Chapter 23: Endless Night
2 Days Before the Battle of Morthal
Sky Haven Temple had transformed since Katja's revival. A lot had happened over the past week and a half. Weapons and armor were produced quicker yet with better quality than ever, training sessions were longer and more rigorous, soldiers fought harder and they tired less, archers shot straighter and with greater accuracy, and the overall morale was at a high point despite the looming threat; the army finally seemed to have the hope it had been severly lacking.
Argon, Katja, and Lydia had divided up the Temple and they each trained a group of soldiers in different tactics. Argon took the courtyard where he taught mages how to make better use of their spells as well as teaching everyone how to use two handed weapons and have the advantage in a fight.
Lydia was outside the temple where the old Forsworn camp was, she used the camp as a makeshift battlefield where she then divded her soldiers up into two separate teams and made the teams fight each other. In these battles the soldiers would use the tactics that they had been taught by all three teachers and they would fight in the style of the class Argon had decided was best suited for each individual soldier. Each sword was padded and rather than actually kill each other, Lydia had created a system which relied on different areas of the body and how deadly a wound to a certain area would be. If a soldier were hit in one of their vital spots then they were "dead" and they had to raise their arms and leave the battlefield. When it came to fighting tactics Lydia demonstrated how to use an Akaviri sword as well as explaining the best types of armor to use depending on how each soldier planned to approach a battle.
Katja, who was proficient in both archery and sneaking, made use of the defenses set up at the temple's entrance to teach the soldiers how to sneak around and avoid traps. She taught her soldiers the proper archery techniques, as well as how to sneak, and how to fight with a dagger. Using the temple's defenses, Katja had created a training game that involved two different teams, one side would try to defend the path up to the temple door as best as possible using traps, sneak attacks, and bows with non lethal arrows. The other team would try to get past all the defenses as well as getting past the guards by sneaking past or incapacitating them using the tactics Katja had taught.
In order to ensure everyone received the same training, Argon, Katja, and Lydia would rotate their groups every few hours and each day the groups would be mixed up so that the soldiers would learn to actually fight in Lydia's battles rather than just learning the other team's tactics.
Argon paced back and forth across the courtyard as his soldiers sparred with each other and with training dummies. The mages had magic duels and tried to avoid each other's spells as they sparred with their magic. As Argon monitored his students he was content with the progress they had made over the last week yet he still felt that they needed to be pushed even further if they had any chance of standing up to Lorkhan's army of savages.
Argon spoke to his soldiers, "Remember, keep your swords raised. You must never open yourself up to the enemy, stupid mistakes like that are how heroes die. Lorkahn's army continues to grow and they increase their strength each day. When the time comes to take back Solitude you must be ready for a heavy battle. Nothing I teach you here can mentally prepare you for that fight, but I can teach you how to survive in a fight of this magnitude."
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Rising above the makeshift battlefield was a tall hill with a giant stone foundation poking out of its side. Lydia stood on this foundation watching her soldiers as they engaged in another training simulation. The progress she had seen out of all the soldiers was phenomenal. In every group the two teams were reaching the point in which their battles were so closely matched that they would go on for hours rather than minutes as they had when they first started. One soldier came up to the spot Lydia was at and reached for a quiver of non-lethal arrows.
Lydia smacked his hand away and he looked at her in disbelief. "In the battlefield you won't have a supply of arrows you can draw from each time your quiver runs dry." Lydia said to him, "You must learn to scavange from the battlefield, you will have to take discarded weapons and arrows or learn to loot your fallen enemies."
"Loot the dead? Isn't that wrong?" the soldier asked.
"In war, anything goes." Lydia answered.
"Yes, Grandmaster." the soldier bowed and ran back to the battlefield. As Lydia went back to surveying, one soldier managed to strike another soldier and hit one of her vital spots. The first soldier started cheering and threw his arms in the air. "Don't get cocky, Rylan." Lydia called out and just then another soldier from the opposite team came up and struck Rylan in the neck which counted as a vital area.
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"Remember, you're using daggers they are much smaller and not as powerful as a sword. Therefore, you must strike quick and you must strike smart." Katja explained to her group, "What I mean by that is that daggers are wonderful weapons for getting in close to an enemy and striking them multiple times, but since they don't do as much damage to non-vital areas, you have to strike smart and either hit them multiple times in the same area, or land a good hit right in a vital area. You have to be quick though because obviously vital areas are the most protected areas."
Katja called up a soldier to demonstrate and she handed him a wooden sword and told him to attack her. The man began swinging at Katja using tactics taught to him by Lydia. Katja used her dagger to deflect one swing and then she ducked under the next. Each time she avoided his weapon she took advantage of the small window it opened and used it to get closer to her oppnent. When she was close enough to him she spun around him and landed her dagger right on his neck.
"Just like that." Katja she as she pulled her dagger away from his neck. "Now you try." Her soldiers broke off into small pairs of two and began practicing the manuver Katja had just demonstrated.
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"It's not going to be enough."
"What do you mean it's not enough?"
"Argon's army might have good numbers and good training, but it is still far surpassed by Lorkhan's army. Lorkhan is building an amry of savages. Cruel and blood thirsty men that are bent on destruction and anarchy and are empowered by an angry god. If Lorkhan's numbers matched Argon's then there would be no question of the Dragonborn's victory. But Lorkhan has close to a thousand men and Argon only has four hundred. Not to mention that they are training them as if they are students and rather thsn soldiers. There's no guarantee they'll hold up in a real fight, and the coming battle cannot be lost."
"Give them some time. In a matter of weeks they should be more than capable of dispatching Lorkhan's army."
"They don't have a few weeks! Lorkhan is preparing his army to launch their assault on Morhal, they'll strike any day now!"
"So what do you propose, Nerevar?"
"We have to help him." Indoril Nerevar backed away from the crystal ball he had been watching Argon on and addressed all the souls of Sovngarde.
"Help him? That would require us going down to the mortal world! Do you know what happens if you die as a soul on Nirn? You're erased from existence!" an angry gruff man yelled out.
Sheogorath spoke up, "Yes, I remember from the Soul Wars. Do you remember the Soul Wars? Three years ago? The Divines and Daedra battled over the soul of Argon Stormblade? Well I remember it. It was our first conflict together as a team. During that war Tamriel was being used as a battleground in a divine war and it was almost destroyed! No one in this room fought in that war except for me and my team, even when Sithis emerged and tried to pull Nirn into The Void you all sat here with your thumbs in your ass while we fought to save the world. You're supposed to be some of the greatest heroes to have ever lived yet here you sit even though the very universe you live in needs you help. You all can complain as much as you want, but I'm in."
"Bah what do you know, you're supposed to be crazy. How'd you get into Sovngarde anyways? Shouldn't gods go somewhere else? Aren't you a Breton for that matter?" the same gruff voice called out.
Sheogorath smiled, "Perks of being related to Argon Stormblade."
"I can't believe what I'm hearing." Fayen stepped in, "You all got in here not because of your strength and prowess, but because of your honor and your spirit. Yet here you are, a bunch of spirits who can't even honor the ideals that got them acess to here. I'm in."
"You're a bunch of wimps." Garnin said, "I'm in."
"If you can't join in then you don't deserve to be called heroes." Kara stood up and walked towards the team, "I'm in."
Hakon One-Eye stood along with his sister Gormlaith Golden-Hilt and Felldir the Old. "I'm in." the three heroes said at the same time.
Kodlak Whiteman stood and joined the group. Then Ysgramor. Next all the honored members of The Companions.
Mjoll the Lioness walked forth and said, "I'm in."
Jarl Balgruuf the Greater spoke, "Argon once saved my city, it's only right that I now save him. I'm in."
More and more souls stepped forth and promised to assist the Heroes of Tamriel in helping Argon during the final battle. Finally after many more pledges, the entirety of Sovngarde, including the reluctant souls, had pledged to fight alongside Argon's army in the final battle.
