Chapter 23: Seriously! Even More Train... Oh, Never Mind
(4E-201 17th of Last Seed)
Helgen Keep
Nordrick had continued following his clearly laid out path, all the way to Helgen Keep. As soon as he entered, he sat down for a moment, hoping for a chance to make sense of everything that had happened. However, he was given no such reprieve, as he could clearly hear the sound of footsteps and muffled speech coming from further within the Keep.
'Herma Mora's wagging tongue! This just isn't my day!' He thought, agitated, as he hunkered down beside the cage door from where the sounds were coming.
Waiting patiently for his moment to strike, he wrapped his entire body up in a Wind Cloak. The Imperials were opening the cage door and were almost in position.
'Two… one… now!'
Nordrick charged his fists with lightning and lunged with blinding speed towards the leading Imperial soldier. His hand connected with her steel helmet that became slightly bent inwards, while her body went flying into the wall. Her body then lay there lifeless and mangled, her head only barely attached to her neck.
The second soldier had little time to register the threat, much less mangage a defense. Without giving any attention to the nearly decapitated soldier, as soon as his fists landed, he spun around and delivered a devastating backhand, right into the second soldier's face.
The second soldier also was sent flying albeit with slightly less force. The entire right side of his face was a bloody exposed mess. The entire exchange took less than three seconds and Nordrick stood victorious over the Imperial corpses.
"Fucking Clairvoyance Spell! Wasn't it supposed to lead me to safety!? Well, I suppose he did say that no harm would come to me and, so far, no harm has come to me. Not to mention, I'd rather be in here fighting Imperials than out there fighting… REALLY, A FUCKING DRAGON!?"
Nordrick once again forced himself to calm down, taking long slow breaths. Once he felt ready to move on and enter through the cage door the Imperials had just unlocked, he spotted a slightly translucent blue glimmering figure appear in the middle of the doorway.
"A spirit!"
"No, Nordrick, not a spirit. A projection. But that's not important right now. What is important is that you listen to me and follow my instructions. The path has already been laid out for you, all you need do is follow it. From here on out you will face some challenges but I'm certain it's nothing you can't handle. Prove to me that you are worthy and perhaps I'll continue tutoring you from where your father's research dropped off. All you have to do is follow the path and make it to the exit of the tunnel leading from here. There, I'll be waiting to take you somewhere far away from all this madness outside, somewhere you can train in safety for what's to come." As soon as the projection spoke these last words, it began fading away into a white misty trail of magicka leading deeper into the Keep.
"Wait! How do you know my father? Come back!" Nordrick shouted after the apparition but it had already dissipated.
"Dammit! It looks like I'll need to get through whatever challenges this guy is talking about. Even if for no other reason than to find out how he knows about my father and his research."
Nordrick looked around at the corpses in the room, picked out a couple of pieces of armor that actually fit, equipped two steel swords at his waist, and a shield on his left forearm.
Feeling a bit more prepared and clear headed than earlier, he moved through the cage door, following the wispy trail of magicka to his first challenge.
-----
Galeron, while only paying half attention to the Psijic window showing the Dragonborn's progress, was floating cautiously through Helgen and carefully timing his teleports. He was rounding up the high ranking Imperials and Stormcloaks and Inducting them.
General Tullius and the Imperial Captain for Helgen's troops were already back at the Fort awaiting further instructions. He was now just picking through the leftovers and making sure no one left this city. Alduin's rampage seemed to have less energy than before and Galeron suspected he would soon leave.
Helgen had, after all, received far more damage than what was shown in-game. The town had practically been flattened and the set aflame. The only exception there being the Keep and even it wasn't looking too good.
A couple of minutes later, Alduin finally felt his work was done and flew off into the eastern distance. Galeron took this opportunity to swiftly sweep the town's perimeter, looking for any potential escapees.
It only took him a little over an hour to ensure that everyone in Helgen was either dead or undead and safely transported to Fort Doomguard. He then positioned himself in the center of Helgen and called forth a massive chunk of his magicka to cast an enhanced and modified version of the Firestorm Spell. A large ring of crimson flames appeared around Galeron and began swelling up, before gushing outwards in torrential waves. The sweltering flames quickly covered over the entire town, disintegrating anything that wasn't stone or metal.
'There we go! That should clear away any obstructions. Now the clean up and rebuilding efforts should be a piece of cake.'
With that bit of business neatly out of the way, he then teleported directly to the exit of the cave leading out of Helgen and waited for his Dovahkiin to arrive.
The Dragonborn arrived less than thirty minutes later and began running when he saw Galeron standing at the Cave's exit. "Wait, don't leave, I need to talk to you." Nordrick shouted, while waving at Galeron.
"Of course! Why would I leave? I'm the one who told you to meet me here, remember?"
"Right, I just wanted to make sure. Look, I just want to know how you knew my father."
