Ch.26

[Sundas, 25th of Sun’s Height, 4E: 221]

“So yeah, I’m basically your twin sister now because some invisible jackass decided it would be funny.” Shade finished informing me as we walked down the hall in matching tunics and nothing else. If these didn’t have tail-holes the skirts wouldn’t have a hope of getting below the groin.

“Including the sap?” I mewled with a heft of my boobs for emphasis and Shade replied with a sigh and a matching gesture on her own bust accompanied by a nod. “That explains your accessories.” I grumbled with a rub of my wrist bangles that my daughter/sister now also had. She had the full kit courtesy of Hermais, but had no headgear since she had long, beautiful golden feather-hair plumage instead of my regal curved horns.

“Don’t be too upset m-sis. Gosh it feels both right and wrong to say that. Anyway, I was an adult before. I may not clearly remember it, but I know I was a bad person. At least since you took me in and showed me Kindness, Generosity and the other Virtues, I think I turned out pretty good huh?” Shade side-hugged me as we kept walking and I tried not to enjoy the physical contact too much. She’s my sister/former daughter damn it! Stop manipulating me~!

“It’s still wrong to have your second childhood taken away like this.” I insisted and reached behind her, just barely resisting the oddly powerful urge to touch her butt or tail to return the side-hug around her waist. “So, both of us were taken down by our gracious Displacer disagreeing with our search for knowledge yesterday. Let’s find Twilight or Neethsi since Berserker is stuck dealing with the guards and soldiers.”

“Or Rarity.” Shade smirked at me with her eyes twinkling and I sneered before booping her snoot. “Hey~! I’m a grown woman now and I used to be an adult. I mean, I don’t have any innocence after the past couple of Changes. It’s bad enough I’m...not mortal anymore.” Shade squeezed me a bit closer. “Neither of us are sis.” Huh? I don’t feel any less mortal!

“So Neethsi gave us both his affliction?” I asked meekly and Shade nodded.

“You’re too important, too vulnerable. He decided to give you the gift of his blood-hot shit that sounds like a corny and terribly romantic vampire love story line. Anyway, we’re both Lycans like him. The Fourth and Fifth to be exact.” Shade informed me and I gulped nervously. Does Neethsi secretly aim to become a lord of secret power like all those vampire/werewolf dark fantasies?

“Who are the Second and Third?” I heard the Capital Letters attached to us.

“I don’t know. Neethsi didn’t have time to give me a history lesson. I also wasn’t exactly in a stable state of mind with my body demanding I fuck Neeth like a bitch in heat and give him eggs. I’m going to rip out our Displacer’s spine, that fucking asshole.” Shade snarled and grabbed my tail, making me squeak in surprise. “Sorry. I’m just so fucking horny. It sucks!”

“I-I know the f-feeling-let go~!” I squeaked and wriggled out of her grasp. “Oh~ now I’m aroused damn it! Don’t do that!” I whined and quickly transformed. Oh, blessed tranquility and stability. “Reset.” I calmly ordered and Shade obeyed, then we both returned to our flesh forms. “Okay. Good to know that works so well.” I was thankful our clothes didn’t get annihilated.

“Yeah. Partly why I was getting my magicka harvested was because I couldn’t think straight in this body and I needed to rest. I might as well help out Twilight right? Especially after I gorged on a large quantity of the sap you provided.” Shade mewled before we approached Twilight’s headmistress office that had four fully armored and alert guards outside of it.

“Good day ladies. Twilight told us to expect you.” The argonian man next to the knob-side of the door greeted before opening it for us. Such a gentleman.

“Thank you good sir.” I smiled in appreciation at him before going into the office to find Twilight and Berserker-why is he here so fast?! “Uh...weren’t you back at the harvesting room?”

“My daughter Eris gave me a head-start. She told Twilight what happened to you and Shade before and after. She had to hide or else Twilight would’ve strangled both her and Hermais.” Berserker let out a sigh of depression as Twilight placed a hand on his shoulder. He’s still down about that? Way to go, Hermais.

