the Na-Totambu. My children, I have come to thank A’tor. He has revealed to you the truth, and that is what I wanted him to do. I have also come to bless you, dear Na-Totambu. You are the chosen people. You are chosen to spread the truth. It is imperative that the empire falls. The empire is a threat to the truth. Hundreds of races coming together as one, the truth becomes lost in all the blasphemous pagan religions. Destroy the empire my people, and spread the truth. Take this, A’tor, as proof,†said Bateki, and in a bright flash of white light, everything had returned to normal. A sword clattered to the stony ground. It shone with a light of the purest white. The hilt was of pure gold. The sword was many feet long, and as A’tor walked towards it, he wondered how he would be able to fight with such a sword. He picked it up, and it was lighter than a feather. He walked over to a tree, and with a single slash, the tree crashed to the ground.
The next morning, after a great breakfast, all the soldiers had assembled on the field, ready to walk towards the great Imperial fortress, Avalon. It was twelve miles away, and they could already see its towers in the clear air. A’tor’s shield, forged of dark black metal shone in the bright sun. The face of Bateki was embossed upon its front, and it was reflected onto the ground in front of him. His sword shone with some ethereal light, and he rested it on his shoulder. He had no helmet, nor any armor apart from his breastplate. On either side of him, Arnus and Vatechyon walked with their heads high. Arnus held an axe, double sided and silver. He had no shield, for he claimed it threw off his balance. Vatechyon held a dagger, for him true strength lay in his marksmanship. He was able to pierce an insect on a tree five hundred feet away. His bow was of elven craftsmanship, and the bowstring he had taken from the single hair of a unicorn’s tail.
“Hold!†yelled A’tor, and the command was repeated by the first of every row. A man walked up to A’tor, his sword strapped to his back. He was dressed in an odd assortment of clothing. His robes were red, and he had metal gloves on.
“Name yourself and your business,†said A’tor.
“I am Radagast, and I am a wandering Na-Totambu,†he replied, his voice cracking. With that, the man fell to his knees, his canteen fell from his side, empty.
Vatechyon lifted the man to his feet, and handed him back his canteen. Arnus, gave the man his gourd, and the man drank. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and color returned to his face.
“From which tribe do you hail?†asked A’tor.
“I come from no tribe. I am a wanderer, in search of a purpose. I was raised as a warrior of Sim’Nora, but the village was burned to the ground by the empire. I have wandered for many years, in search of the empire general who killed my parents. I will never forget his face.â€Â
“We are going to Avalon, to try to destroy the empire!†yelled A’tor, and a cheer rang out from the soldiers.
“You’re going to Avalon with one hundred soldiers?†cried Radagast, “are you insane?â€Â
“We go with the blessing of Bateki!†said A’tor, and he handed Radagast his sword, “Feel this! This is the sword of Bateki. Light as a feather, sharp as death, quick as lightning. We go with the blessing of Bateki!
Radagast held the sword in his hand, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth several times, as if to say something, but could find no words. He gave the sword back to A’tor, and knelt down. “I pledge allegiance to A’tor, king of the Na-Totambu.â€Â
A’tor pulled him back to his feet, and shook his hand, but a glint of solver caught his eye. It was the back of his glove. It was the gold star and the hourglass. A’tor shrank back. Radagast smiled shrewdly, and pulled out his sword. “It is I, Radagast Xathra, commander of the White Helm.â€Â
A’tor kneeled down in front of him, and the others followed. “Get up, the White Helm was destroyed by the empire a year ago, but we severely damaged their forces. I am the only one left. I no longer hold any power,†He said.
“The White Helm…destroyed! How?†cried A’tor, as he rose to his feet.
“We were attacked by one hundred thousand empire soldiers. Surrounded. Our thousand were no match,†Radagast said.
“Those are indeed evil tidings. Alas, I ask you Radagast, will you fight with us?†A’tor asked.
“Of course. I have nothing else to live for. Let us go,†Radagast unsheathed his sword, which was black as night, and was engulfed in fire, “We must reach Avalon by nightfall!â€Â
“Onward!†yelled A’tor, and the roar from the soldiers that followed was uplifting.