"Hmmm… did I say I knew your father? I don't believe I did. I've never met your father. I believe your assumption lies in the fact that I know of the secret combat style you and he were researching. You've assumed that you and your father were the only ones aware of this method and, thus, connected me with your father.
"If you're asking me how I knew of you, your father, and your research, I can only say that I'm not only a foreigner to Tamriel but also a member of a secret organization which has many methods and means at its disposal.
"As you might've guessed, a secret organization wouldn't be very secret if they just offered information about themselves to anyone who asked. As such, I'm not at liberty to discuss the organization, its members, its goals, or its operations.
"Let me be clear, what I'm offering you is the opportunity to learn not only the secrets of your art that you've yet to uncover but also other more powerful magics.
"Now that Alduin, the dragon you just witnessed, has returned, it's only a matter of time before he begins reviving the other dragons. When that happens, you'll need all the power you can possibly acquire, if you intend to face these dragons. You might not think of yourself as a slayer of dragons but, once you've defeated your first dragon, you'll understand what my organization has come to understand.
"You, Nordrick of Gallifrey, are Dragonborn! Some may claim that you're destined or fated to fight Alduin but, of course, we always have a choice. And that's what I'm offering you here today, a choice.
"Come with me and, as my pupil, you'll not only complete your knowledge of the Formless Element Style but you'll also learn even more impressive magics that can compliment and synergize with it. You'll be ready and prepared to combat anything that comes your way, including these newly arrived Dragons.
"Leave here alone and, whether you choose to fight the Dragons and eventually Alduin or not, you will be fully unprepared for when they attack.
"I'll leave my portal open for thirty minutes." Galeron stated nonchalantly, while raising his hand toward the cave wall. A white shimmering portal appeared on its surface, as Galeron floated towards it.
"You'll have that long to think it over. Goodbye, for now, Nordrick of Gallifrey. Perhaps, I'll see you in a bit." He finished, disappearing into the portal.
-----
Nordrick stood there with his lips moving but with no sound coming from them. He had so many questions and this unreasonable person just up and leaves, through a portal of all things, after dumping a bunch of crazy information on him.
'Well, shit! That guy just comes and goes as he pleases, doesn't he? I've got so many questions, after everything that's happened, and it seems like he's the only one who might be able to give me some of those answers.
'Still, I have no idea who he is. Although, that seems to appear less and less important the more I think about it. Just these ridiculous circumstances themselves are practically forcing my hand on this issue. As much as I'd like more time to gather information and consider my options, it doesn't seem like I'm going to get that opportunity.
'I'm not really sure what all this Dragon and Dragonborn stuff is about or what in Oblivion this secret organization is up to but, at this point, I feel like I'm just stalling. My mind's already made up. I just need to stop hesitating and get on with it.'
Nordrick walked over to the portal and stood directly in front of it. He took one last look, through the cave's exit, at the Skyrim countryside that he could only see a small segment of and then stepped through without a second thought.
-----
Galeron floated serenely in the air in a meditative position, mulling over the information he'd gleaned from the much anticipated Helgen debacle.
Firstly, there was Alduin. True to his hypothesis, Alduin could roar normally but his usage of fire breath and other abilities all sounded more like the shouts used by the Dovahkiin than the shrieking roars that the game portrayed. The game had been fairly inconsistent in when to employ the terminological version of Dragon breath abilities and when to use the simple Dragon roar versions.
Secondly, Alduin didn't seem to have noticed his Spirit Barrier. Galeron had designed them to be invisible to the naked eye but that was only the naked Human eye. He had no way of knowing what a Dragon was capable of seeing.
As for Nordrick, Galeron had already been aware of his presence before the ambush at Darkwater Crossing. During not only Venerus's journey across Cyrodiil but also through his Dremora's many outings there, he had confirmed the presence of a non-canon village called Gallifrey.
He'd found it particularly odd that such a pop-culturally relevant village name should exist in a real life version of a fantasy world and so he investigated and found exactly what he'd expected to find.
During Galeron's past life, he had a variety of characters that he'd built up while playing ESO. One of those characters, a Male Nord with a bald head and a blonde mustache, he had named Nordrick of Gallifrey. Inside that real life version of the village of Gallifrey, he found the real life version of his character, down to the 'T.'
This had made him quite curious but, like most other things, he had brushed it aside in order to pursue more important lines of inquiry. Finding out his ESO character was actually the Dragonborn, was equally intriguing yet still didn't warrant further consideration. Whatever was going on with this nonsense, he currently lacked even a starting point at which he might begin to form a logical pathway between these bits of trivia and a reliable conclusion.
As for Nordrick's Formless Element Style of fighting, it was somewhat impressive but it wasn't anything Galeron himself couldn't replicate and even surpass with ease. Hence, his confidence in being able to teach the kid a thing or two in that arena.
As far as what he planned to teach Nordrick to synergize with his current fighting style, well, that was a bit more complicated. That bit of magic didn't necessarily exist just yet. Galeron would have to work long and hard, if he wanted to be able to deliver on that promise by the time Nordrick was ready for it.
