Chapter 8: Haldan
Haldan had the emperor, he was about to slit his throat and kill him. If he did that, Tamriel would have no leader and that would leave an opening for Xan to take over and leave Haldan in charge. That couldn't happen. Especially not when Argon has just saved the poor man's life a few weeks earlier. Argon looked over at Fayen who had a very grim and angry look on his face. He then looked at Garnin who shared the same look.
"Don't even try to stop me heroes!" called Haldan from the top of the tower, "Now that Xan has been released, there is no chance of saving the world! Just give up!"
"Don't get too comfortable Haldan, Xan isn't going to be staying for long!" called up Argon
"I pity you heroes, I really do. You see all the chaos and destruction going on, but your minds are so clouded that you think you are capable of stopping it. Well you're not!"
"Fayen, you're good with a bow, think you can hit him from down here?" asked Argon
"No, the tower is too high. I can't get a clear shot, even if I could set my sights on him, I could hit Titus Mede." said Fayen, "We have to get to the top of the tower if we want to stop him."
"Can you call one of your dragon friends to help us out Argon?" asked Nerevar
"No, with all the shadows falling from the sky, we couldn't fly clearly we would be swerving so much that there would be no chance of staying on, and if too many landed on them then they could bring the dragon down."
"Well how about teleporting up there? Tell us why we can't do that Sheogorath." said Garnin
"Because when we disappear, the split second we are gone will be enough for Xan to capture us." said Sheogorath
"How?" asked Argon
"When we teleport there is a split second of darkness we go through, then we come out. Xan will be able to find us there, and use the darkness to crush us." said Sheogorath
"So I guess the only option is to fight our way to the top. Once we are up there, Fayen shoot the dagger out of Haldan's hand, no doubt he will use the emperor as a shield, the only place you will be able to hit is his dagger. Once the dagger is gone, Garnin charge Haldan and get the emperor away from him. Sheogorath, you deal with the shadows. Fayen and Garnin, get the emperor to safety. Nerevar and I will take on Haldan." said Argon
"Roger that." said Fayen
"Sounds like as good a plan as we can get." said Nerevar
"Sure thing." said Sheogorath
"You can count on Fayen and I." said Garnin
"Good, once the emperor is safe get back to the roof and help Sheogorath." said Argon
"Aye." Fayen and Garnin both said
With that the team drew their weapons, and broke through the doors of the tower. Instantly, they were charged by shadows. These shadows were different though, they were bigger, more muscular. They had bigger weapons and they looked a lot more grim. The team could not be distracted by this though, they had a job to do. And they had to do it fast, before Xan killed the Divines. So, the team raised their swords, and they charged the shadows. They slashed and sliced, blocked and parried. Limbs of the shadows fell off and then disappeared. Heads went flying, battle cries were shouted. Shadowy armor went flying. Finally, the team had cleared the first room.
"Argon, wouldn't this be much easier if you used Auriel's bow?" asked Fayen
"Good point." said Argon, he reached around his back and realized, "I don't have it."
"What do you mean you don't have it?!" shouted Nerevar
"I must have left it with Xan, I didn't have enough time to grab it before Akatosh teleported us here." said Argon
"Well that's just great! Xan has the one thing that could stop him! And now we are somehow expected to stop him! It's dark outside, we can't just bring him into the light!" said Sheogorath
"Or maybe we can...." said Argon
"Huh?" said the rest of the team.
"I have a plan, but we have to deal with Haldan first." said Argon
The team battled through the next few floors of the tower, then the came across a room. Inside, was the whole Council, they were all huddled together. When the door they freaked out and covered their heads begging for mercy.
"Calm down. We're not going to hurt you." said Argon
"Is that? Is that you dragonborn?" asked the High Chancellor stepping forward
"Yes and here is the rest of the team." said Argon motioning to the other heroes
"Then we are saved! The heroes of the Soul Wars, Tamriel's Greatest Heroes are here to save us!" said the High Chancellor
"The leader of the Shadow King's cult is on top of the roof, he has the emperor. We are going to get you guys out of here, and then we have to save the emperor. So let's hurry." said Argon
"There is a secret trapdoor in the fireplace of the High Chancellor's room. We will use that to get you guys out of here. You will drop through it and run through the Ayleid ruin, don't worry it's clear. There should be an open door, eventually go through the door, it will lead you to the old library of the Elder Scrolls." said Sheogorath
"And how do you know all this?" asked the High Chancellor
"Um, it might be better for everyone if you don't ask." said Sheogorath
"Oh well, let us go then. We have no weapons, so we need you heroes to protect us." said High Chancellor
"Of course you don't have any weapons." sighed Argon
The team made a circle formation with the council members in the middle. The council members all huddled together. The High Chancellor's room was just two floors up, but that seemed like forever when they had to guard the council, and get to Haldan to save the emperor, AND get back to the castle in Skyrim in time to be able to save the Divines and defeat Xan.
The fought through the first of the two floors with ease, it was the second one that was the problem. They got to the second floor, the floor with the High Chancellor's room, but when they did, it started getting hard. The shadow army was so thick they could barely see ten feet ahead of them. Still, they fought, but they started growing tired. Then, it got worse. One of the shadows breached the circle, and grabbed the High Chancellor and whisked him away!
"Argon!" cried Fayen
"I got him!" he shouted back and he ran through the shadows after the High Chancellor
Eventually the shadow turned into a room that was empty. There it dropped the High Chancellor, and it spoke "You don't get it Argon, there is no stopping me. I have already beat the Divines to near death. But that is not enough for me, I will erase them from existence. As will happen to you if you do not stop." said Xan through the shadow
"You just wait there Xan. We will slay Haldan, then we will return and we will destroy you also." said Argon
"You just try Argon." said Xan
"Oh I will." said Argon
"Well, I suppose now is as good a time as any to destroy you." said Xan "Shadows come to me! Attack the dragonborn!" Then Xan left the shadow and all the other shadows started attacking Argon.
They were beating him senseless, he shouted and stabbed, blocked, parried, but it was too much he was overwhelmed. Then the team came in and they took out the shadows. Every shadow from the tower had just attacked Argon, but somehow the team managed to destroy them all. But more were still coming from outside. They had to get the council through the trapdoor, and they had to get to Haldan and fast.
They grabbed the High Chancellor and whisked him and the council to his room. There Sheogorath uncovered the trapdoor in the fireplace, he opened the door and said an incantation that would protect the council from the fall. He gave them each a few scrolls he had conjured up, and they were sent on their way. Down the chute each one went, when the last one was at the bottom, the council called up thanks to the heroes. The door was closed and the team went up the last few floors to the roof. When they got up there they enacted the plan.
Fayen shot the dagger, Garnin grabbed the emperor, then they ran him to safety. Having decided to sen him down the chute also, they ran to the High Chancellor's room. There were shadows filling the roof from the sky and Sheogorath did all he could to keep them away from Argon and Nerevar.
Argon and Nerevar charged Haldan, but he was not such and easy fight as expected.
"Argon can't you just shout this guy off the roof or something?" questioned Nerevar
"No, if I did, the shadows would probably catch him. Then we would have to chase after him again." said Argon
"Damn shame, it would make this so much easier." said Nerevar
"Yes I suppose it would." said Argon
The two swung at Haldan, but using the powers Xan had given him, he caught their sword in midair using only his hand. Argon and Nerevar stood there, stunned at what had just happened. Haldan swung the swords and the two heroes went flying back into the shadows.
"See what I mean? You cannot stop me! Neither can Xan! Once he has the world, I will destroy that son of a bitch! Then the world will be mine! All mine!!!!" laughed Haldan
"You son of a bitch.... You were gonna back stab Xan the whole time, weren't you? You took Serana from me, stabbed her, almost killed her, all to release your master. When really, the whole time, you were doing it for yourself, you wanted to kill Xan and take his power and army after he took the world over." said Argon
"You catch on fast don't you?" said Haldan, "But yes, it is true, I planned to become the Shadow King. And I will, after I have dealt with you."
"Too bad, because we will have to stop you also." said Nerevar
"There is no stopping me! I am the Shadow Lord! I rule over my own small patch of the shadows, and I will use that patch to destroy you!" shouted Haldan
"Not today Haldan!" shouted Xan from above, "I heard everything you forget, I still rule over shadows, and I was using them to watch your battle. To think I was going to give you Tamriel. It's a shame really, I did like you Haldan, you were a good servant. Too bad you must now die."
"What?! No! You cannot kill me!" shouted Haldan
"Go ahead heroes, get rid of him, his powers are gone." said Xan
Nerevar and Argon grinned at each other. They went up the Haldan and grabbed their swords, Argon sliced off his head, and Nerevar slice him in half. Haldan lay there, dead, in three pieces. The shadows around the city started clearing up a little, enough to make a get away. Argon called Odahviing and Durnehviir to fly them out of the city. They quickly flew to Skyrim, but before going to the castle they stopped at Lakeview Manor.
"Why are we stopping?" asked Sheogorath
"I need to grab something." said Argon
Argon ran inside the house and a few minutes later he came out with a scroll in his hand.
"Is that-" started Garnin
"An Elder Scroll? Yes. It is. The Elder Scroll of Sun to be exact." said Argon climbing back on Odahviing.
"Why do we need that?" asked Fayen
"I have a plan. When we get to Xan, you guys cover me, I am going to find a spot somewhere in that throne room, I will read the scroll. I will make the sun come out, and the light will destroy Xan." explained Argon
"And you are sure this will work?" asked Nerevar
"Positive. The sun is under the effects of the Bloodcursed Elven Arrow. Sometimes, when I got bored, I would do that to the sun. Then I would quickly read this scroll and the sun would come back. It will work this time. I know it." said Argon
"Then let's go destroy Xan." said Nerevar