The sun had nearly set by the time the Na-Totambu fighting force reached the gate of the fortress. They had already been seen by the archers atop the towers, and were under close surveillance. Suddenly a cry pierced the silence, and like ants issuing from a hill, empire soldiers came from both sides of the fort.
“Hold!†yelled A’tor, and the soldiers went down on their knees, and put up their shields. The empire troops neared, but A’tor did not give another command. The empire fighters crashed upon the shields, but the shields created a defensive wall, and the feeble spears of the empire splintered on the cold metal of the Na-Totambu.
“Heave!†yelled A’tor, and his warriors pushed against the enemy. The enemy was thrust back, creating valuable time. The soldiers took out their swords, and began to kill the enemies. The dense empire crowd began to disperse and Radagast saw this. “Forwards, through the army!†he yelled, and the Na-Totambu ran through the lines of soldiers. A’tor ran forward. An empire grunt ran at him, his sword above his head. A’tor lifted his shield, blocked the blow, and slit the man’s throat. Behind him, he heard footsteps, so he fell to the ground, just in time to see the cold steel swipe over his face. He kicked the man’s legs, and he fell to the ground, onto A’tor’s sword. A’tor got up, and saw the Arnus was surrounded by six empire troops. A’tor ran towards him, and killed the man fighting Arnus head on. He then threw his shield at another trying to stab him from behind. From his right, an empire veteran jumped into the air with a giant leap, and slashed at A’tor with a downward slash of his claymore. A’tor could do nothing but put his sword in the way. The enemy’s sword was split clean in half, and A’tor felt no impact upon his blade. He kicked the empire soldier in the chest, and he fell upon his shattered sword. “Retreat!†cried somebody from the empire’s ranks. The soldiers began to run, but the battle was not yet over. The ground began to rumble, and great machines of war rolled towards them. Huge mobile towers, with archers upon their every plank. Take cover cried A’tor to his soldiers, and they ran to the other side of the fortress. Vatechyon took out an arrow, and set fire to it with a spell. He shot it at the closest tower, and the arrow exploded in flames. The tower was set on fire, and the enemies tried to leap out, but the fire was fast and hot, and the tower collapsed upon them. Vatechyon did the same for the other two towers, and the Na-Totambu soldiers ran out of their hiding places, and disposed of the rest of the empire troops. The last tower collapsed onto the wall of the fortress, cracking it through the middle.
“Into the fortress!†cried Arnus, and the whole contingent ran through the hole in the wall. Once inside, Radagast summoned a wall of fire to defend them. Through the flames walked skeletons and diseased corpses. “Filthy necromancers!†yelled Vatechyon, and he speared a bonewalker which had been walking towards him. But as the fire died down, they realized that the fortresses walls were double layered, and they had not come into the inner area. A’tor took out his sword, and swiped at the stone wall. The sword glowed bright white, and the wall was broken. “By the Gods!†yelled Radagast, and it was A’tor’s turn to smile understandingly.
The courtyard was saturated with empire filth, and the Na-Totambu rushed forth to clean it. A’tor was knocked onto his back by a ten foot orc brandishing a glass hammer. A’tor swiped his sword in a circle, and the feet of every soldier around him were separated. The falling orc caused a chain reaction which knocked down seven soldiers behind him. A’tor thrust his sword into the ground, and a great fissure erupted, and flames rose from the black depths. The sword jumped out the ground and back into A’tor’s hands. The flames burned only the empire troops, and healed the wounds of the Na-Totambu. Suddenly, from the flames, a giant troll emerged a knocked A’tor back into a wall. It picked him up by the neck, and began to punch him in the gut. The troll was fifteen feet high, and A’tor knew these seconds were his last. Vatechyon took out four arrows from his quiver, set them all in his bow, and pulled back as hard as he could. The arrows caught the troll in the head but did not stop. They carried the troll into the wall, and exploded within the beast, instantly killing it. A’tor fell to the ground, badly bruised and battered. “Thanks,†he said weakly.
