User blog:SkyrimsShillelagh/The Augur of Justice

This is just some backstory for Cade, posting it here for later referral.

The Knightsgrave had taken on a new meaning. Outside the cave’s entrance lay two dozen corpses, bodies picked apart like feast day lobster, suckled clean down to the bone. The corpses were wrapped in shells of their own, bent and torn steel, rusted by slobber, left out in the sun. They had lain there for days. None had dared get close. None had dared challenged the creature that lay inside the Knightsgrave. Once a sanctuary, sacred to the worship of Akatosh and the Order of the Hour, now abandoned to the demon that had taken up residence within. Abandoned until today.

The road to Knightsgrave was of old cobblestone, weeds poked in between cobblestones and high grasses grew on either side of the road.

A lone rider approached, his stallion’s hooves heavy on the cobblestone. The horse was clad in black armor, matching that of his rider, so that they meshed together like some sort of steel centaur. The rider stood proud and tall, buried in plates of steel, but unburdened by them. He clutched a lance in his right hand, its butt pressed into his side, the banner of Akatosh flashing below the point. The knight was a large man, gigantic, really. In a world where half-giants and trollkin were not uncommon, one could almost be forgiven for assuming he was either one.

But Sir Nohaden’Cade, Sermonizer of Akatosh, was not a half-giant or trollkin. He was a Breton of pure blood, of noble stock. Raised by warrior-priests to fight, bred to carry a sword in his hand, the knight was a champion the likes of which only existed within the confines of a novel’s page. The sun was high, the day was warm, and his armor glistened in the light and waves of heat rose off him. He was a spectacle. If any could vanquish that which lay within Knightsgrave, it was this knight.

Knight and stallion climbed the hill upon which Knightsgrave sat, under which the graves of many proud sirs lay, joined now by an otherworldly beast. They clip-clopped past ruins of sanctums yore, toppled pillars and collapsed arches, the pinnacles of Empires long since forgotten. He came to a headless statue, and pulled his horse up short. The stallion trampled a skeleton, empty armor crunching beneath hooves, and the animal skittered sideways, nervously

“Easy now, Victory.”   The knight said, drawing the reins in hard. “Do not lose spirit now, friend horse. A mighty clash awaits us, one for which I will need both our strength.”

Knightsgrave was quiet, peaceful, an ancient place, overgrown with meadow grasses, little more than crumbling stonework. At its end lay a cave, one dark, and deep into the earth. One from which no light entered, nor escaped.

The knight looked around at his fallen brothers. Not all of them were Sermonizers, many were those sworn to the King of Wayrest, some more from further lands, here to test their mettle against a fabled monstrosity, to seek glory and valor. They had found the quiet sleep of death instead. Nohaden’Cade said a quick prayer for them, bowing his head and pressing his empty hand to his lips—or rather, where his lips were concealed beneath the mask of his helmet.

The prayer finished and he drew back on the reins again. The horse reared up, baying, and Sir Nohaden’Cade shouted into the cave, his voice echoing off the narrow stone walls.

“This is Knightsgrave, a place sacred to the to the Order of the Hour, a place blessed by Lord Akatosh himself!”   The stallion’s front hooves came back to the ground. “I, Sir Nohaden’Cade, have come to cleanse this place of your evil, demon! To once again restore it in the name of the Dragon God! Too long have you lain her in your gluttony and villainy! Today you die! Come now, face me, Sir Nohaden’Cade, in single combat. So this I challenge to you!”

Victory reared up again, neighing. It balanced on its rear legs for a moment before dropping unto all four again. The knight looked daringly into the maw of the cave, unafraid, undaunted.

Nothing stirred within. A breeze filled the air, brushing past the night, drawing into the cave.

“As I thought!”   Cade declared. “All your ilk are cowardly! When faced with a true opponent you hide, seeking a mother’s teat! Let this be a lesson to you, then! For if you should be a blight upon this land once again, should you attempt to spread your evil, know that Sir Nohaden’Cade will return to root you out!”

The breeze grew into a gust, pulling the night forward, towards the cave, and he lurched in his saddle. He gripped saddle’s pommel, bent by the wind, but refused to duck his head against it, refused to be bowed.

A rock was pictured up by the force the wind, struck him in the back of helmet, and knocked his head against the saddle’s pommel.

“Gah!”

<p class="MsoNormal">The wind stilled. Nohaden’Cade sat upright, rubbing the back of his head, and brushed himself off.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Ha!”   He thumped his chest. “No match for the strength of a Sermonizer!”

<p class="MsoNormal">The cave exhaled in a blast of air. The pure force of it knocked Cade out of the saddle and he remained on the horse only by his stirrups. The wind gushed by him, ripping feathers out of the plume of his helmet, buffeting him, and he was incapable of lowering his arms enough to pull himself back into the saddle.

<p class="MsoNormal">A voice like a collapsing mountain came rattling out of the cave.

<p class="MsoNormal">“I. Am. Alrithos.”

<p class="MsoNormal">The ground behind to shake beneath Cade and the cave groaned as something very big inside began to move around.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade groaned, pulling himself upright. He rubbed at his had again, as he’s struck it against the plate armor lining Victory’s back.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Second Son of Domination.”

<p class="MsoNormal">A low rumble emitted from the cave and one long, scaly arm, lined with thick, dark veins reached out, grabbing the lip of the cave with four claws, each digit as massive as Cade himself.

<p class="MsoNormal">Victory squealed, trembling, and began to canter backwards.

<p class="MsoNormal">The arm tensed, muscles bulging beneath the midnight skin, and the monster it was attached to began to draw itself out of the cave’s mouth. The arm became a shoulder, which became a neck, which became a head.

<p class="MsoNormal">The earth shook, violently, and Cade had to dig his heels into Victory’s sides to avoid being thrown.

<p class="MsoNormal">The claws slapped the ground, sinking into the dirt, and the Titan dragged itself the rest of the way out of the cave. The wings came last, becoming stuck on the rim of the cave entrance, before folding slightly so it could pull them free in a second blast of air.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade ducked this time and shielded himself with an arm. He looked up as the Titan unfolded itself above him. It rose, clawed feet stomping the ground, to its full height. A head like a dragon’s with jagged horns, a wide maw with jagged, dripping teeth.

<p class="MsoNormal">Its skin was metallic looking and with each heavy breath it buffeted Cade with subsequent gusts of wind.

<p class="MsoNormal">He craned his neck back to look up at the massive beast as it loomed over him. It size was that of a three story building. Its wings unfolded to their full length, blanketing Cade in shade. He actually found that nice, as he no longer had to squint up at it.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Mortal.”   Its voice reverberated through Cade, through the ground, likely into the valley nearby. “Do you not see the bones of your kin?”

<p class="MsoNormal">“See and am impressed, vagrant!”   Cade shouted back. “And will pay you back for each of their deaths a hundred fold! I am your retribution, here to pay you back for the evils you have committed!”

<p class="MsoNormal">The Titan was silent. Cade had no doubt it was mulling over how best to surrender. In actuality, it was confused by the strange, little creature. The others had tried to take it by surprise, within the confines of the cave, where it was harder for the Titan to use its size or wings. None had been stupid enough to lure it outside. But none had challenged it either. It was Alrithos, Second Son of Domination.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Yet you challenge me.”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I would battle you, demon, and return to whence you came! I would remove your unholy influence from this realm!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Alrithos took one languid step forward. Nirn quaked beneath it.

<p class="MsoNormal">“'''So be it. You are the first to come in days. I have grown hungry.'''”

<p class="MsoNormal">“I shall prove more than a match for you!”   Cade warned, lowering his lance, bracing it against his side.

<p class="MsoNormal">Alrithos lowered itself and roared. Cade only heard the first second or two of its dreadful screech because his eardrums immediately blew out and he heard only ringing. No matter, one needn’t their hearing to deliver justice!

<p class="MsoNormal">He shouted Victory forwards into a charge. The banner of his lance caught wind and blossomed, the Dragon of Akatosh showing proudly upon the field, the steel point glinting in the sunlight. He was an unstoppable force, a knight of unquestionable character and unconquerable strength. Glory and honor would be his.

<p class="MsoNormal">With minimal effort, Alrithos swatted Cade off Victory. The knight went airborne, flew twenty feet into the air and crashed down into the side of the hilltop. The lance snapped upon impact.

<p class="MsoNormal">Victory bucked, growing panicked as its rider was torn away, but only for a moment before it was scooped up and tossed into Alrithos’ mouth. The Daedra crunched on that for a moment before spitting out the armor and bones, as expertly as one might de-pit a cherry.

<p class="MsoNormal">Alrithos exhaled again, knocking over the nearby statue, and marched over to where Nohaden’Cade was staggering to his feet.

