Dragonborn Chapter 412: No Man's Land (2) : Sparring

Double Chapter again.

(Part 1)

As exciting as meeting a fellow cat cultist, the Old Woman of Mournhold was a serious and a cla.s.sy person who focused on what's matters. She requested to pat Nefert.i.ti right away.

Somehow, Nefert.i.ti didn't hate her at all and sat on her lap for a while before getting annoyed by the noisy mortals around her and deciding to take a nap in Jon's shadow.

The team, on the other hand, was gathering at the back courtyard based on the request of White Cat to exchange pointers.

The Champion of Boethiah, Galam Balu; the Labourer of Azura, Krilon; the Labourer of Boethiah, Isha; and the Labourers of Mephala, Mirren and Miranda.

Galam was always in the [Ebony Mail], a Daedric suit of armor created by Boethiah.

[The Ebony Mail]

• [m.u.f.fle] Move quietly.

• [Impenetrable] Magic and Physical Protection.

• [Poison Cloak] Poison nearby enemies.

A terrifying artifact indeed.

Mirren and Miranda had the [Ring of Khajiiti] and the [Bow of Shadows] a.s.sociated with Mephala and Nocturnal.

[Ring of Khajiiti]

• [Fortify Speed] Move faster.

• [m.u.f.fle] Move quietly.

• [Invisibility] Activable effect.

[Bow of Shadows]

• [Fortify Speed] Move faster.

• [m.u.f.fle] Move quietly.

• [Invisibility] Activable effect.

The two artifacts surprisingly have two matching effects. It would be a real pain trying to fight that.

Isha had the terrifying [Spear of Bitter Mercy] a.s.sociated with Hircine and Sheogorath.

[The Spear of Bitter Mercy]

• [Reflect] Reflect received blows.

• [Conjure Storm Atronach]

• [Fortify Spearmanship] Enhance the skill to perfection.

The spear was indeed some terrifying force on its own and in any hand.

Finally, there was Jon and his [Ebony Blade]

[The Ebony Blade]

•[Awakening] Sharpen the Blade and empower the Enchantments by the Blood of Deceit.

•[Absorb Vitality] Absorbs enemy's vitality to heal the user.

•[Fortify Swordsmanship] Enhance the skill to perfection.

Jon has managed to unseal one-tenth of the power when he killed the Morag Tong Agents in Whiterun.

In the end, those people who wield these Artifacts are going to spar and compare skills. The Old Woman of Mournhold prepared a large courtyard just for this event and sat on the side with a gla.s.s of wine to watch.

"Hey, Nord. Let's do it now." Mirren called for Jon.

"Sure." Jon didn't even refuse.

"Wait." Galam stopped the two, "There are rules here and you only fight when I tell you to fight."

"None of your business." Mirren lashed at Galam.

"Sure." Jon, on the other hand, went to sit with White Cat.

"Tsk." Mirren retreated with a twisted face beside his sister.

"It's okay, we'll take them down together as we always do." Miranda quietly said.

"Redguard girl, you and me." Galam called for Isha.

Apparently, he was trying to set hierarchy to set himself as a leader above the Labourer. Between Jon and the Altmer siblings who were all above the threshold of 2 meters, the Redguard Isha seemed more manageable.

She held the large spear in stood in the middle of the courtyard. Galam carried a shield covered with an ebony plate and an ebony sword that seemed to be enchanted by a strong fire Enchantment.

"This guy is obsessed with ebony." Jon said.

"He is. The Ebony is quite rare but you will find a lot of it in Morrowind. As the Champion of Boethiah and keeper of the [Ebony Mail] he wants to live up to the reputation." White Cat said.

"Let's see."

Galam faced Isha and their Battle Spirits collided before they actually do. The Auras of the two were sharp and refined but not Advanced or Manifested.

His Aura was a Flame Aura and hers was a Shock Aura. In a second they were standing still and in the next, they were in front of each other waving their weapons.

A wave of the sword was blocked by the metal shaft of the spear then the power was reflected from the speartip to the body of the shield. The two jumped away from each other after then.

"Nice." Isha complimented.

"Humph." Galam was not expecting a spear user to fight well in a close melee and seemed upset.

He seemed to be having some bad idea in his mind as he sneered visibly.

"Remember, kids. This is a spar. Don't use lethal tactics." White Cat said.

Galam's smile went away. Jon was sure Galam was going to use the 'Poison Cloak' property of the [Ebony Mail] and White Cat was quick to notice it too.

Galam and Isha maintained a certain distance as the tried to a.s.sess one another based on the moves from a while ago. Galam was swift and sharp so Isha didn't want to engage in close melee a lot. Far melee was her forte and she can go even faster.

From her position, she stabbed straight at Galam who took the hit with his shield. Unlike the usual, the spear had an advantage here because of its Daedric origin, it may even penetrate the shield in a few hits.

From her position, she masterfully held the spear and attacked many times with absolute accuracy making Galam hot on heels and rendered his shield useless with many dents on the ebony plate.

