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[Kaelthir]

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(This actually happened two weeks ago, I have just been far too busy to write this up)



Norture sat at the base of a blackwood tree at the northern end of the grove containing the Order's holy ground. He watched the top of Charnel Hill, his reading disturbed. The figure atop the hill clad in shimmering golden armor could only be Bailos, who stood still staring at Umbra. Such was unusual for him, when in the grove he spent his time mainly in the Ancient's Chamber, sitting in the lord's throne plotting. While Norture was always annoyed with Bailos's blatant disrespect to the proper lords, watching him plot atop the hill was much more unnerving. Norture had warned Bailos several times about his Sanctus plans, and recieved updates from scouts every so often. Bailos was losing his grip on Sanctus and faced quite a lot of opposition, undoubtably he needed soldiers to fight for him, he was likely plotting the best way to convince members of the Order to fight for his project. Letting out an annoyed hiss, Norture stood and tucked his book away. He now outranked Bailos, and would not let him use the Order's resources for a project Bailos made very clear was his own, and not for the Order.

Norture made his way towards the front of the temple, finding a number of members gathered, a few sparring like had been done in times when the Order was stronger. He collected the members and asked them if Bailos mentioned anything to them, learning the wraith cleared his throat before ascending up the Hill, purposely wanting attention drawn to him. The blue orbs of energy in Norture's eye sockets swirled as he turned his skull towards the top of the Hill. He was familiar with how Bailos worked his schemes, he likely was trying to draw a member or two up with him and convince them to do his bidding. Assembling the gathered members and leading them through the gates and up the path towards the top of the Hill, Norture intended to make it clear Bailos's folly would not recieve any support from the Order.

"Greetings, Bailos." Norture said upon reaching the alter atop the hill, members in tow, "Unusual to see you up here, staring out towards Umbra like that."
The wraith stood still, only replying after a few moments, "...Hello. What strikes you as unusual?"
"You are usually brooding in the ancient chamber. Are there issues with Sanctus we should be aware of?" Norture replied.
"No, I don't think so. You have problems of your own. You see..." Bailos spoke, folding his hands behind his back and turning to face Norture, "...There are two things in this world. Flesh and faith. And you, are dangerously close to failing at both."
"I fail at faith?" Norture asked, wanting Bailos to clarify so he would have an idea of the angle the wraith would take in his verbal attacks. It was possible Bailos sought revenge for Norture's attempt to lead a coup against him some time ago, or simply sought to smear his name to gain support from other members.
"You teeter dangerously on the edge." Bailos replied, pacing around the pedistal the Ebon Skull laid upon. "Indecision... Inaction... As if waiting for some divine confirmation."
"And what of you? You are faithful, you who never aids us?" Norture replied, turning his skull, following Bailos's movements.
"Oh, but there has been action. For all your aspirations of faith, your sin is inaction. However, there is good news." Bailos replied.
"Oh really?" Norture sneered, becoming annoyed.
"Mhmm. You will be most relieved to hear that I am here to relieve you of this burden of authority." Bailos spoke, now facing Norture.
"I outrank you. Go back to your little sandbox, Bailos." Norture growled, the energy in his eye sockets swirling as he tried to contain his anger.
"Clinging to form, as always. Rigidity, does not equal functionality. If you notice... Only those less powerful than you, care about these ranks." Bailos replied with a laugh.
"And you believe you are the most powerful of us, despite your own inaction? Thus you are a fit leader?" Norture questioned him as thoughts raced through his mind. He couldn't simply stand aside and let Bailos take control of the Order.
"How does my absence equate to weakness? I have done more than you could ever dream of. Listen Norture... Fate rewards the bold. And you are simply... Not bold. There are leaders, and followers, and then there is middle management..."
It was his duty as Inquisitor to prevent trecharous behavior against the Order.
"You will always be, middle management. Just accept it, and move aside. Go back to the cathedral."
It was his duty to ensure members of the Order served Oblivion before themselves.
"You're going to have to, I'm afraid."
"I will not" Norture growled loudly, grabbing the Skull and jumping back. Cradling the skull securely in his left arm, he prepared a spell in his right.