Galeron suspected that the nature of a Dragonborn's soul, or perhaps even their body's, might be somehow resistant or even immune to being turned into undead. As such, he couldn't risk trying to turn Nordrick, until he knew more about his condition.
Not to mention that it wasn't at all Galeron's plan to turn everyone into undead. That, in his eyes, would've just been plain stupid. If he were to do that, then where would new undead come from and even Vampires, currently the most sophisticated form of undead, required humans for food. Taking out all of the reproductive mortal species would only serve to stagnate the current state of biological diversity. Change wasn't always a good thing but there are many times when it is needed.
This also overlooked the fact that Undead were typically bound to a master and, if everyone serves the same master, there could hardly be anything interesting going on in the world with so few reasons for conflict. Perhaps, if he tried hard enough, he could transform all the mortals of nirn into undead but he wouldn't. That would basically just be an undead utopia and utopias were the height of boredom and blandness.
No, Galeron would turn who needed to be turned, kill who needed to be killed, cultivate who needed to be cultivated, and ignore who needed to be ignored. His new friend Nordrick was already marked for cultivation and so he would be cultivated. He may one day join Galeron's army of undead but that possibility wouldn't exist for quite some time.
Galeron heard footsteps coming from his portal and smiled under his mask. Resuming his usual floating position, upright with hands clasped behind his back, he moved a bit closer to Nordrick.
"So then, Nordrick, will you accept me as your Master?"
"If you can truly teach me all that you claim, then yes. I will study under you for as long as you are willing and capable of teaching me more."
"Excellent! Then follow me and we'll get your training started right away."
-----
(4E-201 20th of Last Seed)
Fort Doomguard
The first day that Galeron had tutored Nordrick, he had spent almost an hour just having him demonstrate all that he had learned. This, unexpectedly, was an enlightening experience for Galeron.
As it turned out this martial art that was one aspect of the Formless Element Style actually contained the secret to unlocking a body's full physical potential. In other words these were Body Arts, or better yet, Vitality Arts. Essentially they were the physical vitality and stamina based abilities used Eras ago by Dragonknights, Night Blades, and others.
The key to unlocking these abilities was to develop a perfectly balanced body. This wasn't a reference to walking on ropes or even the proportions of muscle, although these would naturally result once this balance was achieved.
These Body Arts could only be unlocked by balancing your strength, flexibility, and speed. There didn't seem to be any external metrics that determined when these factors were in or out of balance. However, some of the very specific forms that were a part of this style would draw one into a type of semi meditative trance. Under the effects of this trance, one could discern how each of these attributes related to the others and roughly gauge how to go about affecting their growth.
On top of the other hellish training that Galeron had lined up for Nordrick, he had insisted that Nordrick focus heavily on increasing his proficiency in, as Galeron referred to it, his Vital Balance. In other words, increasing his strength, flexibility, and speed together in equal increments.
This method of training led to a slightly slower rate of progress but its benefits couldn't be underestimated. From unlocking the ability to access Stamina as a resource, just like using magicka, to even being able to use one's own Vitality as resource, one's combat potential would inevitably skyrocket with such tools at their command.
Nordrick had already unlocked his Stamina, which was distinct from simply being able to do something for a long time, and could already use it to increase the power of his punches and kicks. He hadn't yet developed any specific abilities but, with Galeron's guidance, he would inevitably acquire these sooner rather than later.
Galeron had already crafted for Nordrick his own even thicker and heavier training armor and Nordrick was currently running burpie sprints up and down a mountain path. From the top of the frozen peaks, in the Frost Atronach territory, all the way down past the streams of lava and into the scorched earth crackling with Lightning and Storm Atronachs, Nordrick pushed himself to endure the elements and the muscle strain.
While Nordrick was busy with his training and Galeron with his studies, one of Galeron's Crying Corpses came running in through a portal.
"Master, Master, Master Galeron, the dragon you spoke of, it's on the move as we speak! It's heading straight for Whiterun!"
Galeron snapped his head around, as soon as he heard the footsteps, and his expression turned grim upon hearing the messenger's news.
"Well shit! I suppose there's no helping it. It's do or die time!"
Galeron wasted no time in teleporting to Nordrick and then immediately opening a portal to a certain Whiterun Watchtower.
Just as they appeared at the tower, Galeron conjured a humanoid shaped shell of Psijic energy filled to the brim with bright golden healing sunlight energies. This humanoid shape he then sent forward to cover over Nordrick's entire body.
As the Psijic shell grew ever smaller, Nordrick could feel the fatigue in his muscles and bones flowing rapidly out of his body.
"Brace yourself, Nordrick! It's happening a bit sooner than I'd hoped but the time is upon us! You mustn't falter!"
Both of them looked off into the distant northwest, where they saw a small dot in the sky, rapidly growing in size.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone