I, Draugr (Skyrim SI)

The bisected carcass of the Dragon crashes down upon the Undead army with the force and speed of a meteorite, sending waves of earth and dust in all directions.

As one, the other two Dragons steered clear of the charging Dragonborn, seemingly cowed under the overwhelming strength contained within that effortless slash delivered by Aurelia.

Her incredible strength and kill of a Dragon in a single blow raised the morale of the army to even higher levels, despite the fact that the two remaining Dragons now joined the fray.

The Berserkers howled like madmen as they pounced upon the skeletal giants, bringing them down through sheer numbers and striking at their joins with their axes.

The cavalry charged straight through the hordes of skeletons, ignoring using their shields to block the chilling and electrical Spells hurled their so that they could use their spears to skewer more skeletons.

Some Spells struck the horses, and the skeletons piled upon the fallen soldiers, who screamed and went down fighting even when pinned to the ground.

Many more were instead struck down by the skeletal warriors or giants, yet none went down with fear, but welcomed death with open arms and blades chipped by striking and severing bones.

An ear-splitting whistle cuts through the air, a blinding star howling through the night and striking one of the Dragons straight in the wing, blowing it apart and making the mighty beast crash down with a roar of pain.

Cheering, soldiers and Companions pounced on the fallen dark red beast to skewer it with their blades, yet the beast staggers back to its feet and opens its jaws to release a massive gout of flames that swallows more than a dozen charging man.

The flames stick to their skin and set them alight like they were dry leaves, and some threw themselves to the ground and started rolling in hopes of putting out the flames.

But that's when an enormous dome of emerald light unravels forth all across the battlefield, unleashing potent and radiant light that turns night into day.

Those set alight instantly find their charred skin go back to normal, the flames losing their effect quickly and unable to leave lasting injuries.

Meanwhile, the Undead howled in utter pain as their forms were set alight with blinding platinum-gold flames.

Some crumbled instantly, others persisted, yet the now empowered and even more fearless of injuries soldiers charged straight through them with greater fervor.

On the other side of the battlefield, the other Dragon starts diving downward while tucking its head and tail in. Curled up in a ball, the metallic spikes and serrated scales along its form protrude out even further, gleaming with a sharp light.

The beast crashes down like a saw-blade, spinning around and mowing through Undead and soldiers alike without mercy, sending blood, organs and ripped apart limbs flying in all directions.

Unraveling itself, the beast covered in metallic scales grins maliciously and smashes a claw down towards the remaining soldiers it had cornered.

That's when bright flames engulfed the Dragon's vision as something crashes into the ground right and rolls right beneath its falling claw, stopping it from turning the scattered soldiers into pancakes.

An enormous beast made out of flames growis as the large metallic claw smashes down on its back, yet it barely budges and merely opens its jaws to roar at the soldiers, white-hot claws digging through the earth before the horned werewolf-like beast made out of roaring flames pushes back, forcing the Dragon to stagger backward.

An elbow wrapped in flames smashes into the Dragon's jaws, forcing it further back, then claws made out of concentrated flames leave scorching gashes along the Dragon's neck.

With a roar of fury, the prideful Dragon wreathed in metallic scales and metal spreads his wings wide, looking down at the tall and bright horned werewolf beast snarling right back at it with defiance and glee.

Yet, before the Dragon could even speak, a massive muscular arm covered in thick black fur rams straight into its head with enough force to send several teeth flying, and slamming the mighty beast down onto its side.

With a snort through his nostrils, the giant Marius slams the butt of his enormous war-ax into the ground right beside the snarling flaming werewolf familiar of Hildr.

The Minotaur turns to regard the familiar, then nods with pride, "A fine beast worthy of serving our Lord." He compliments, receiving a snort of embers from the intelligent Familiar.

Another turn of his head has Marius regard the soldiers behind him, who stare at his imposing form with wariness and awe, "I stand with Sir Leonidas! We are here to assist you!" The wariness instantly melts away, and weapons come back up as the soldiers and Companions collect themselves.

"You all stand with us?" Glances are shared, then feral smiles are given. Marius grins with glee at seeing the battle-lust within these humans eyes. "Then let us bring down this beast together!"

