Late Merethic Era.
More than 4500 years before the birth of the Last Dragonborn.
Falmeret/Skyrim.
Several months later.
Feator Kaslana.
My training was progressing…
Mundanely.
That’s probably the best description of what was happening.
My appointment as First Sword also ensured that I got the best teachers of swordsmanship and magic by default.
It makes me feel like some kind of, brr, chosen one, but what can you do?
I’m not the first, ahem, First Sword, and I won’t be the last.
Especially since I’ll have to play the role of a great defender of Auri-El’s faithful for this generosity, ye-e-es…
Besides, they didn’t designate a Great Enemy that only I can defeat.
So everything is within the bounds of reason and logic, yes.
The template isn’t broken.
Though I’m not about to sell myself short either.
I’m no shrinking violet, after all.
And not a genius, of course, but far from a fool.
In the end…
I even understand the reason for choosing yours truly.
Not just what the archbishop mentioned, but also the simple fact that I have more motivation and perseverance than other Snow Elves.
They don’t know what kind of hell awaits Tamriel in the future.
And I know…
And that’s what makes me persist as if my thesis submission is due in a week.
And the fact that I completed my training with Vaysi in seven years instead of twenty confirms that because of my past life, I can develop faster…
Which again makes it perfectly logical that, ahem, the best person to train is the one who can make full use of the time the finest Knight-Paladins will spend on me.
* * * “As you understand, I can’t teach you to control the River of Time directly.” Captain Galathil, standing beside me, spoke.
He might not have been the absolute best swordsman, but he was certainly the best teacher in the art of the sword.
Unfortunately, the best at something isn’t always a good teacher.
How many examples of that have there been…
“That’s logical.
Only the First Sword has authority over the Time aspect.” I stated the fact without any self-satisfaction.
“But you saw how my predecessor did it, and…” “Yes, he entrusted me with training his successor.” The v-e-e-ery old elf closed his eyes.
How old was he?
Over four hundred?..
“Don’t go easy on him, Captain.
He’s quite sturdy for his age.” My dear Vaysi finally spoke up, standing nearby.
Right now she was clad in the standard armor of the Knight-Paladins.
“Thank you for the support, Vaysi.” I saluted with my training sword, deliberately using the nickname that annoyed her.
“Then shall we not delay, Captain?” I suggested, casting Oakflesh on myself — a spell familiar to me from the games.
When cast, the skin becomes nearly invulnerable to unenchanted and unsharpened steel swords, which is what the Knight-Paladins use for their sparring.
“Little Daedric belch.” came the reply, and I just grinned contentedly.
“It seems my friends were right that the current First Sword is draining them dry, demanding three times as many lessons.” Galathil chuckled slightly, also casting the same spell on his body and smoothly settling into a stance.
Well, what can I do?
I’m used to daily training, while the Snow Elves typically practice twice a week.
Maybe three.
But definitely not every day.
And I wanted to train every single day.
Because unlike tedious lectures on jurisprudence, real fencing and the use of magic were far, far more interesting.
Far more necessary for survival than knowing some law that you can always look up in a codex and, if you’re not an idiot, understand what it says.
“Use the basic time acceleration of the body.” the man asked me with excessive politeness, settling into a very relaxed stance.
“Your predecessor said to tell you exactly that.” “Hmm.
I think I understand what he meant…” For safety, I hadn’t used Auri-El’s powers all these months, so this would practically be the first time.
But I remembered the feeling from back then, in the fight with the ice giant.
Like sunbeams warming the skin, making heat spread through every cell of the body…
The world slowed down.
I sped up.
“It worked.” I said, watching the surrounding space become somewhat slower.
By a third, it seemed.
“Ca-a-an…
Yo-o-ou…
He-e-ear…
Me-e-e?
Like this?” my current teacher spoke, first slowing down, then returning to normal speed.
“You started speaking faster?” I guessed the method the captain used to negate our speed difference.
“I got used to it after working with your pre-e-e-decessor.” came from the man.
He lagged in speed here and there, but overall, it wasn’t critical.
“Begin your attack.
Let’s first see how long you can last in this state…” Without arguing, I lunged forward.
My own feeling hadn’t changed — my arms or legs weren’t moving faster…
But from the outside, I probably looked mu-u-uch faster.