"You think you're the only one who can fight like that? Take this."

Galam threw his shield away and held the sword with two hands. He infused his Aura and slashed with all his might.

A large Fire Slash was unleashed from his blade and hurled at Isha.

She lowered her posture and aimed her spear down then waved her spear at the coming attack.

As none could expect it, the Fire Slash was reflected by the spear back at Galam.

He clenched on his teeth and canceled his own attack.

The two recognized each other's strength but still couldn't tell who is stronger.

"My turn." Isha said as she hit the ground three times with the end of her spear.

The void opened and three creatures walked out.

"You've got to be kidding me." Galam said.

Those things were, of course, Atronaches, however, they were Storm Atronach Wolves.

"Get him." Isha pointed at Galam and her hunting wolves charged at him.

Galam had to move faster now. He wasn't only facing Isha alone now and she forced him to use armor and sword to their full power.

Flame Slashes and Storm Atronches started to fight and the place turned into chaos. Fire and Lightning kept going on and on against each other and the two were well matched... at least based on what they showed. None would use his trump cards in a spar anyway.

"Good, good. That's enough." White Cat spoke and the two stopped fighting. This was a good show. Really interesting skills we saw there. Isha child, that Atronach Animal magic is a Direnni Magic, may I inquire where you learned it?" She asked.

"A friend showed me the trick." Isha said and looked at Jon.

"I see. Off to the next fight then."

Jon stood up and took out the [Ebony Blade], he walked to the center of the courtyard and summoned [Greed] in a coat form and put on [Krilon].

With the ebony nodachi on his shoulder, he was in full readiness.

"An ebony mask, an ebony blade, and a void cloth robe? Nice style." White Cat said.

"Thanks. Now, Altmer. We are fighting." Jon called out Mirren.

Mirren and Miranda stood up together and faced Jon the two of them.

"Wait! I am fighting you two at the same time?" He asked.

"Yes, if the lady doesn't mind, my brother and I always fight as a duo" Miranda spoke to White Cat.

"I have heard about Krilon's skill so if he is okay with it..."

"I am okay." Jon took them on.

Mirren and Miranda seemed to be an interesting duo in combat. The two looked exactly the same even their bone frame was incredibly matching. Also, Miranda was flat which contributed to the appearance. With the same Golden hair and skin as well as the same green eyes, Jon was one of the few who can tell them apart and even telling that the girly looking Mirren is a male.

How did he do that? Simple, females of all races have Vital Anuic Energy while males have Vital Padomic Energy. Jon was a pro when it came to detecting such a thing. What is more interesting was how the two didn't dress like regular Altmer and wore plain clothing with hoods and face covers instead, Jon can tell that the two are good a.s.sa.s.sins.

"Begin."

(Part 2)

With the signal, Jon blinked from his place in front of the two siblings right away. With his left, he clutched on Mirren's neck and raised him up. The two siblings couldn't even react in the right time but Miranda retreated too fast and fired three arrows at Jon who used Mirren as a meat shield.

The arrows curved in the air and crashed on the ground.

Miranda could clearly curve her shots mid-air by her will. She is an Arcane Archer.

Mirren had to break free from Jon's hand. He put his right leg on Jon's arm and kicked at Jon's chin with the other. Jon had to stop the left with his hand but Mirren was already casting a spell at Jon's face.

Jon could pull out a trump card but he preferred to just disengage and threw Mirren away.

"Dammit."

Mirren landed on the ground with a flip and was about to pull out his daggers but he switched to a longsword that was where he landed.

"Good choice." White Cat complemented.

It was impossible to face the [Ebony Blade] with just daggers. One needed some reach.

"Now!" The Altmer twins signaled to each other and vanished from their places.

"I see. So that's your tactic."

The two must used the [m.u.f.fle] and [Invisibility] to erase their presences.

"Fine, let's do this." Jon carried the [Ebony Blade] seriously with both hands.

{You think a rusty dull blade can do anything against us?}

Jon heard a voice in his head.

"Telepathy, huh? Sorry, but you got the wrong opponent. System, put them on an ear-piercing tone."

"... Ah... Ah! What is happening? I feel... I can taste my own thoughts."

Mirren fell on the ground and held his head.

"Told you." Jon sneered as he saw Mirren go out of his stealth.

Just as he was about to walk to him, a barrage of arrows hurled at him.

Jon didn't take any chances and waved the Ebony Blade at all the arrows blocking them one by one. Once or the secrets of the Ebony Blade was its invulnerability so Jon can pretty much abuse it as he sees fit.

Miranda wasn't giving Jon any chance to attack Mirren and kept him away until her brother stopped the Telepathy Attack and went back to stealth again.

Jon let loose of his Aura and its unique blood-red color overflowed like a flood. Once he slashed at every direction shooting red energy crescents but he couldn't hit the Altmer twins.

The two went completely into hiding.

"Fine, let's play cat and mouse."

