Chapter 82
---Next Day---
After bidding my fiancées, Aela, and Lydia farewell, I went about collecting the two Daedric Artifacts in Whiterun, the Ebony Blade and the Sanguine Rose. Retrieving the weapons from Dragonsreach and the Bannered Mare respectively, I began trekking southeast toward Largashbur to retrieve Malacath’s war hammer Volendrung from the Orcs who lived there. As I came upon Honningbrew Meadery, a golden scaled dragon flew over my head at speed and let out an ear-piercing roar.
Banking left, the dragon came around and prepared to use his flames on me. Instead of slaying him, I saw this as a golden opportunity to secure myself a dragon mount like Miraak had. Using Bend Will on it, before it could utter a syllable, the dragon slowed and came to a rest just outside the meadery. Crawling over to me, it took a moment to observe me closely before speaking.
“Your Thu’um is quite powerful, Dovahkiin. What is it you would ask of me?”, the dragon asked, curiously.
“I would ask that you serve as my trusted partner and wings!”, I replied, reaching out and touching his snout, “My current journey has me traversing this vast land looking for Daedric Artifacts, and it would be quite a lot easier if I had your assistance. What say you?”
“Hmm…”, the dragon said, as if pondering something, “Very well, Dovahkiin, I will follow you and show you the world as only a Dovah can see it. Climb on my back and tell me where you would like to go.”
“I appreciate your assistances, Dovah. What should I call you?”, I inquired, wanting to call it by its name.
Surprised that I asked for its name, I swore I saw a smile creep onto its face.
“You may call me, Julnirsov, Dovahkiin.”, the dragon answered, “What should I call you?”
“Call me Victor, Julnirsov.”, I chuckled, as I jumped onto its back, “As for our first destination, we need to head for a small Orc Stronghold to the southeast called Largashbur. They are in possession of a Daedric Artifact that I need.”
Acknowledging my request, Julnirsov quickly took the skies and began heading in that direction. Feeling the wind surge past me as he picked up speed, I sat back and enjoyed the unbridled freedom of flight in a manner that only a dragon could.
<I apologize for ruining the moment, Master, but I have an update on that special matter we discussed a few months ago. I believe I found the ideal world for you to hold your wedding on.>
With the Academy well behind us and everyone at least twenty years of age now, I felt it was the right time to marry my fiancées. Wanting to make this momentous occasion truly special for them, I gave Luxion a set of parameters that needed to be met and sent deployed a drone ship to look for the ideal planet for us.
“I knew finding the ideal world would not be easy, but I never expected it to take five months.”, I sighed, “So where is this world?”
<The planet is named Primus Forty-Seven, it is a newly completed resort world located in the Algrand Empire. If you would like, I can make the necessary arrangements to secure the world for a month, Master.>
“Please do so, set the start date for two months from now. That should be plenty of time to get the dresses made, invitations sent out, and all the arrangements completed.”, I commanded him.
<Understood, Master!>
Leaving things to him, I began planning out how to tell my fiancées the news.
(AN: So everyone is aware, here is the current ages of Victor and his harem members:
Angelica, Olivia, Roxanne, and Victor - 20
Clarice - 21
Deidre - 22
Mylene - 38
Lucoa - 300+ (Dragon Blood gives her a very extended life)
---Three Hours Later---
As we approached the Orc Stronghold, we found them amidst a bloody battle with a group of four giants. Spotting several injured people being dragged back from the outer wall, the stronghold was clearly in dire straits. Deciding to save them, instead of letting the giants slaughter them, I gave Julnirsov his marching orders.
“Well Julnirsov, feel up to roasting so idiot giants?”, I questioned, with a playful smile.
“Of course!”, Julnirsov responded, tucking his wings in and barrel rolling into a dive.
Feeling the wind rip past me, as we rapidly exceeded four hundred miles an hour, Julnirsov prepared to flambe all the giants in one go. Unfurling his wings at the last possible second, he unleashed a torrent of hellfire upon them as we rocketed past them. Blasting the Orcs off their feet, the giants began screaming in pain as their bodies were engulfed in flames. Attempting to pat the fire out, when that did not work, they began running to a nearby stream to quench the flames.
“Nice one, Julnirsov. Bring us back around, this time let me show you what I can do!”, I laughed, “This form of combat is far more exhilarating than anything I have experienced thus far!”
“It is to be expected, your dragon’s blood feels at home in the skies more than it does on the ground!”, Julnirsov chuckled, as he came around for a second pass, “Show them your Thu’um!”
“Qo Thul Strun!”, I shouted, using Miraak’s deep knowledge of the Dragon Tongue to create my own shout.
(AN: I used an English to Dragon translator to make this shout. It means Lightning, Thunder, and Storm respectively in Dragon Tongue.)
Discharging a maelstrom of lightning upon the giants, in a matter of seconds, all of them were reduced to ashes by those three words. Awestruck by how powerful the Thu’um was, I looked forward to using it in my regular arsenal. Such power did not exist elsewhere in the cosmos so I was certain no one would be able to counter it.