This was the second time Norture had lifted the Skull from its position atop the Hill, the first being a previous occasion when a traitor attempted to take control of the Order. The Skull didn't harm him then, and it didn't harm him now; He felt certain Bailos was nothing more than just another traitor attempting to steal the power of the Order for his own personal gain. Encouraged by his assessment of the situation, he gathered more energy in his hand in preparation, Bailos was an accomplished wizard and would not be defeated easily.
"That's rich. You won't be the one to bring me down, boy." Bailos said after laughing lightly, and assumed a defensive posture. Towards the stairs leading up to the alter, members offered Norture support.
"I will not assist you unless you ask it, my lord." Barl said.
"Oh, this looks fun. If he does bring you down, Nort, I'll gladly return the favor to him." Ivy said as she pulled a box from her pack.
"Get back for now." Norture instructed, keeping his gaze on Bailos. The wraith stood up straight, observing the reactions of the other members.
"I see the men respond to you. Hm, it is a shame you don't understand. You see..." Bailos spoke calmly, turning around, "There is chance, and then destiny." Norture continued to gather the energy in his hand, the energy ball becoming quite condensed, wisps of energy arching off it, watching Bailos's movements carefully. Suddenly, Bailos broke the silence, sending a large arc of lightning streaming at Norture with a triumphant laugh. Quickly, Norture released the energy in his hand towards Bailos, nearly engulfing the lightning. Stray lightning bolts escaping his counter-attack struck Norture, he lurched forward after the energy had coursed through him. He quickly regained focus and looked back to Bailos, who had been knocked back as well.
"Flesh and faith, Norture. I will break you as both." Bailos said, sidestepping around the skull casually with energy crackling in his hands. Norture watched Bailos's movements, not noticing the skull beginning to glow, or even a pale gray energy collecting around his left arm. He felt an energy deep within him and focused on it as Bailos stepped closer, until he finally had a grasp on the power and drew from it. A thick black energy wrapped around his right arm and collecting in his hand, a violet haze flowing off the energy.
"First, I break your flesh!" Bailos exclaimed, letting out a short battle cry before swiping at Norture with energy-filled hands. Norture quickly met Bailos's fist with his own, thrusting the dark energy into Bailos's arm. The wraith continued to swipe, seemingly not effected by the attack. Norture quickly realized it was not him Bailos was aiming at- It was the Skull. Norture quickly drew another ball of energy, even more condensed than before, and thrust it into Bailos's chest pushing him back.
"No! I wont allow it. This, this energy. It is not for you. I curse you, heathen!" Bailos stuttered, traces of the black energy floating off his chest. He began to chant a curse under his breath, watching Norture limp towards him preparing another attack.
"No effect!" Bailos uttered, taking a step back.
"Y... you will not win, you wretch!" Norture snarled, his skeleton slouching, clearly weakened.
"If you will not succumb, Then you will die!" Bailos exclaimed, sending another bolt of lightning at Norture. Too weakened to move quickly, Norture focused his next attack even further, the black energy now swirling around his entire right arm. The bolt hit him, sending him a step back, however he still stood, a violet energy now seething off his skeleton.



"Bah, he stands! Why... won't... you die!" Bailos cried, taking another step back as Norture limped forward again, the grayish energy swirling around his left arm seemingly being absorbed into the Skull.
"Put the Skull down, and I'll let you live. Your length of service is not ove--" Bailos began, his sentance cut off as Norture quickly collected all of the energy gathered in his right arm into a ball and hurled it at Bailos, who jumped out of the way to avoid the attack. The energy ball flew past Bailos as he hit the ground hard, the energy flying into the western corrupted forest.
"It is not for you!" Bailos shouted as he stood up, then looked towards Ivy, "Ivy, strike him down! Now is the time!"
"You are afraid." Norture hissed, moving forward again, collecting more energy in his right arm.
"Isn't this riveting?" Ivy said to Barl, clearly not interested in aiding the wraith. Barl glanced to Ivy, then began to prepare a spell under his breath, eyeing Bailos. Bailos, noting their disinterest in aiding him, focused on Norture once more and spoke, "You are weak. I do not fear you."
Having drawn another sizable amount of energy, Norture formed it into a ball and hurled it at Bailos. The energy burst into several bolts, each moving around Bailos before all coming down upon him. Bailos rose his arms to brace against the attack, however was overcome by the sheer force of the energy and was pushed back, off the edge of the alter atop the hill.
"Flee! Traitor!" Norture yelled loudly, his voice echoing throughout the buildings around the base of the hill. He fell to his knees, the pale gray energy around his left arm disappearing quickly, and the blue energy in his eye sockets fading. His vision gave way to darkness, and his skeleton fell to the ground, soulless.

The darkness surrounded him, a presence he was within. He knew this place, this feeling. He felt it the first time he died, he remembered the sheer horror of it seeping into his human soul and ripping the life from it, replacing it with something stronger. But this time, the feeling was much stronger and more present, completely inescapable. He wondered just how powerful the bolt of energy Bailos sent at him was, was he defeated? Was this final death? His concern shifted to the Order- Bailos was not defeated, what would the rest of the members do? Having recieved a vision from the Skull in the past, he had a rough idea of how he needed to communicate, and attempted to form a message through abstract thought, "This final death, Bailos win?"
The reply was short and fairly clear, he understood it to be "feel, child." He sensed other meanings from the messages, a sense of clarity coming over him. Realizing he was dazed and focusing on the fight still, he let his mind relax. He felt as though an energy was collecting around him, seeping into him. It felt much like when he first died, except calming. There was no animal in his soul to pointlessly struggle against Oblivion, his mind was clear this time to focus on what surrounded him. The energy seeped deeply into his soul, new feelings emerging. He could feel what seemed to be gravity, a definate ground plane. He could feel a body, a skeleton, it was on the ground. He could feel a source of pure darkness, and to a lesser extent he could feel his own essence, the skeleton held it. He made the skeleton move, it rose from the ground slowly. He could 'hear' more messages, abstract thoughts about the Order. He understood completely, a whisper echoing around him, "Dazarieng Johada Terak." A moment later, he realized the whisper was his own.