<p class="MsoNormal">The Sermonizer’s armor was dented on one side from the fall, but whole. Nohaden’Cade drew his broadsword and raised his shield, fearlessly facing down a creature that was more than six times his size.

<p class="MsoNormal">He cast his eyes over the armored skeleton of Victory, feeling a quick surge of anger and sadness. Victory had been a loyal, noble horse. He had not deserved such a brutal end.

<p class="MsoNormal">“You’ll pay for that!”   Cade shouted. “One more thing that you shall be punished for!”

<p class="MsoNormal">“You talk too much, mortal.”   Alrithos grumbled, reaching down to pick Cade up. The knight swung, his sword connecting with Alrithos’ horse-sized wrist, but was unable to penetrate its scales. The blade rebounded off harmlessly. Its clawed hand closed around the knight, crushing him, and Cade gasped as he immediately became light-headed and found it hard to breath.

<p class="MsoNormal">Alrithos opened his mouth, trails of spit dripping from its razor teeth, and tossed Cade inside.

<p class="MsoNormal">The knight landed hard on something wet and slick, like an oversized worm. It writhed beneath him, and slick wetness began to ooze down the back of his armor. Cade climbed to his feet as the spongy ground bobbed about beneath him. It was dark inside Alrithos’ mouth and closed enough that Cade couldn’t stand up all the way.

<p class="MsoNormal">The tongue slammed into Cade’s chest, knocking to the side, into Alrithos’ teeth, and he rolled, raising his shield as the Daedra’s jaw closed. The teeth sunk into his shield, burrowing into the wood, and as Alrithos reopened his mouth it was yanked from his arm.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade rolled sideways as the teeth came crashing down again, mashing his shield into pieces.

<p class="MsoNormal">The tongue swung beneath him, knocking him around, back towards the teeth.

<p class="MsoNormal">Is this how food felt when it was being chewed? It was terrifying!

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade raised his sword and stabbed upwards as the teeth came down for the third time. Alrithos’ skin may have been impenetrable, but his mouth was not, and Cade’s broadsword sunk deep into the roof of the Daedra’s mouth.

<p class="MsoNormal">It screamed in rage and pain, its maw opening way. The tongue fell flat and Cade cried out as he stumbled backwards. The tongue ended and he fell backwards, into the abyssal darkness that was the Daedra’s throat.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade’s sight was torn away, and the pulsating walls of Alrithos’ esophagus rubbed against him. More disgusting fluids greeted him, coating his armor in a new layer of slime.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade squirmed, tried to struggle, but there wasn’t enough room in here. He was sliding down, towards the stomach. He could feel the esophagus winding. To fall into a Daedra’s belly? That would be bad.

<p class="MsoNormal">He brought his broadsword beneath him, trapping the point of it between himself and Alrithos’ neck, and shoved. His arms felt weak, frail. It was hard to breathe in here.

<p class="MsoNormal">He stopped moving as the walls of the esophagus stopped pulsing against him. Alrithos seized, his esophagus clenching, and Cade was pushed back up the direction he’d came. That was untenable too. Cade leaned into the sword again, pushing and twisting, putting every ounce of strength into it he could.

<p class="MsoNormal">His sword punched through something, struck something hard, punched through that too, and then cut through something thin. Sunlight streamed in through the hole that Cade’s sword and arms had sunk into, and he kicked as hard as he could with both legs, sending him through the hole, and out of Alrithos’ chest.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade fell through the air, hit the ground, and rolled. He looked back.

<p class="MsoNormal">Alrithos towered above him, a hole through the center of its chest. It dropped to a knee, desperately trying to cover the gushing wound with both clawed hands, everything becoming drenched in the thick, syrupy blood of Daedra.

<p class="MsoNormal">It began to rapidly cover the ground near Cade’s feet and he stepped back to avoid it, not that it mattered. He was covered in layers of Daedra spit and mucus.

<p class="MsoNormal">Alrithos growled something unintelligible and reached out for Cade with one of its arms. Cade dove aside as the arm came crashing down like a tree trunk, and did not move again. Alrithos lay still.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade dropped to a knee, dropping his sword, and pilled his helmet off. He took deep, heaving breathes, struggling to get the stick of Daedra of his mouth and nose.

<p class="MsoNormal">Alrithos’ thirty foot corpse lay beside him, looking more like a fallen statue than something that had actually been living a moment again, its size was so unbelievably large.

<p class="MsoNormal">Cade looked upon it with satisfaction and coughed out around heaves, “Justice...”