“No prob--†Vatechyon tried to reply, but at that moment, a dark figure on horseback unsheathed his sword and with a single slash, Vatechyon fell to the ground, beheaded. A’tor froze, his eyes began to water. It was said that at that time, A’tor lost his mind. He began to shake, at first, very little, but then violently. He picked up his sword, and got to his feet. His eyes were no longer the concentrated, intelligent eyes. No…they were bloodthirsty. He ran towards the horseback rider, at lightning speed and with a huge swipe, cut the man in half from the top down. He became crazed, and swung his sword violently. Empire troops were sent thirty feet into the air, horses were sent to the ground, swords and shields were cut like cheese. A’tor and his sword were no longer human. Within a minute, he had destroyed the whole empire line. He fell to his knees, exhausted. He dropped his sword, and lay down on his back, he closed his eyes, and remembered no more.
“A’tor, are you alright,†said a familiar voice.
“What?†A’tor replied under his breath.
“It’s been three days since the battle. You need to get up. The empire has sent the largest army they have.â€Â
A’tor rose to his feet, trying to remember what it was he had been doing. The remembered great sadness, but why? Vatechyon! The empire! He jumped to his feet, and lifted his sword. “How far are they, Radagast?†he cried.
“Three hours at the most,†he replied, his face grim.
“How large is the army?â€Â
“Two hundred thousand. We cannot defeat them A’tor. It is foolishness to go up against so many with a mere hundred troops. We must surrender!†cried Arnus.
“Ha! Surrender! And did Vatechyon die in vain. We will go meet them in battle. If we die, then by Bateki do we have a great story. We will be known as the fighters of the Na-Totambu. We will be remembered for millennia. But we will not die. We cannot die. We are invincible!â€Â
“A’tor, this is madness!†shouted Arnus, “two hundred thousand. They cover the land beyond my sight. We are but a single ant to a city of men. We must fall at their feet and worship them.â€Â
“You bastard! What have we left to live for. If we cower back to our cities, do you think they will leave us. They will chase us to the very ends of the Earth. You are a traitor to your family, to your race and to your God unless you fight!†yelled A’tor.
“Fine! We will fight! And we will die! And we will be wasted lives! We will be remembered as the hundred fools who tried to fight two hundred thousand empire troops!†With that, Arnus stormed out of the room.
“A’tor, the fortress is filled with catapults, armor and weapons. We can do this,†said Radagast.
“Good. Let’s go!â€Â
The sky was dark as the empire approached Avalon. The hundred Na-Totambu troops shivered in the cold wind, and it began to snow. Whatever snow landed on A’tor’s sword turned to steam, and the light of the blade bathed the area in light. A’tor turned to face his men, a familiar face among a sea of menace. “Dear brothers, this is our final hour. Our story is concluded with this chapter. With this battle, we write history. With this battle, we can destroy the empire. The enemy is well armed, well clothed and well fed, but they have no faith. They are blasphemers. We follow the one true God! So my friends, this is our time to regain the pride of the Na-Totambu. Blessed are we who bathe in the glories of God’s creation. Blessed are we whose eyes see His many wonders. Dear friends, it is the will of God that we are hear today, and I pray that it is His will that we are victorious. Now if you don’t mind… FIRE THE CATAPULTS!â€Â
Flaming stones flew into the air, and fell upon the Empire front lines. Radagast sent a great ball of fire at the Empire, setting the grass in front on fire. The fire grew greater and greater, until the Empire march was forced to stop. “Charge!†yelled A’tor, and the one hundred soldiers ran forward through the fire, which did not harm them. A’tor had longed to try something with the sword, but feared it would look comical, but now, he found he did not care. He held the sword in both his outstretched hands, and began to spin. He walked into the enemy lines, and hundreds fell at the power of the sword. Soldiers flew every which way, and bodies rained down upon the enemy. A wind began to blow around A’tor, and it became a whirlwind. Radagast shot a ball of fire into the whirlwind, and it burst into flame. The cyclone became larger and larger, and it split the Empire army. Every second, scorched soldiers were flung high into the air. A’tor thrust his sword into the sky, and the clouds above began to glow with electricity. Huge bolts of lightning hit the ground, killing the enemies. A’tor thrust his sword into the ground, and great cracks began to appear. Soldiers began to fall into the holes, but through all this, the Na-Totambu were unharmed. The snow began to fall thicker and