“So, to cut to the chase: You’re both a new form of Lycanthrope or at least new enough to be kept a major secret unless we want to wage a war with the Vigilants of Stendarr. The fact the Nerevarine and two others are also the only other members of your strain would cause a massive societal upheaval that we cannot afford.” Twilight rubbed her temples and shook her head. “You will need to keep your natures beyond your True Forms a complete secret.”

“I’m not about to broadcast that I can turn into a hulking red and gold crocodile. I happen to want to live in society.” I assured the alicorn, even if my beast form had gigantic tits and wider hips.

“Besides, if people find out, all our prospects for casual sex go down the drain.” Shade tacked on and I winced. I wasn’t going to vocally agree, but yeah, that too. Why do I care that much about that when I have Rarity and Neethsi already? Is this the kind of person I am? A total slut? No. I can’t just sex anyone. Even Dar-Ja was mostly because he was cute and we were both consenting adults in need of relief.

“Good, because you two are walking disasters already.” Hey! “I’ve already had to release a PSA so people know about your True Forms and not to scream ‘Daedra!’ whenever you’ll end up going around like that.” Twilight huffed and handed Berserker a clipboard. “You take them from here Bryan. I still have a city to manage with Count Theogoulus bogged down by inter-city politics.”

“Sure thing Twi. Follow me ladies.” Berserker tiredly told us and we did so, promptly leaving Twilight to struggle with the cruelty of bureaucracy that is paperwork. “Now then, I know you just woke up from seriously fucked-up bullshit, but there’s work that needs your attention.”

“Why are you all cooped-up here if there’s work to do Berserker?” I asked curiously, feeling that being an organizer and traditional oversight person when it came to these things was out of his comfort zone.

“Because I don’t have that much leeway anymore. I’m an interdimensional foreigner with no sway who regularly has ‘Ehlnofey’ interfering. While most people appreciate me, the higher-ups are suspicious that I’m plotting to overthrow them. Excluding Twilight, but only because she knows more than they do.” Berserker explained, irritating me extensively. No wonder my own extra-dimensional status was also a secret.

“Well that’s rude. You’re in this situation just as much as anyone else.” Shade huffed with a shake of her head that sent her long, lustrous golden plumage fluttering. My gosh I’m envious of those feathers! “Oh well. What do you have for us? I’m not exactly a fighter, but a lot of the basic magic I eagerly poked my snout into books about should be helpful.”

“I’d rather you not, but with the military still forced to move around with traditional and only some airship support right now, we only have the commissariats using the Wayshrines in preparation for sustaining large deployments. So we’re short of skilled or otherwise available people to tackle some unnerving issues that have been showing up.” Berserker handed me a sheet of paper.

It was a bounty writ, the sort expected to be claimed by any random adventurer who performed the task and had proof of completion or the requested service signed off by the client. This one was from Twilight personally. “Did this even get circulated yet?” I asked warily and Berserker shook his head.

“That’s the only copy of the writ. As you can tell, it’s about investigating a nearby ruin where a distressing number of daedra have been gathering over the past week. They’re content to stay away from populated areas and pathways, so the guards have been ignoring them. Twilight thinks there’s more to it than some daedra worshipers causing a small incursion and wants you to check it out since Neethsi is currently working to restore the Wayshrine network.” Berserker informed us before stopping outside of our dorm room.

“What kind of daedra?” Shade asked when we entered the room and Berserker shrugged. “Got it. Either go and scout it out and report back or wipe it out ourselves. Don’t stress so much Berserker.”

“I’ll try not to. Good luck.” Berserker nodded at us and then strode back down the hall towards the main part of the large U-shaped university building. Shade closed the door and froze at the sight of me frantically digging things out of my magic satchel.

“We’re not going with what we already have. I’m going to assume we’re like near-identical twins and just get your matching suit of gear upgraded like I’m going to do to mine. Then I’m making guns.” I declared after I fetched my hammer, which I need to Name, then began getting to work.

“What’s a ‘gun’?” Shade questioned and I chuckled darkly.

📜

[Morndas, 26th of Sun’s Height, 4E: 221]

The task wasn’t critically time-sensitive, so I spent the rest of Sundas upgrading the light gambeson, leather, chitin and scale armor by infusing the scales and other firm material with dwarven metal, which was much more malleable yet firm once set. I used Netch leather to strengthen the straps and softer parts of the armor while using Strider silk to strengthen the gambeson and also make said padded under-armor water-resistant.