"So, I guess we've all come to an agreement." Garnin said.
Nerevar looked at Tsun who was standing near the doors with a solemn expression. "Tsun, when the time comes, will you send us to Nirn?"
Tsun sighed, "I will send you to the battle, but I will not join you. I cannot lift my blade against Shor, even if he has gone mad."
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2 Days Later
A cloud of black smoke floated above Solitude and flames ripped through the city. Furniture littered the streets and crumbled structures were strewn about. Weapons, arrows, and armor had all been tossed about and the smell of sweat and smoke filled the air. Lorkhan had called for his army to be gathered in the courtyard of Castle Dour and all the soldiers were packed tighter than a bale of hay. Lorkhan stood on top of the Castle with Artis at his side as though they were a royal family.
"For months you have fought bravely for me. You all have done exactly as I commanded and because of that it is almost time for your reward! First, we must carry out one final task... The destruction of this world and everyone in it! And in the ruins of this world, in wake of its destruction, I shall create a new world! A beautiful place where I am the sole deity! No longer shall there be Divines or Daedra, just me! And for you? You all shall be kings! When my world is created I will be its god, and you shall serve me as its kings. You will be richer than you could ever imagine, you will have endless wine cellars, and anything you desire will be available to you. So, let us march on Morthal and I can harness the power hidden in the swamp and build a new and perfect world!" Lorkhan threw his right fist into the air and his soldiers held their swords in the air and cheered. A malice filled grin covered Lorkhan's face and he turned and began walked towards the stairs. Artis walked besided him and spoked in a hushed voice, "You will let them believe that?"
Lorkhan chuckled, "I could control their minds and make them fight for me, but I'd rather they have that thought in their heads. They fight better if they don't know the truth; when my world comes, you will be the only one to follow me there."
Artis grinned like his master.
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A few hours after Lorkhan's departure
Argon, Katja, and Lydia had awoken early in the morning in order to go over battle plans. The three leaders gathered around the stone table with a map of Solitude laid across it.
"So here's the way it will go down," Argon began, "there will be a major fight to get into the city gates so we need to have the archers and mages shoot down Lorkhan's archers along the city walls and it wouldn't surprise me if he had a score of men waiting outside. If I can get up to the gate I should be able to shout it open. After that we pour in and secure the major areas those being, the marketplace, Castle Dour, and the residential area. After that, I'll go inside the Blue Palace and take Lorkhan down. You two will stay outside, I cannot risk Lorkhan using you against me."
"Are you sure we're ready for this?" Lydia asked, "We only number four hundred and if Lorkhan truly has gone across the map and recruited people, he could his amry could be in the thousands."
"Can Solitude really hold that many people?" Katja asked.
"They'd have to be really cramped." Lydia said.
"You have to go. NOW!" Sithis yelled inside Argon's head.
Argon yelled out in pain.
"What's wrong?" Lydia questioned.
"Must be Sithis." Katja murmured.
"I still can't believe you made a deal with him." Lydia said as she went to check on Argon.
Argon pushed her away. "What's going on?" Argon asked Sithis.
Sithis spoke grimly, "It's Lorkhan, he and his army left for Morhal last night, I just now detected him. If you're going to stop him it's now or never, Morthal is where he plans to destroy the world."
"Morthal? Why there?"
"In the swamp outside Morthal there is a stone circle, over the years that circle has been used for all kinds of rituals and not only have the rituals rendered that area as the place where the fabric of the universe is thinnest, each time a ritual is performed there the circle absorbs some of the power that it channeled and since so many rituals have been performed there, that stone circle possesses the power that Lorkhan will need to destroy our world and build his own."
Argon was beside himself, "Why now? Why attack now of all times?"
"Now that Markarth has fallen Morthal is all that stands of civilization, Lorkhan has completed his task and made your world bleed. He's had his fun, now it's time he got to work. I suggest you get to work too. Lorkhan is more than halfway there, if you leave now you should be able to get there by nightfall and just after he arrives. It's no use trying to intercept his army it will only waste time, face him at Morthal or not at all."
Argon looked at Katja and Lydia, "Round up the army." he told them, "We're going to war."
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Within twenty minutes the army had gathered their gear and departed Sky Haven Temple. They marched for hours across Skyrim's landscape, they climbed the cliffsides, walked across the plains, and when they finally arrived at Morthal's southern end, night had fallen just as Sithis had predicted. The city was in a state of disarray, large storm clouds poured down lightning and rain as they swirled towards a fixed position above Morthal's swamp. Large fires devoured shops and houses; the screams of men, women, and children echoed through the city as Lorkhan's army killed and destroyed anyone and anything in sight. The city guard had launched a desperate assault on Lorkhan's army but they were quickly being beaten back. Citizens kept their families close as they hopelessly searched for a hiding place, some citizens tried to flee the city but they were swiftly taken down by the soldiers.
At the southern edge of the city there was a mountain and a path that wraped around it, the path turned towards the city and went between two rocky cliffs overlooking the city. This is where Argon's army had congregated, all the soldiers stood with their swords drawn and prepared to charge. Argon and Katja climbed ontop of one of the cliffs as Lydia stood in the army's front line. The twins looked out at their army and Argon began to speak.
The Dragonborn cleared his throat as he gazed upon his men in their shining armor. He took a moment to gather himself then he began his speech, "Men and women, over the past couple of months our world- nay, our very universe has been suffered from a plague. A plague who wants nothing more than to end our lives and our world. He has come to our place of refuge and called it his own! He has launched an attack against us and began a massacre in his attempts to take back what he thinks is his! Tonight this god has decided that it is time to finish what he started but if he believes that we will just roll over and let it happen then he has mistaken. At this very moment he is out there in that battlefield enacting his terrible plan. Right now, as I speak to you, he is gathering the power he needs to annihilate our home! You all have pledged your lives to putting this villain down and after months of training it is time that we finally let him know that we will not give up, we will not rest, we will not just accept what is coming! We will show him that this world that he so strongly desires is ours, tonight he will learn that he is in OUR house, in OUR world, and he will see who truly rules Nirn! You all have pledged your lives to this world, you are willing to die on the soil you wish to save, at this moment you are soldiers in my army, but what you do here tonight will make you heroes! You will go down in history as legends! For ages stories will be told of the brave men and women who saved our world! Yes, there will be casualties on both sides of this battle, but those of you who leave this world will not enter into an eternal night, you will enter into a land of revelry and you will dine among heroes! None of you shall be forgotten, your sacrifices shall not be in vain, for we will save this land and your name shall be sung forever! Now, let us take back our world!" Argon held his sword high above his head, the lightning striking off in the distance causing its blue blade to shine brighter, and the soldiers cried out in enthusiasm and charged to engage the enemy.
Katja began to run down the cliffside to join the battle but she was stopped by Argon thrusting his arm across her chest. She looked at her brother in confusion and said, "What are you doing?"
Argon reached into the pouch on his hip and produced a shining circlet from it. "After you woke up the second time, I had a small team go to my home and retrieve this. I made this years ago on an adventure to a Dwemer Forge. The jewels inside of it are made of aetherium, a very powerful material which comprises my blade. I need you to take this. Aetherium is Lorkhan's one weakness, therefore his powers are affected by it and rendered useless. I've already lost you once, almost twice, and I will not lose you again. I know you can hold your own in a fight, but if Lorkhan were to turn his powers on you then he could kill you an instant, but not if you have this, I promise it will protect you." Katja grabbed the circlet from her brother's hand and placed it on her head. The golden band matched her hair and the shining blue jewels complimented the color in her eyes.
"How do I look?" she asked her brother.
"Beautiful as always." Argon cracked a smile, "I love you."
Katja wrapped her arms around Argon's neck and he wrapped his around her waist. "I love you too." she whispered in his ear.
As the battle raged on the twins held each other in what might be their final hug. Katja released her arms and broke free of the hug. She untied Konahrik from Argon's belt and handed it to him saying, "Now, go save the world."