“Alright Julnirsov, let us go say hello to the locals.”, I said.
Nodding his head, Julnirsov came around a third time and touched down a few thousand yards from the stronghold. Sliding off his back, the two of us began to approach the settlement as a few members of the tribe nervously came to greet us. Knowing they did not possess the power to fight either of us, the Orc Mage Atub stepped forward and requested to know what we wanted.
“I am here to collect Volendrung from you. Your deity, Malacath, told me to come here and retrieve it from the one called Yamarz.”, I remarked, as I took off my helmet and crossed my arms.
“You…you have come for our Malacath’s war hammer…?”, she replied, with a worried look.
Sensing that something was amiss, I quickly recalled that the settlement did not actually have the war hammer anymore. In the game, the giants had stolen it from the settlement due to their chieftain’s cowardice and weakness.
<Bring out my war hammer for him now!> (Malacath)
Recognizing their deity’s voice immediately, the Orcs realized I was not joking. Opening their gates for me to enter, they guided me to their longhouse where Yamarz was lounging around. Far less muscular and toned than the other Orc men here, he had really let himself go and was a husk of Orc at this point.
“Yamarz, you heard Lord Malacath. Hand over the war hammer immediately lest more misfortune befall our tribe.”, Atub said.
“I am to give our treasured war hammer to this Outlander?”, Yamarz grunted, glaring at me, “Why would I do that?”
“Your deity told you, that is why.”, I remarked, “If that is not enough reason…”
Pointing my hand toward the rocky mountain behind their stronghold, I snapped my fingers calling down a powerful laser blast from Yamato. Vaporizing half the mountain in an instant, the Orc’s face paled as he understood I was not to be trifled with. Quickly rising to his feet, Yamarz brought over a normal Orcish War Hammer and handed it to me with an apologetic look.
“Here you are.”, he said, in a more respectful tone, “This is Volendrung, the war hammer you seek.”
“Malacath, shall I tell him, or will you?”, I remarked, dropping the war hammer to the ground.
Confused by what was happening, the Orcs looked at Yamarz who began to profusely sweat. Refusing to speak up, Malacath interjected himself into the conversation to tell all the Orcs why they had been suffering for so long.
<That ordinary war hammer is not Volendrung, is it Yamarz? You lost the hammer over a decade ago to the giants and have been ignoring my demands to retrieve it ever since then. That is why I continue to punish you because my war hammer is serving as those neanderthal’s backscratcher!!> (Malacath)
“If this Outlander needs it, he can go it!”, Yamarz sheepishly protested.
<WHAT WAS THAT YOU GUTLESS WORM!!> (Malacath)
“If I go get the hammer, would that not make the rightful chief of this stronghold? In that case, I will gladly bring it back here and show your kin what a true chieftain looks like.”, I stated, with a fiendish smile, “Tonight, your wife and daughters will warm my bed while you cry off in a corner.”
Looking at their chief, expecting a powerful response to my provocation, surprisingly the Orc man just stood there with his mouth agape. Even though I uttered those words, I had no intention of carrying out such a heinous act with his wife. It was my policy to never lay a hand on a woman in a happy, loving marriage, that is why I had no guilt in pursuing Mylene like I did.
<Well Yamarz, what is going to be?> (Malacath)
Sensing his struggle to contain his laugher, it appeared that the Daedric Prince found my provocation quite amusing.
“I…I…”, Yamarz stuttered, looking at his people, “Fine, I will go get the damn war hammer!”
Quickly retrieving his equipment, the Orc Chieftain marched out of the settlement and began heading toward the giant camp. Wondering if they should send help to aide Yamarz, Malacath promptly told them to let Yamarz resolve this matter himself. Leaving things at that, the Orcs looked at me with questioning gazes.
“While we await his return, is there anything I can assist you with around your stronghold? I am quite handy with both magic and tools.”, I stated, trying to lighten the mood, “Also, whichever one of you is Yamarz’ wife, you have my sincerest apologies. I have no intention of forcing myself on you or your daughters. My hope was that your husband would grow a pair and rise the occasion, but clearly, he has none.”
“Please do not worry about it, Outlander. While a bit overzealous, Young Orc men will provoke a chieftain in a similar fashion in a bid to usurp their title. A good chieftain would accept the challenge and fight them to either correct their misplaced egos or kill them for questioning their rule.”, Atub said, with a smirk, “As for your offer to assist us, there are many things that we could use another strong man’s help with. To begin with, we need help replacing and strengthening our outer walls. Lob, Ogol, and Ugor can assist with that, right?”
“Of course!”, the three men said, slamming their fists into their chests.
Reaching my hand out, I exchanged a firm handshake with each of them. Asking them to begin removing the damaged and rotting poles, I told them to leave gathering the replacement logs to me. Agreeing to the division of labor, the four of us got to work improving their situation while we waited for Yamarz to return.