<Chapter 2

 

Chapter 3

Horrid Divinity

 

 

 

Foreword Again purely for reader friendlyness; Image quality may change, as i'm constantly trying to improve every aspect of a story i make. I wouldn't say i'm good or bad at stories, my imagination however goes some very weird ways which might offend some people. That said, if you dislike necromancy in any form or have a strong belief that the dead shouldn't be desecrated and reflect this onto other peoples stories or feel offended by anything BDSM/Fetish themed you might want to leave this story be and look at someone else's blog. I didn't put the Adult tag there for nothing.

 

 

 

 

Useful Information for the Reader: Everything written in this color depicts what Skana is thinking.

 

 

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The voice continued to speak:"Your current choices are to either serve me or to choose how to die." Skana noticed how something manifests around her wrists, she raised her hand immediately only to find out there's another set of cuffs adorning her now. Skana just snorted."Your sense of honesty is foreign to me, so much for choices."

 

 

"So what's next? A chastity belt?" The unknown entity completely ignored Skanas snide remark and continued to speak."Your bindings were lacking, i corrected that. More important, i have a task for you, you are to destroy that miserable failure of a servant named Malkoran. He denies me his sworn service and pursues his own ambitions. One of my personal servants will accompany you and you will obey her every word as you obey mine." Skana turned around to leave the tavern and thought about how she isn't exactly keen on having a female dusty old draugr accompanying her.

 

 

 

"You might have more power than Illia and you're able to speak through walls or whatever, but what makes you think i'd obey some dried dusty old corpse?" Skana was shocked when saw face to face with said servant. "You have to be kidding me..."

 

 

The dremora just snarled at her visibly annoyed. "Remarks like these could cause that beautiful collar around your neck to magically tighten, you know?" Skana noticed how the collar began indeed to tighten a bit, but wasn't really worried since she doesn't require to breathe anymore, so she mocked the dremora. "Feels funny and i always thought daedra know that the undead have no need for air." The collar kept applying pressure on her neck. "I know enough about magically infused bindings and how to discipline slaves with them." The dremora smirked. "But since you're so durable and so regenerative, i might add my wisdom of breaking bones to it as well."

 

 

Skana wanted to draw her sword as she felt the pressure becoming uncomfortable, but hesitated when she heard her self-proclaimed invisible master speaking again. "Umbra, do not damage her beyond her regenerative limits, she's valuable. You will present her to Skaal after her business on Mount Kilkreath is concluded, i intend to strike a bargain with the risen lord." Umbra immediately answered in a formal tone. "As you wish my lord". That was a bit too crass a conversation for Skana considering they talked about her. "Hey, i'm not someones property! Maybe i should just cleave your daedric face in half with my sword." Umbra just snorted. "And that's where you are wrong. Your dead ass is property. Property i'll have to safeguard. But by all means, feel free to try your swordmanship, if you can that is."

 

 

The collars pressure was becoming painful and made it increasingly harder to speak."That's a... interesting notion...for safeguarding." As Skana concentrated more and more on enduring that collar, memories of Illias stretching rack flashed through her mind. "Unngh! Alright, Alright...what do you want of me? I'm sorry.. errgh, for calling you a dusty old corpse!" Umbra took her sweet time watching Skana trying to get her collar off, before she said something. "Those bindings are indestructible, you know that? That's actually a good thing, because if they were to be destroyed you'd be really dead."

 

 

Skana felt the bones of her neck bending, the pain is unbearable and she went down on her knees. "My neck! Please! Make....it....stop! I said..i'm sorry!" Umbra took only minor interest in Skanas words. "I don't want your apologies. I simply want you to suffer! It's a learning process. Right now you're learning that slaves shouldn't insult one of their masters, even if it's a temporary master."

 

 

 

Skana feels her bones slightly cracking, she knows what will happen, she knows this daedra won't make it stop and it angers her."Why you....! I can't...damn...daedra!" Umbra continues to lecture her in a almost casual tone."Getting angry are we? I'm surprised myself it takes this long for your neck to break. Here's another advice for you, speak only when spoken to. Or we will have to do this again."

 

 

Skana made up her mind, the pressure is too much, she can't speak a word anymore and knows how this will end. "Fuck this, i'll just let it happen, it will hurt like ten anvils to my face, but i won't give that wretched dremora the satisfaction." Skana took her hands off from the collar and went on all fours to soften the hit in her face when she kisses the ground. "I got Illia and i will get this daedric excuse for a dremora too." Umbra didn't hide the disappointment in her voice. "Oh? Now that's unusual, never seen someone let it happen before. Well this isn't as entertaining, so i guess i'll oblige."

 

 

Umbra did something and the collar snapped Skanas neck in an instant. "Finally..." Skanas body immediately became numb and she didn't even feel how she hit the ground. "Ah damn! Now i have to carry that corpse all the way to Mount Kilkreath! Oh well, first fun, then work." That were the last words Skana heard from Umbra before she passed out.

 

 

 

Umbra examined Skana with a slight hint of respect in her eyes. "This never took so long with others, you got willpower, i give you that. No wonder you're so hard to control. But i wonder what kind of person reanimated you, that outfit is a bit exotic, even for daedric standards"

 

 

"Ugh.. what am i saying?! I've spend too much time among the lesser races..." A sigh escaped Umbras lips which annoyed her again, it's so human. "Let's get to Kilkreath, not like anyone is still alive in this dunghole to ask a dremora carrying a woman questions."

 

 

 

 

Skana woke up when she felt her body hitting the ground as Umbra just dropped from her shoulder like a sack of saltrice.

She could hear Umbra ranting."Get your dead ass up!"

 

Skanas head felt like as if somebody forged a sword on it. "How long?" She asked while getting up.

 

 

Umbra just stared at her with an annoyed expression. "Alright! Alright! I didn't ask."

 

 

Skana was surprised how fast her headache is subsiding but it still felt as if she had a sponge for a head right now. "Unn.. my head.." Umbra just commented playfully. "Should i cut it off for you?" Skana preferred not to answer.

"Four days and now get inside."

 

 

"Four days.. and i feel like a mammoth ran over me" "So, what kind of temple is this actually?" Skana asked while going inside.

 

 

Umbra followed her through the door and closed it behind her. "Meridias temple and now shut up." Skana stopped at an altar where some strange orb was embedded in, emanating light beams in two directions, Umbra replied before Skana could even ask."You're undead, don't touch that. Unless you want to get disintegrated." That explanation was enough to let Skanas thoughts go haywire, if this is the temple to Meridia someone undead shouldn't be here at all. As they continued to walk through the small temple Skana got increasingly nervous.

 

 

Umbra just pointed into the Altar room. "There, see that guy? That's Malkoran. Feel free to take your time murdering him, you may even throw a few insults! I'll just watch from here and don't worry, Malkorans presence has dimmed Meridias power down to almost nothing in this temple, however, once he's dead we should leave here really quick." Skana said nothing and just went into the Altar Room. "Great, i have permission to insult my enemy. This isn't getting better."

 

 

Skana went up to Malkoran with her Greatsword drawn casually on her shoulder. "So.. you're the mighty Malkoran, i'm sorry to inform you but-" Malkoran didn't even turn around completely and interrupted Skana rude. "So and you're just another undead puppet sent to kill me, very well, you're not the first and you won't be the last, i will serve no one. Especially not your oh-so mighty lord. In fact striking a killing blow against me will be of great assistance, i even stabbed myself a few times to bleed out, makes the ascending easier, for I have discovered the secret to true necromancy, soon i will challenge the risen lord and destroy him! The title of risen lord will be mine!" "This guy is completely nuts and full of himself, don't see that everyday. Still a welcome diversion i guess."

 

 

As Skana struck Malkoran down without any effort or recieving any kind of retaliation from him something happened.

There was suddenly some kind of skeletal shadowy being floating above Malkorans corpse. Skana just smiled to herself in thoughts. "Of course.. else it would've been too easy."

 

Malkorans hoarse laughter halled through the temple as he reveled in his new gained form. "Now. Time to die the final death for you, puppet!"

 

The skeletal shade of Malkoran went on the offensive, charging a lightning spell. "Say your prayers, only ash will be left when i'm done with you."

 

 

And Malkoran missed horribly.

 

 

"Yes! run and dodge!, you'll be ash on the first hit!" Malkoran bursts into laughter again while charging the next spell. "Just give up, you have no ch-".

 

Skana quickly stepped in and caught him off-guard while he still kept blabbering instead of casting his spell.

 

 

Malkorans voice became high pitched and agitated. "Palefire! How dare you! I will enjoy killing you!"

 

Skana took her combat stance and taunted Malkoran.

 

"Then let's get to it, you're just talking the whole time. How about you hit for once in a while?"

 

Malkoran laughed again with his raspy hoarse voice. "Oh no, i won't let myself be taunted, you won't have my concentration broken! Try to dodge this!" Suddenly a fiery explosion enveloped Skana. "What the?! Ouch this is hot!"

 

 

"Nobody dodges my pin-point fire storm. It was nice meeting you. Sadly i can't hear you scream over the explosions."

Malkoran laughed again in this annoying manner.

 

 

However, he almost choked in his ethereal hoarse laugh when Skana replied. "That's because i'm not screaming."

 

"Okay, i don't know why or how i withstood a fire storm, but i'm glad i did!"

 

Malkoran snapped completely in disbelief and began to shout hysterical. "IMPOSSIBLE! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

 

"My turn!". Skana exploited Malkorans state of disbelief and charged him directly.

 

"No! no no no no no no! I won't perish here, i can't! I shall be risen lor-"

When Skana rammed her palefire greatsword directly through the spine of the skeletal apparition of Malkoran, his rantings ceased abruptly.

 

Malkoran disintegrated, leaving only behind a faint shimmer of shadow in the air.

 

Umbra approached her from behind, sarcastically applauding. "Bravo, you destroyed an imbecile who thought himself to be a lich." Umbra snorted "That guy wasn't even as strong as the finger bone of a lich, what a joke, but still, it was fairly entertaining."

 

 

Skana turned around to Umbra."That's it? That was the great Malkoran? Whoever your 'lord' is, he must be incredibly bored."

 

 

Umbra stopped her sarcastic applause and was slightly annoyed by Skanas remark concerning her lord. "Shut up, and don't question your master!"

 

Suddenly, there was a metallic noise. Like the ringing of a filigrane chime. It came from the Altar.

"Umbra did you hear that too?" Umbra was furious being called by Skana with her name."How dare you call me by my name, slave! If you really have the need to talk all day then show at least some respect and call me mistr-" The invisible chime rang again, this time louder as if it was bigger and heavier.

 

 

Skana was alerted, this wasn't right. "Strange, I swear i noticed a golden sword stuck in that altar when i fought with Malkoran, but now it's gone."

Umbra became agitated as she realized what Skana just said. "A golden sword? The Dawnbreaker! You're too near at the altar! Get away from it!"

 

 

 

Skana didn't really understand what was going on and just stood there like a stone.

Umbra got really angry and yelled at Skana."YOU STUPID PIECE OF DEAD FLESH! I SAID GET AWAY FROM THE ALTAR, I COMMAND YOU!"

 

Skanas body began to move on its own once she heard Umbras command and she stepped back from the altar.

 

The chime rung a third time. Even louder than before, it was like standing directy below Solitudes bell tower. The sound rippled through the temple.

 

 

A metallic deep male voice began to speak."The sanctity of her temple has been defiled. By her command, purity shall be restored. All undead must perish."

 

Suddenly, the whole room got flooded with white and blue light.

 

 

A tall armored humanoid formed itself out of light in the gleaming explosion and began to speak with the same voice that could be heard before the explosion occured.

 

 

"You face Auronus, warlord of dawn, leader of the auroran council and champion of Meridia. By decree of the lady of dawn, undead abominations, such as you, are to be destroyed.

 

 

 

Skana instinctively backed away from the auroran warlord, as if struck by an intense fear "This... thing. It's aura, it's horrid." She didn't even noticed when Umbra drew her sword, she just wants to get as far as possible away from that monstrosity.

Umbras words stopped her however. "Calm down, corpse. That's just a turn undead aura."

 

 

 

Umbra even readied a fire spell in her left hand."Here's the deal, this guy wants you and only you, but you'll run as fast as possible to Solitude and hide yourself in the catacombs. Meridia and her minions don't touch the resting dead, only the undead. I will fetch you in twenty four hours after i'm done playing with the auroran, you are not to leave the Solitude catacombs under any circumstances.

 

 

"And be happy when i only eviscerate you tomorrow for being so darn stupid. Now run, i command you!"

 

 

 

And that she did. Like the wind. Skana won't forget the feeling of that aura so soon. "It's ridiculous, i survive a fire storm and this aura is the worst i have ever experienced. My broken neck felt like a mountain flower to the face compared to the presence of that...thing."

 

 

She thought about how this should continue on her way to solitude. "Am i really just property to some scheming necromancer freak with a summoned dremora? I can't do anything whenever they unpack this command crap."

 

 

"The gates of Solitude.. i couldn't even turn left or right if i wanted to. But I shouldn't think so negative, come on Skana, something has to change to a betterment some day."

 

 

"An execution.. death is really everywhere. Guess i should be happy to still walk on nirn. And it's still better as it was with Illia. At least i'm not locked up in a cage."

 

 

 

"Umbra will propably skin me tomorrow or something like that...not like she could do worse than how that aurorans aura felt. When i think about that.. everything she could do to me seems like a walk in the forest compared to that aura.

 

 

 

As Skana wandered through the catacombs she found a corner to sit in and closed here eyes. "At least one day of peace."