His massive hand hefts up his weapon as the Dragon straightens itself with a vicious growl, one that both Marius and the Familiar return in kind, "Your tail will be a fine offering to my Lord, Dragon."

A derisive snort comes from the metallic beast before them, "Your flesh will be a fine replacement for the Dovahkiin's."

The other Dragon that was shot out of the sky across the battlefield was faring much better, but also far worse.

His opponents were wild Nords screaming at the top of their lungs and digging their weapons within his scales and flesh without care about their safety or life.

With the help of the dome of emerald light engulfing both armies, and with the potent healing effect it kept releasing, the soldiers and Companion just discarded any notion of defense and focused only on making the beast before them bleed more and more.

They just walked off being set on fire or tossed dozens of meters in the air like a group of madmen only wanting to cover their weapons in Dragon blood.

One Dragon was facing a Minotaur and a giant flaming werewolf, and another Dragon was surrounded by howling insane Nords looking at it like a pincushion.

Or a door worthy enough to send them to Sovngarde.

After all, if only one of them died and told their Ancestors that they fell in battle against a mighty Dragon, those Ancestors might not believe that poor dude.

But if dozens of them go to Sovngarde at the same time and recount of being on the same battlefield, then that's different.

"Stab that cunts eyes out!" A soldier hollered, latched onto the sword he had sank down to the handle into the spine of the Dragon, "Actually, do it like the Mage! Fuck his ass up!"

The Dragon actively jolts when someone indeed does stab their swords straight in that spot, prompting the beast to send them flying across the battlefield with a swing of their tail.

Said soldier that got flung just picked themselves back up and started swinging his fists at the surrounding skeletons without wasting a second, having left behind his sword in the Dragon's behind.

And behind the army and right atop the walls of Whiterun, among the Mages waiting for chances to release more Spells, stood Hildr, her lone eye following her feral Familiar battling the metallic Dragon with the Minotaur her Lord gifted to Leonidas.

And speaking of said man... Slowly, her lone eye flicks to the back of the army, and towards a lonely figure standing in the darkness lit by the emerald radiance of the dome he conjured with a wave of his staff.

Seeing him just stand there, without moving or doing anything else after the help he gave made her eye narrow in slight worry.

She did meet the man and Aurelia recently, and at first she thought them as simple people that wanted to get on the good side of a Daedric Prince by answering Lord Hircine's request….. But then she saw the way they interacted with her little sister, and her mind changed.

She can trust them without fear. Perhaps that is also why Leonidas does not care that she knows of him being an Undead, as he maybe sees it as leverage that she could use against him just in case.

Or he is just crazy enough to not care. She really can't read that man.

Slowly, Hildr allows herself a low sigh through her nostrils. A part of her wanted to go down there and see if he was okay, but another part of her knows that he'd be mad.

He wanted her to stay inside Whiterun, within the safety of the walls, so to not risk anything. Her control over her Familiar now stretched to a great distance, so she could stand upon the walls and direct it from afar without much problems other than a greater consumption of Magicka, but nothing some Magicka Potions couldn't solve.

Her form leans forward and over the walls, her gaze flicking between her battling and roaring Familiar and the Undead who had quickly become a role model for her little sister.

"Come on, you crazy fucker... Do something.." She whispers under her breath, gloved hands slowly clenching into fists.

And then she sees it. So faint she could have missed it had she not been watching him intently.

Leonidas's form started glowing beneath his robes.

=========================

I am beyond furious and disgusted.

[A Soul has been absorbed!]

[A Soul has been absorbed!]

[A Soul has been absorbed!]

…

One after the other, the notification just flashed by my head constantly.

I know that I am not devouring Souls as a whole and just their energy, but this still leaves me disgusted and fills me with hate.

And the fact that this is the only way for me to grow stronger is just... vexatious.

What is more vexatious is the fact that this plan was suggested by Aurelia herself.

"If we want to face the future Dragon Priests and the Dragons Alduin will bring back, then we both need to grow stronger…So use this battle to do so yourself, please. I know you will hate it, but-"

My hands clench into fists at my sides, the grip over my staff growing hard enough to make the wood of it creak under the pressure.

I really fucking hate this.