thicker, and began to turn to ice. The Na-Totambu kneeled down and rose their shields above their heads. Pieces of ice as large as apples were falling upon the enemy. From the sky, great pillars of fire descended upon the battlefield. The sea began to overflow, and as the wind grew stronger, the huge waves traveled the thirty mile distance in seconds, drowning the enemies who could not swim. Suddenly, the sky opened up, and Bateki descended upon the battlefield, and the Na-Totambu rushed towards him, destroying the enemy as they ran. A’tor’s sword was now so white, that it could not be described with words. It seemed that the whole world had turned black because of the great white sword. Vatechyon descended from the sky, flying without wings. He was firing arrows upon the enemy. He looked towards A’tor, and nodded, and instantly A’tor knew what to do. He put the sword into the ground again, but this time was shot up high, high into the air. Above the clouds, over the rainbows. He saw the sun and the red and pink clouds. For a second, he became stationary in the air. He looked around through the openings in the cloud, and saw the Earth. He saw how little Tamriel was compared with the rest of the world. How insignificant the empire was compared to the rest of the world. He saw the fabled oceans; he saw the legendary ice islands at either end of the planet. He saw the flying machines of the Dwemer, then he began to fall. Through the clouds, through the darkness, through the lightning. He threw the sword down with all his might into the middle of the empire army. It began to flame, and it began to explode. The whole world seemed to warp around the sword. The night was turned to day. The sword hit the ground and the greatest sound, the greatest sight and the greatest feeling that had ever been sensed upon the Earth occurred in that moment. The empire army was disintegrated, and A’tor landed on the ground, unharmed. Several explosions followed, and the clouds dispersed, and all the calamities that had been set on the land were swept away with the swish of Bateki’s hand.
After that night, there was a great feast. Bateki ate with them, in the form of a human. He was not male or female. He was not of any race. He was perfect, and he talked for very long about everything. Then he sent everybody back to Avalon, which had been repaired. Not as a fortress, but as a paradise. “This is for the great people who preserved my word! This is but a sample of what you will experience in the afterlife, but for now, enjoy!†Bateki ascended into the clouds, and upon entering the gates of the paradise, A’tor met this family. Radagast’s family had been sent back by Bateki, as was Vatechyon. From all over Hammerfel, the Na-Totambu flocked to Avalon, and they lived there for the rest of their lives in happiness.
TEXAN: "Where are you from?"
HARVARD GRAD: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
TEXAN: "OK - where are you from, jackass?"
HARVARD GRAD: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
TEXAN: "OK - where are you from, jackass?"
I merged Skycaptain's two "A'tor's last stand" topics, the latest version of the text has replaced the one in the first post.
Looks pretty good Skycaptain, I'll have to give it a proper read when I have more time.
In the future, please update your thread with the latest version of a book, instead of making a new thread. Thanks.
Looks pretty good Skycaptain, I'll have to give it a proper read when I have more time.
In the future, please update your thread with the latest version of a book, instead of making a new thread. Thanks.
P.S. Please don't make handbags, wallets, belts or shoes out of Orix [img]http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3826/orixmj4.png[/img]
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Sky Captain
- Member
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Zanarkand, Spira
True enough, you could just change the title. No worries though, I've labelled it as Finished and awaiting grammar/lore check. As far as I can tell, the spelling is ok after I ran a quick spell check on it.
I'll see if I can get round to checking it more later
I'll see if I can get round to checking it more later
P.S. Please don't make handbags, wallets, belts or shoes out of Orix [img]http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3826/orixmj4.png[/img]
Hey Skycaptain, it's a good story, very impossible and grandiose, considering what really happened to A'Tor. I think it would make a good legend, although it has a few things that need clearing up.
You have made a few confusions. A'Tor wouldn't refer to the Ragada as the ones he is fighting, but the Forebears, since they were in league with the Empire.
Some of the names of people and locations will have to be changed, just so they're consistent with Redguard names, and Obviously "Avalon" is breaking lore.
If the story was a legend of the Redguards, they wouldn't a agree to monotheism. Their many gods are what make the Redguards special. I'd be against the concepts of Bateki being the only true god. Wanting the Redguard to beat all others makes sense, since they love themselves.
You have made a few confusions. A'Tor wouldn't refer to the Ragada as the ones he is fighting, but the Forebears, since they were in league with the Empire.
Some of the names of people and locations will have to be changed, just so they're consistent with Redguard names, and Obviously "Avalon" is breaking lore.
If the story was a legend of the Redguards, they wouldn't a agree to monotheism. Their many gods are what make the Redguards special. I'd be against the concepts of Bateki being the only true god. Wanting the Redguard to beat all others makes sense, since they love themselves.
P.S. Please don't make handbags, wallets, belts or shoes out of Orix [img]http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3826/orixmj4.png[/img]
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Sky Captain
- Member
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Zanarkand, Spira
Alright, this story has been completed. It is awaiting a review of grammar. In pertainance to the problems with the names, I'm going to need some help. I don't know what the names should be. Also, I would like to restate that this is complete fiction written by a writer who has no affiliation with A'tor or his band of friends, but does admire his charisma and power on the field of battle and chose to write a story about it. The monotheistic agreement of the whole army was just to drive forward the plot, and the writer of the story was probably a theist himself. Of what race, I do not know.
Thanks
SkyCaptain
Thanks
SkyCaptain
TEXAN: "Where are you from?"
HARVARD GRAD: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
TEXAN: "OK - where are you from, jackass?"
HARVARD GRAD: "I come from a place where we do not end our sentences with prepositions."
TEXAN: "OK - where are you from, jackass?"
This thing is going to be a beast to review and the user is leaving us, so what are we going to do about this? I'd trash it, as it's going to take a small army to review and fix this.
"You can remove spells from your list in Morrowind. I think it was shift-click, don't quote me on that though." - Cathartis
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I dunno, I think it might take too much effort to salvage.
It's full of huge lore problems, which Skycaptain seemed to ignore my criticism on, which I also relayed to him on IRC,I told him to use the name generator to find names, I told him how stupid the monotheism was and the references to Avalon, I told him about the huge mistakes he'd made confusing the Redguard with the imperials, and if he can't be bothered to change things, neither should we, to be quite frank.
While the story aint too bad, it does too little with too much. A'Tor destroys a bunch of invading Imperials with the powers of a god, and everyone lives happily ever after. Very few twists apart from one friend dying, and then he's brought back anyway... the end...
And who on earth would write something like this? Its pro-redguard, but I can't think of any races that accept the notion of a single god, heck, even that grumpy bitch in Skingrad knows there are divines, not just a single divine
. Cults may support one god, but do not deny the existence of others. It doesn't make sense.
If I was a player and had read it through, I'd consider it a bit of a waste of time, and would rather have been reading something else.
P.S. I may be a bit biased because I'm pissed off that I took the time to read it and give him valid criticism which was blatantly ignored.
It's full of huge lore problems, which Skycaptain seemed to ignore my criticism on, which I also relayed to him on IRC,I told him to use the name generator to find names, I told him how stupid the monotheism was and the references to Avalon, I told him about the huge mistakes he'd made confusing the Redguard with the imperials, and if he can't be bothered to change things, neither should we, to be quite frank.
While the story aint too bad, it does too little with too much. A'Tor destroys a bunch of invading Imperials with the powers of a god, and everyone lives happily ever after. Very few twists apart from one friend dying, and then he's brought back anyway... the end...
And who on earth would write something like this? Its pro-redguard, but I can't think of any races that accept the notion of a single god, heck, even that grumpy bitch in Skingrad knows there are divines, not just a single divine
. Cults may support one god, but do not deny the existence of others. It doesn't make sense.If I was a player and had read it through, I'd consider it a bit of a waste of time, and would rather have been reading something else.
P.S. I may be a bit biased because I'm pissed off that I took the time to read it and give him valid criticism which was blatantly ignored.
P.S. Please don't make handbags, wallets, belts or shoes out of Orix [img]http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3826/orixmj4.png[/img]