Still, not enough that a captain of the Knight-Paladins with centuries of experience couldn’t oppose me.
He managed to put his blade against my sword, and his lightning magic was swift enough to catch up to me and disperse my flames.
Time Magic — a cheaty thing.
Besides speeding up, my stamina remained at the same level.
And magic wasn’t consumed…
Everything would be fine, but the blessing’s effect had its own limit, independent of physical stamina or mana reserves.
It was something…
New.
Tied to Auri-El and Aedric energy.
“Hmm-m-m…” I grunted in confusion when I was thrown out of the acceleration.
I don’t remember such mechanics from the game…
Or was there something, and I just plain forgot?
But I often refreshed my memories, constantly replaying events from the Elder Scrolls games I’d played…
Ha-a-ah…
Well, not important.
“Two minutes, sixteen seconds.” Galathil said, noting the duration of Auri-El’s blessing.
“Better or worse than my predecessor?” I asked, not forgetting to get back into a fighting stance.
The sparring wasn’t over yet, and the captain hadn’t told me otherwise.
As for the question, I already knew the answer.
I’d pried it out of the lady-archbishop, who’s been living for a thousand years.
Yep, that’s right.
Essentially being one of the highest priests of Auri-El in all of Tamriel, she received a longer life for longer service to her God.
Something like that.
I don’t think the God of Time would find it hard to pull off such a trick with aging.
“Almost twice as good.” the Snow Elf muttered in bewilderment, and it seemed to me, even somewhat grimly.
Suspiciou-u-us…
In general, the power of Auri-El’s blessing — the River of Time — doesn’t depend on any other factors except the will of Akatosh himself.
And he determines what level of power to give his First Sword.
For his own reasons, unknown to mortals…
Or the higher hierarchy of the Chantry of Auri-El lied to me a bit.
…Of course, it’s somewhat unpleasant to be dependent on another’s will, but…
Our interests align.
I’m not planning to submit to Daedra, destroy the world, and so on.
Despite the fight with Lorkhan, Auri-El doesn’t have that goal either, otherwise he would have let the Oblivion Crisis finish and Tamriel would have been doomed.
So…
I’ll manage somehow.
I’m not such a self-confident idiot as to not understand that without the patronage of a higher being, I wouldn’t survive a meeting with the Daedric Princes.
And those guys v-e-e-ery often meddle in the affairs of simple mortals.
“Let’s continue.” my teacher and opponent gave a short wave of his blade, rushing swiftly in my direction.
In response, I pulled my sword back a little, casting a wave of fire in front of me with a sweep of my free hand.
Oh, I can feel it — they’re going to beat all the shit out of me again…
But that’s fine.
Better now in training than later in real combat.
* * * Inner Sanctuary.
A dozen years later.
Council of Bishops.
“So, these people built an impressive city?” one of the gathered Snow Elves said thoughtfully, clad in the white-and-blue robes of the winter traditions of Auri-El worship.
Had Feator been here, he would have noted that the division within the Chantry of Auri-El between the Falmer and the Altmer was very similar to that between the Orthodox and Catholics.
The God was one, but how exactly to serve Him — that’s where certain problems arose.
“Saarthal.
That’s what they called it.” a second one said indifferently, pronouncing the foreign word with some difficulty.
“Crude.
Unpolished…” another, with longer hair, visibly grimaced.
“A pathetic parody of our cities.
Like their entire race…” “But fortified and strong.” another noted thoughtfully, scratching his scarred chin.
“Even magic would take a long time to break through that…
Besides, we shouldn’t forget that the Northern Tower has decided to train an extremely talented man from this same Saarthal.” * — canon, this guy plays a huge role in Ysgramor’s extermination of the elves.
English wiki for reference.
“The Mages from the Tower are self-confident fools!” exclaimed the fifth and final bishop in the room.
“The fact that these people live a laughable eighty winters doesn’t mean they won’t cause us problems now!
When our relations with the southerners have gotten even worse!” “If you have something to say, say it to the royal family, not to us, Evaris.” the first of them said sternly.
“They will be the ones making the decision regarding the City of Men.” “And I will say it!..
That is, of course, if you approve, Lady Archbishop.” instantly lowering his intensity, he cast a somewhat wary glance at the ancient elf, who had been living for a millennium and a half.
No one, no one dared to directly contradict the direct representative of their God on earth.
If the First Sword was the first of His Instruments, then the Archbishop was His Voice.
“Let’s not rush.
As you rightly noted, Bishop Evaris, humans live short lives.
And therefore they are always in a hurry.
We shouldn’t emulate them, don’t you think?..” Fiftiviel said with a serene smile.
“This matter can wait, considering the fact that the decision will most likely be made by our noble aristocracy.
The conduct of foreign policy is in their hands.
And only if we are asked will we intervene.
We are the Shield of Auri-El.
Those who protect His faithful.
Remember this.” Then, without exception, all the old elves were struck by such power, that very Aedric energy, that the bishops had to hold their breath.
After all, Daedra and Aedra use a power different from what penetrates Nirn through the Sun of Magnus, and although Aedric energy manifests much more rarely than Daedric, even the Daedric Princes wouldn’t dare call it less powerful.
“But let’s not dwell on the negative.” The pressure vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, and before them sat the same fragile-looking elf in dark robes.
“What is the progress of the First Sword?” “The Kaslanas have always supplied us with excellent Knight-Paladins.” the same Evaris curled his lips in a satisfied smile, continuing to constantly take the initiative.
However, for such an ambitious elf, who wanted to take the archbishop’s seat if she should die in his lifetime, such behavior was appropriate.
“Evaris.” one of the other bishops hurried him, making the man glare displeasedly at his colleague and rival.
“Don’t rush, Naysilas.” he snorted, deciding not to recall his own earlier haste.
After all, those were completely different things!..
“As for progress…
The First Sword is progressing three point seven times faster than his predecessor.
That’s excellent, but you know…” he cast a glance towards Fiftiviel.
“Yes.
The greater the danger threatening us, the stronger the blessing of one of the Temple’s main protectors becomes.” the Snow Elf agreed with a slight, sad sigh.
“But his progress in swordsmanship and magic is not connected to the will of our God.
That is the innate talent and character traits of Feator himself.
You consider him our weapon…
And that is true to some extent.
But do not forget what qualities Auri-El chooses his warriors for.
Not for fanaticism, by no means for that.
Did the example of Indrasil teach you nothing, gentlemen?..” the archbishop smiled the way adults smile at foolish but beloved children.
And although none of the bishops liked it, they were forced to accept the wisdom of the ancient elf, who had more than once led the Chantry of Auri-El out of difficult situations.
“Be that as it may.” the one who had first spoken about the city of men took the floor again.
“I believe the First Sword has learned enough for us to release him from the sanctuary and send him on a mission…
For example, why not to the border forces that have contact with the humans.
Perhaps the power of the current First Sword’s blessing is so great precisely because of them.
It’s a shot in the dark, but it will help the young warrior gain practical experience.
Not all humans are as peaceful as the city folk.
Complete savages sail from the north!” “Very well thought out, Bishop.
Frankly, I expected more concern for his grandson from the great-grandfather of our current First Sword.
After all, your descendant hasn’t yet learned the temporal displacement of cause and effect, which means he is much less powerful and more vulnerable.
It’s pleasant at my age to be wrong about the youth, Zifrisin Kaslana.” the ancient one smiled slightly, touching the fabric covering her face with a finger.
“I was the second candidate for the role of First Sword after Indrasil, don’t forget that, Lady.” the old Snow Elf snorted displeasedly, gripping the armrests of his chair.
“And I know what the First Sword can and cannot do…
And I’m not stupid enough to forget my duties as a bishop of our God for the sake of family ties…
So, do you agree?..” “One momen…
Oh…” she was unexpectedly interrupted when a wave of magical energy literally rammed through the entire hall.
“Pure Aetherius…
Pure blood of Anu…
As if…
As if someone from the Magna-Ge, someone from the stars descended into the world…” “How is that possible?” “What the…” “No, that’s impossible!..” “Oh, Magnus and Et’Ada…” “Oh, Auri-El, protect us…” The bishops, like small children, began exchanging shocked glances, not understanding what had happened.
Only the ancient elf stared grimly at one point.
She knew a little more about the secrets of this world…
And that knowledge did not improve the archbishop’s mood.
…For the Eye of Magnus had returned to Nirn.