I'd have preferred if all those that are falling right now were bandits or other scum of the earth, but no...

Those falling right now are wonderful, respectable warriors fighting for their city.

Even the Jarl is out there, swinging his word, and bleeding for his people.

I am sorry that I am abusing all of your hard work just to gain some meager strength.

That dumb, lovely woman... She even went ahead and left three Dragon Souls for me, knowing that I can absorb those too.

Any strength she could have gained from them would have helped her against Krosis, yet she still left them to me.

[A Soul has been absorbed!]

[A Soul has been absorbed!]

[A Soul has been absorbed!]

[A Soul has been absorbed!]

…

That's more than enough, I guess. I have enough to Evolve once more.

Though, from my previous experience, this Evolution shouldn't be an enormous boost in strength, but still-

[50 Souls have been used for Race Advancement!]

[The next Evolution has already been decided!]

Excuse you?

[Holy Beastmaster]

The blessing of the 'Father of Manbeasts' lays on you. The beasts of Oblivion and of the Hunting Grounds will eagerly come to your aid and feast upon your foes without fear.

Hircine, you big fucking softie. But I can't blame him, Gretel do be a sweetheart.

Still, this is... Very good, I'll admit it. My Conjuration Spell did lack usefulness outside of the Thermonuclear Wolves.

[Conjure Beasts]

Proud Beasts of nature, seasoned warriors of many hunts and battles among their kind. Reach into Oblivion and the Hunting Grounds to Conjure them to your side and let them feast on your foes.

(Current available Beasts; Flaming Familiar, Dire Wolf, Hunting Bear, Scout Crow)

Modification/s: Minion Up! X2

(2/5)

Yeah, this is already so much better than the previous Spell. The crows will be very useful, and I didn't lose my lovely kamikaze wolves somehow!

Hircine really do be a homie.

Now I need a hundred Souls for the next big Evolution. It's gonna be a pain to gather them, but l'd rather power up my Spells a bit more before I make that jump.

Something that will be easy, seeing how Souls are still rolling in right now.

Shaking that nasty feeling aside, I grip my Staff and rush forward. The battle is swiftly coming to an end, as my Sanctuary basically put a timer on the skeletal army.

They kept growing weaker by the second, and the Berserker spread around mowed through the weakened army while they themselves were buffed up with even greater speed.

Right now, the big threats are the Dragon, but they are currently being handled and swiftly torn down.

The one whose wing I shot off is already at its limit, overwhelmed by sheer numbers and madness of the Nords and Companions gutting him all over.

The other was a bigger challenge, as even Marius and Hildr's far more powerful Familiar struggled slightly against it.

Aside from that-

[A Dragon Soul has been absorbed!!]

I already know how I am going to use all three Dragon Souls.

I suspected I could always do this since I gained the first one, but it's time for me to confirm this theory of mine, and upgrade something that has been with me since the beginning.

[The 'Cold Touch of Death' Has evolved through the usage of a Dragon Soul!]

[Stygian Presence]

When unleashing your Magic, the very air in your surrounding becomes freezing cold. No amount of heat will grant a shield against your Frost, and even the Undead shall not be spared from its ruthless bite.

Huh... So basically my Frost Magic now ignores any sort of Frost Resistance. Alright.

This is so fucking busted. Dragon Soul upgrades are insane...

I guess it's time I put it to good use then-

[A Dragon Soul has been absorbed!]

Excuse me!?

I turn my head towards the Dragon fighting against the soldiers on the right, and notice the roaring soldiers and Companion standing on its downed form.

Filled to the brim with sword and spears all over, disemboweled, and with... a lot of weapons sticking out of its ass.

"I fucking told you that attacking the asshole like the Mage did was the best choice!"

I am so glad Aurelia isn't around right now...

Anyway, another Dragon Soul! Yay... Don't laugh. Don't laugh. Don't laugh.

Time to upgrade another partner that has been with me since the beginning.

Arcane Cannon, here I come!

['Arcane Cannon' has evolved through the use of a Dragon Soul!]

[Draconian Howl]

The scales of Dragons are known to resist magic, while their claws are known to rend it apart. No shield conjured through Magic stands a chance before their claws. So, in turn, no Magical Shield shall stop this Spell.

Naturally woven into the Spell is the Word Fus, granting it indomitable might.

Modification; Penetration! X2

(2/10)

Guess the Penetration modifications are kinda useless right now- But who gives a shit! This is fucking glorious!

I turned a Spell for kids into an unholy killing machine! Hah!

I am snapped out of my elation when a blast, followed by a nightmarish howl, shakes the whole valley.

A metallic Dragon rolls across the destroyed earth, yet before it could straighten itself, Hildr's flaming familiar charges forward on all four, leaving behind scorched ground and stones rent apart by its claws.

The flaming beast tackles the Dragon, lifting it up and smashing its back down on the ground without stopping its charge, carving a trench through the valley with the Dragon's body as the tool.

A growl and flick of the long and sharp tail sends Hildr's familiar flying to the side, but Marius comes crashing down with a roar of his own, sinking his massive war-ax deep into the Dragon's vulnerable belly.

The Dragon howls, sharp and serrated teeth gleaming in the night as its long neck tilts down to bite at Marius.

The massive Minotaur does not shy away from the attack, and instead he eagerly slams his whole right arm straight down the Dragon's throat. "Choke on it, beast!" Pfft-Holy shit!

My laughter was short-lived as Marius, with a devastating roar, clutches the Dragon's throat and sharp spines with his free hand... Then lifts the fucking Dragon high up in the air.

Then his body tilts back, and he comes crashing down with a move straight out of W.W.E., sending a tower of dust and earth high in the air as the giant Dragon slams into the ground with the power of a meteor.

His right arm now gone, Marius pounces towards his discarded bloodied war-ax while the Dragon flips back around, stunned yet not out of the fight.

That is, until Hildr's roaring Familiar rams into its side, white-hot claws digging through scales and flesh and rending long and deep gashes right below the left wing.

The pain makes the Dragon cry out and stumble, head hanging low, low enough for- Is that Farkas!?

With a shout, the massive man instantly seizes the chance and rams his whole greatsword deep into the Dragon's right eye. "Now, Minotaur!" Farkas cries out as he leaps back, dodging the wild swipe of dangerously sharp claws.

Hildr's flaming Familiar wraps both of its massive arms around the Dragon's head and tilts it upward despite the beast's continued trashing.

Trashing that die down the moment a war-ax is launched across the air with an ear-splitting whistle and rams deep into the Dragon's neck, nearly taking its whole head off.

Fucking hell, those two make an amazing team...

Defeated, the Dragon stops trashing and lays down on the ground, panting heavily and bleeding from the countless deep wounds all over his form.

Panting himself, Marius approaches the downed beast with respect within his eyes, "It was a wonderful fight, Dragon."

I can't help but be shocked when the Dragon chuckles, and agrees, "Indeed it was, warrior of Hircine." Tilting his head up, the Dragon gazes defiantly at his opponent, "Seize your spoils of battle, and enjoy them."

With a nod, Minos grasps the shaft of his war-ax and wrenches it out, severing the Dragon's head with it.

The roars that soon follow from everyone present shake the whole valley, making me chuckle softly. They are all going to get so drunk once they get back...

[A Dragon Soul has been absorbed!]

And the last Dragon Soul is here too.

I set that aside and approach the panting Minotaur while the soldiers finish off the remaining weakened Undead without trouble, "That was an amazing fight, Marius." The Minotaur straightens himself at my presence, "You going to be alright, though?"

He glances to his arm, then nods. "I simply need to return back to the Hunting Grounds, and I shall heal. It is not a problem." I nod, relieved, but also very impressed.

"Not the way you envisioned to be summoned for the first time, huh?" We share a chuckle as he effortlessly rests his war-ax on his shoulder.

"This makes me excited for the future battles to come, Sir!" Considering the luck me and Aurelia have, I have no problems in believing that quite a few of them will be just like this. Or worse.

"If I may..." I hum and look at Marius, who now seems a bit bashful, "Could I retrieve the Dragon's tail? I wish to grant it to Lord Hircine as an offering." I pause, then look at the Dragon.

Eh, I see no problem with that. I shrug, "Go ahead." I then jab my thumb behind me, "You can grab the tails of the other two as well, if you want. Snack on them yourself."

And now he is drooling... I'm sure he is going to gloat about this when he goes back to the Hunting Grounds.

"Leonidas!" I perk up and turn my head when the armored Balgruuf approaches me, dragging a large horse with him, "A horse, for you."

The man was covered in sweat and blood, and was clearly insanely tired... But he was alive, and smiling brightly beneath his beard.

"I'll leave this area to you." He nods, and I swiftly move to mount the horse and follow after Aurelia.

After all of this, I now have twenty-three spare normal Souls. It still makes me disgusted, but... I can bear with it.

Now, to even the playing field against Krosis...

['Destruction Path - Frost Magic' has Evolved through the usage of a Dragon Soul!]

[Destruction Path - Architect of Frost]

Any Mage with a bit of power and practice under their sleeve can unleash roaring blizzards and waves of glacial winds.

But only the best of the best can weave their Frost Magic to sculpt things from their own imagination.

The world is your canvas, your Magic the paint.

You know, I gotta give my thanks to Krosis for causing this bullshit.

So, I gotta think of my most vile, horrifying insult to throw at him- Actually...

He shall have the honor of receiving the Young Master treatment.

=============================

Her legs ran through the thick and tall snow without problem.

Her body felt cold, yet she could easily stand it despite her being more used to warm weathers.

The warm and comforting energies of Restoration Magic coursed through her body and wrapped around her body, thrumming with power through her overcharged Bless Spell.

The peak of Shearpoint came into view, and a push of her legs allowed her to leap the last bit of distance in less than a second.

The snow was thicker, yet the peak of the mountain was flat.

Right in the middle of the snow-filled peak lay a tall crescent-moon shaped wall that was vaguely familiar to Aurelia.

Before it lay a grand sarcophagus erected above several stair steps, with the lid having been clearly snapped and shattered open, the pieces now buried in stone.

And the occupant of the sarcophagus?

Aurelia's grip over her sword tightens and trembles as she feels the utterly revolting aura of death, decay and Necromancy wafting off the floating robed figure on the other side of the clearing, gazing down towards the valley where the battle between the two armies was taking place.

The cold winds ruffle the decayed and dusty robes of the floating undead, revealing the scaled and aged armor underneath, and the dark gold staff held in his left hand.

A golden staff with a glowing purple gem at the tip. A gem that just felt wrong to Aurelia's senses.

She had once heard of Soul Gems, from her mother and fellow Paladins she ran into during her journey.

Vile creations that trap the energy of Souls within them, and the way some Necromancers filled these gems with energies was to commit mass sacrificial rituals.

They either hanged and disemboweled poor innocent civilians, or worse... They harvested their bodies for parts, so to graft an Undead Abomination, raised and powered through the use of the Soul Gem.

A vile Undead Creature that grows in power the more it kills.

Aurelia shudders at the thought of how powerful an Undead Abomination would be if powered by the Soul Gem currently in Krosis's possession.

A tilt of the head from the floating Dragon Priest shows that he is aware of her presence, revealing parts of the glowing ice-blue mask latched on his face.

The Dragon Priest says nothing, simply floating there as Aurelia straightens herself and breathes in.

I don't have time to waste. Her eyes sharpen, her lips part- "YOL-TOOR!" The air before her warps, and a tidal wave of white-hot flames washes forth, melting all the snow above Shearpoint's peak and filling the air with thick steam.

The Dragon Priest whirls around, free hand raised high and conjuring a gargantuan triple-layered Ward to stop the advancing flames.

The first layer is instantly melted through, while the second layer gives way soon after. The third instead holds fast and strong-Until a blade wreathed in radiant Holy Light cleaves right through it.

Seemingly unbothered, Krosis raises his golden staff and easily blocks the blade aiming for his head despite the force behind the blow displacing the air around it.

Aurelia grits her teeth beneath her scaled helmet, then her eyes widen when she her eyes take note of the faint shimmer of black light wrapped around Krosis.

She had heard stories of an ancient Alteration Spell granting the body immeasurable toughness and strength called Ebony Flesh, named after the metal born from the dried blood of the very Gods.