I couldn’t replicate Rarity’s magic with my bra though, so Shade was going to have to stay in a C-cup while wearing the armor like I planned to be, even if originally it was meant to adjust for my changing bust size.

I also did something blasphemous to all save the most ruthless of modders. I made us both magic guns. I literally just took a pre-existing schematic of a dwarven crossbow, stupidly expensive btw, then repurposed the traditional firing mechanism for a magical ‘telekinesis’ propulsion system able to fire quarrels of a relative size at a theorized super-sonic velocity. At least if Shade and I’s collaborative work and an enchanting guide were right.

They were hilariously simple too; basically muzzle-loaded dwarven magic muskets devoid of black powder. The only moving parts were the firing chamber affected by the trigger. When pulled, it would release the weak telekinesis runes keeping the projectile in place and transfer a burst of magicka to the much stronger telekinesis rune at the back of the projectile. All fed by the user’s magicka of course thanks to the ‘battery’ rune in the stock.

We couldn’t test them in town though, so I also brought normal crossbows for us to use just in case these prototypes flubbed. “Any sight of them?” I asked Shade in a whisper since she had the monocular. Believe it or not, a proper scope is really hard to make, so I had to buy a stupidly pricy monocular and could only afford one at the time. I gave it to Shade since I wanted her as far away from danger as possible.

“Let’s see. Green, brown, green, brown-oh hey! It’s a mass of blue, purple orange and red humanoid figures of varying sizes in the middle of a dreary and drab swamp.” Shade snarked bitingly. “I swear, with this many the guards are fucking morons for leaving them be. I count seven already and this can’t be all of them.”

“Shit. Maybe we should head back and let them know a contingent should come out here.” I grumbled, only for Shade to bop the back of my helmet.

“That’s loser talk sis! Let’s at least deal with these pests and then see what it looks like closer to the source.” Shade said before she loaded one of the smooth marble-sized iron ball bearings I’d made for the guns into the rifled barrel and took aim. “It’s shaking so much.”

“Take a deep breath, hold it, then exhale slowly either after or just before you fire.” I coached my new sibling. She followed my instructions, then a loud ear-hurting gunshot went off, followed by a lot of unnatural shrieking and bellowing. I helped her reload and she took a second shot. A third. By the fourth the daedra had entered our part of the swamp and she folded the monocular to the right side of the gun so she could use the iron sights and I joined her.

We both got off one more shot and then I bolted forward, thrusting the ebony bayonet I’d made for both of our weapons into the jugular of the approaching demonic creature. My heart was pounding in my ears, the adrenaline high was incredible. I panted and backed away with immortal ichor dripping from the crystalized godsblood that was my spearhead/knife.

“W-well sis...that’s all seven of those guys, but I think I hear more coming.” Shade warily said as she scanned the swamp with her monocular again. Thank gosh we were on a little hill to give just the slightest vision advantage. “Fuck! We’ve got well over ten coming! Sis, get ready!” Shade began firing and I helped her reload again.

By the time they arrived in our small battleground, Shade had fired five times, leaving five to enter the small clearing surrounding the tiny hill. We felled two more with bullets before the last three were upon us. Again I surprised the first by boldly charging directly at it and stabbing into its throat through the gap between it’s helmet and armor. I yanked back in time to dodge its ally and then blocked it’s sword with the metal-encased wood of the stock.

This gave Shade the opening to reload and shoot the humanoid creature in the back. It gurgled and slumped against me as I backed away and let it fall face-first against the slope of the hill. “Thanks Shade.” I panted and inspected my gun. Damn it. I took out Hepha, my magic hammer, then repaired the gash in the stock on the spot.

“You’ve gotta make it shoot faster. It’s incredibly powerful, but it doesn’t fire any faster than a standard repeating crossbow.” Shade commented and then furrowed her brows. “Why do I know that?”

“That might be knowledge from our old world. They had rudimentary guns that weren’t nearly this good as well as crossbows.” I said in worry as I looked over the blue-skinned Dremora and the similarly hued Banekin before I got to work looting the Dremora of all its equipment.

“Or maybe from Berserker. I remember he had guns himself. Lots of guns in all shapes and sizes.” Shade added on before thinking about it some more. “You know, from the sound of things, he hasn’t made mention of using his guns. It’s like he’s trying to avoid using them.”

“Maybe it’s because he knows those big-wigs would start demanding such weaponry for their armies.” It would be wise to keep such things a secret. If everyone in Tamriel knew, it would be an Arms Race. Then again, since these guns were stupidly easy to make, I’m sure it would be nice if there was a musket corps able to shut down a charge of Dominion soldiers.

“Well, why not do it ourselves? These guns are really effective at long range and make good spears at melee range, unlike bows or crossbows that become useless once an enemy is in your face.” Shade reasoned and I sighed out my nose. Well...this world wouldn’t become too much deadlier with firearms than it already was. Just about anybody could cast Destruction magic if they just practice. If nothing similar already exists, I could even market it.

“Fair enough. I’ll think about it. Let’s see if we can find where they’re coming from.”

📜

That is just distressing. The groups we slaughtered had to have been dremora-led patrols, because the entrance to what had to be an ancient argonian Xanmeer was crawling with daedra. Literally in the case of the Harvesters. Towering Xivili commanded them and the dremora, who then delegated to the banekin. Aside from the dremora, these were all daedra chiefly associated with Molag Bal.

Fuck.

“We should head back.” Shade warily hissed into my ear and I nodded. There was no way we could deal with this many enemies at once. We may have beast forms and our Atronach forms, but this was beyond us. We should learn more magic or something to even the odds in the future.

We slipped back into the murky waters, avoiding the corpses of the native beasts that had been tossed into the mire without any care. Ironically enough the daedra made it easy to sneak up to their incursion point because the corpses made it harder to see things moving in the already clouded swamp water. I’m so glad I’m an argonian right now or the water wouldn’t have been an approach option.

Of course, that was when a much bigger reptile than us decided to emerge from the mire and I swam frantically next to Shade to avoid the massive creature as it rose from the murky depths. We surfaced and watched in a mixture of horror and awe at the gigantic spiked beast that rose from the swamp and roared at the daedra and summoned lightning along its spine. So this is a Wamasu, a mythical lightning ‘dragon’ of Black Marsh.

It charged into the throng of invaders, ignoring arrows and spells that skittered and splashed across it’s scales. That wasn’t all the swamp had for the daedra. The commotion drew giant hulks that looked like fallout series deathclaws if they went to the gym. I think those are Behemoths.

The tide of beasts gave me hope that Black Marsh’s own natural defenses would do the invaders in. My hopes were crushed when an armored entity emerged from the ruin and knocked the Wamasu away with a single swing of it’s brutal daedric warhammer. This heralded the arrival of more of these heavily armored humanoids who replaced the flagging daedra as the main combatants.

For every one that the Wamasu and Behemoths disabled, two Behemoths were killed. It was a slaughter. Soon enough, the Wamasu too was dead with unbelievably massive greatswords skewered into it’s eye sockets. As if that weren’t enough, the bodies of the defeated juggernauts vanished, armor and weapons too. Those that weren’t downed were herded back inside by the cautious daedra as if the entities were too stupid to find their own way back inside.

“We need to warn them.” I hissed to Shade and we dove under the water to swim away as fast as possible. This needed an army, not a couple of plucky adventurers with guns.

What are those things? Those couldn’t be dremora. Those juggernauts, fuck it, capital letter time. Those Juggernauts must be some sort of new daedra Molag Bal created like the Xivkyn. They could take tons of punishment and dish a ton of it out, but once the fighting was done, they just stood around like listless dullards.

I don’t think guns will help against those kinds of guys. They didn’t respond to pain, only dismemberment and even then only in that they couldn’t use the missing limbs. Whatever they ended up being, they were strong and seemed to be bonded to those encompassing suits of heavy plate armor.

We snuck past a patrol of daedra through the water and continued back towards Lilmoth. Once we were away from the perceived danger zone, we got out of the water by the road and legged it as fast as we could, which was really fast to be honest.

Next Chapter: Ch.27 Estimated time remaining: 14 Hours, 31 Minutes