Of course a Dragon Priest from the Merethic Era would know such ancient spell thought to be just a legend....

"Dovahkiin…" Krosis finally speaks, masked and robed head tilting minutely to the side, "How pitifully weak…" Aurelia narrows her eyes at the way the Dragon Priest was capable of speaking her language-No, it was slightly different.

It seems not many changes happened to the most used language on Tamriel since the Merethic Era.

"If you were stronger, your corpse would've been a fine puppet…" Krosis calmly remarks as if he was discussing the weather. "It matters little. You shall still hold some use."

Through teeth gritted with pure fury, Aurelia snarls and opens her mouth to unleash another Shout right in the bastard's face... Yet her voice does not come out.

"Surprised?" Krosis chuckles, and Aurelia gasps when the butt of his staff suddenly slams against her stomach.

The world blurs around her, and her back and head painfully slam through the large sarcophagus then straight into the large crescent-moon shaped wall.

A harsh cough leaves her lips, yet her voice refuses to come out the more she tries to speak. Balefully, her gaze snaps up towards the floating Undead growing closer, staring down at her like a King stares down at a peasant.

"The Thuum is a dangerous weapon, even in your hands." The floating Mage waves his hand, "And a simple Curse is all it takes to take that threat away."

A Curse... Aurelia chides herself for not having any Curse Breaking Spells in her repertoire. Or at least, one that could shatter this high-level one that she didn't even notice being cast.

Krosis instantly proved to be a dangerously powerful opponent, forcing her to turn towards her second plan... To stall for time.

Her hand clenches around the handle of her radiant blade before she swings it skyward, crudely pumping her Magicka through it to hurl a massive arc of platinum-gold Holy Light at the floating Undead.

Picking herself up, she swings the blade downward soon after, launching a follow-up attack to assist the second one.

Krosis flicks his wrist, conjuring another gargantuan triple-layered Ward that blocks the first one, giving him time to simply float to the side and dodge the second one that shatters the conjured Ward.

His gaze returns to the World Wall, but his form comes to a pause when he doesn't notice the Dragonborn there.

The sound of hard stone shattering rings out right behind him, making the Dragon Priest whirl around with raised staff-Only for a blinding flash to force a grunt out of the Undead as his sight is filled with white.

Still, Krosis does not panic and swiftly casts the 'Detect Life' Spell, allowing him to see the Dragonborn's outline even through his blinded Undead eyes.

His staff blocks the swing of the blade aimed towards his head once more, but the immense strength behind sends him staggering back through the air, much to his surprise.

Not wishing to let his current momentary blindness give the Dragonborn a lucky shot, Krosis swiftly slams the butt of his staff on the ground below.

A roar of glacial winds rumbles forth as a storm of cold winds spreads out all around the peak with him at the epicenter... Yet why could he see that it did not slow the Dragonborn down?

He could see her, but her blade is not a living thing... And the woman caught on how he was able to see her, so now she held both hands stretched out towards her sides, as if she was wielding two weapons.

"Wretched woman!" He growls out, a squeeze of his fist conjuring dozens of sharp icicles all around him, which he swiftly sent raining down towards the lunging Dragonborn.

Yet, she ignores the incoming attack and swings her left arm, forcing Krosis to swiftly conjure another massive Ward, though in his hurry the Ward he conjured wasn't a triple-layered one.

He waits for a collision, yet his Ward dispels uselessly even as he sees her outline swing the same arm as before.

A sneer rings out from below his mask- A sneer cut short by his very Soul screaming in pain as his form is bathed in the purifying radiance of Holy Light.

His howl of pain turns into one of pure fury as his Magic roars forth, his sight slowly returning back just in time to see the form of the Dragonborn be launched back as spires of ice pierce skyward, ruthlessly bursting out of the ground and chasing after her, swallowing the whole peak of the mountain in second.

Turnina towards the retreating woman with a sharp intake of air, Krosis relishes in the tear visible through her stiffening form.

He could not afford to let the woman get close and unleash her Magic. She was the bane of his existence. Prolonged exposure to Holy Light will permanently cripple his reserves.

He wasted enough time, and enough energies from the Soul Gem. The Dragons turned out to be useless, so he'll have to do all of the hard work as usual and slaughter the city below for his uses before finding the resting place of his fellow Dragon Priests.

Still, he takes a few seconds to further drink in the fear of the damnable woman that managed to get a lucky shot in before finally speaking.

"FO-KRAH-DIIN!"

If the Spell he unleashed beforehand was a blizzard, then what he conjured now could only be described as a hurricane.

The very clouds above shifted, the sharp biting winds of the mountain-peak all turning into the same direction and growing a hundred-fold in pure strength.

His previously conjured spires of ice shattered and collapsed beneath the howling storm of frost, his arms spread wide like a God beholding the devastation caused by his power.

And he watched with glee as the woman uselessly poured all of her Magicka into a Ward that will surely fail her-

A glittering star in the forest beneath-

An ear-splitting boom followed by a Dragon's roar-

Krosis doesn't know why he does it, but he still swiftly erects the greatest Ward he ever did-

Only for it to collapse like it was wet paper-

His form staggers back. His Shout was blasted apart. The mountain top now has an enormous trench carved into it, starting all the way down from the forest below.

Slowly, Krosis looks towards his free arm and takes in the very lack of his right shoulder and said arm.

Then, he turns... And stares at the hole punched through the clouds above from the... Was it a Spell? What could even be capable of achieving such speeds…?

His head turns towards the path leading up to his resting place, the equally surprised Dragonborn standing at the very side of the trench carved through the mountain-side.

And quietly walking towards them and using the trench as a path, was a robed figure that gave Krosis a familiar feeling.

Arms crossed behind his back, a staff in hand, and a straight posture.

The newcomer walked slow and tall, proud and aloof.

His form slowly steps past the Dragonborn so to reach the peak, and his head rises to meet Krosis's gaze.

Then, finally, the newcomer speaks, "This Young Master showed mercy on you and missed on purpose." The man haughtily proclaims, stunning Krosis, "Why are you not kowtowing in thanks towards this Young Master yet? Have I given you too much face?"

Slowly, Krosis floats down so to be just a few inches above the ground of the destroyed peak, his head tilted to the side, "Who are you…?" This man felt familiar to Krosis's senses, yet he couldn't guess the why.

A sneer comes from the Mage, "You are not qualified to know this Young Master's name." Krosis's grip over his staff tightens, "Still not kowtowing? Gaining this Young Master's favor is a blessing of ten generations."

A silent cast of the Detect Life Spell tells Krosis why the Mage before him felt familiar. An Undead, it seems.

A powerful one at that.

The grip on his staff relaxes, and he raises it- "Think thrice before you act." Krosis freezes once more at the cold warning from the Mage before him. "Attacking this Young Master will only lead to regret, then death."

Was this bastard mocking him? For just landing a lucky blow that took his arm?

A part of Krosis really considered thinking thrice before acting, as he feared that far too fast Spell being unleashed once more. At this distance, he doesn't stand much of a chance in dodging or blocking it.

But such a powerful Spell cannot be cast over and over again... Right?

With those thoughts in mind, Krosis sneers and lifts his staff once more, causing the Mage to sigh and shake his head.

"There is a path to Heaven you chose not to walk. There isn't a Gate to Hell, and yet you've cast yourself upon it!"

"A mere frog at the bottom of a well!"

"If I called myself the second greatest beneath the Heavens, then no one would dare to call themselves the first!"

"Had you crossed the Heavens, you might've had a way out! But you have crossed me, so there is no way out!"

Krosis snaps, "Enough useless blabbering-!"

"Aight bet."

Huh?

Krosis watches in stunned silence as a dozen glimmering stars sparkle to life all around the Mage.

...So he can use that Spell in quick succession, huh?

Perhaps he should have truly thought thrice about it.

"Am gonna beat your ass so hard it'll give you flashbacks of your ugly mama catching hands from your drunk daddy!"

"I'm going to fucking kill you!"

=========================================

A.N. Leonidas makin' Krosis tweak within the first five minutes of meeting each other.

I don't think anyone is surprised by that.

Hope y'all enjoyed this chappy. Next one shall be the end of the battle, and then something surprising happens. No, not Sheoggorath meeting Leonidas. Not yet.