Jon stood still and focused his senses on the surroundings while holding his blade in a mid-guard.

Hidden from view. Mirren and Miranda were barely keeping their breath in order. The attacks from a while ago made them jump around like monkeys.

The two were quite the skilled a.s.sa.s.sins and they have zero reputation which is what an a.s.sa.s.sin should have. No one ever heard about the duo Altmer who kill while being invisible because they leave no witnesses or targets to tell a tale, their work is also very clean.

With such a skill, the two possessed terrifying talents, coordination, and their looks made them untraceable. Only the ones who raised then know of their secrets until they gained the attention of the Daedric Prince Mephala. Finishing the Labours wasn't that hard for them but they were out if their comfort zone and had to work with strangers like the Old Woman of Mournhold, Jon and the rest who had to know of their secret style.

Now as they faced Jon, they could never think of a worse match. He was not just resourceful and highly skilled but his senses and detection were on another level. Each wave of his Aura just a moment ago was almost a sure kill if they didn't dodge as if their lives were depending on it.

{We need to get closer and hold his big movements.} Miranda said.

{He is a brute and he is more skilled than us in magic.} Mirren replied.

{We need to fight him on our terms.}

{Do you have a plan?}

{Let's play him around.} Miranda had a tactic in mind and shared it with her brother.

Jon was trying to senses the Altmer twins but the power of Invisibility and m.u.f.fle granted by the [Ring of Khajiiti] and the [Bow of Shadows] were the real deal.

As he was thinking of a tactic, his acute senses detected a very faint killing intent and he waved his hand to deflect an arrow with his Aura.

Another sharp trace came from behind him so he blinked to the back and waved his sword only to hit the air.

He can defend but he can't attack on this rate. Accurate arrows and sharp attacks came from many directions and Jon defended perfectly but the Altmer twins were already as far as they could get once he counters.

Jon sighed in took off his mask.

"This is annoying. I admit it, you are good at hiding. But not too good. Nefert.i.ti."

Nefert.i.ti appeared on Jon's shoulder. Her strange appearing effect coming out from the shade caused the people around to be alarmed.

"I want you to possess my eyes."

Jon's request was strange but Nefert.i.ti had no problem. She put her paw on her Jon's head and disappeared in shadow. On Jon's face, a black patch covered his eyes and his pupils turned into that of a cat. His vision changed and viewed that of the Shadow Realm.

"I see you now."

Jon's tone and appearance caused a cold shiver to run through the brother and sister. Jon was looking right at them.

"Here's Jonny!"

The next thing they know was Jon charging full force at them.

Mirren put his guard on and received a heavy attack from Jon caused causing him to stagger and his sword and fly away. As Jon tried to follow, Miranda shot another barrage of arrows at him.

"Annoying."

Jon aimed his hand and shout a blast of raw Magicka at Miranda that made all her arrows be useless. He then charged at her but despite that, she took another arrow and calming aimed at him.

"Humph!"

Jon waved his blade's dull side at her but somehow, she disappeared from her place and Mirren appeared in her position while stabbing at Jon by a dagger from a point-blank while an arrow hurled at Jon from the back. They two have exchanged positions.

Jon's blade was too big to use in this situation so he discarded it without a second thought and held Mirren's hand while waving [Great] in a coat form to take the arrow for him.

Without his strange and at this close range, Jon and Mirren started another kind of fighting.

Their hands moved like the wind and one tried to stab or disarm the other. Their speed was almost four exchanges per second and the two were h.e.l.l-bent on taking the other down.

In the end, Jon had the advantage and forced Mirren backward after a couple of clean punches to his abdomen.

Mirren entangled hands with Jon then nimbly climbed on Jon's leg and launched himself away.

"Now!"

He shouted and Miranda let loose of another barrage of arrows.

"Tsk." Jon became annoyed and stood between Miranda and Mirren to force her to stop shooting.

As she did he went after Mirren once again.

By now, the Invisibility was off and the fight was completely seen to the others, not just Jon hitting and kicking air.

"d.a.m.n it. We can't take him on like that. 2 on 1."

Jon engaged in another Unarmed melee with Jon. The two were experts in martial arts.

"I have never seen a Martial skill this good before." Jon complimented.

"Yours is annoying but good too." Mirren couldn't help but acknowledge.

The took distance before engaging once again. Mirren took a big step and jumped performing a flying double kick. Jon took one large step to the left and kicked Mirren from the side. Miranda couldn't shoot from afar any more so she threw away the bow and attacked Jon's foothold while he was kicking.

Jon's kick was successful but sensing Miranda sliding at him made him jump up high by one leg and retreat behind her. She was already up and attacking him with a hand attack, she wasn't using punches but rather small claws attached to her special glove.

Jon defended himself by directing her attacks sideways until Mirren joined the fray.

Two fast kicks from the side toward Jon were blocked by an equal power from his palm attacks. Everything they threw at him was redirected by his hands while he kept an excellent footwork and timing.

Mirren was attacking Jon's upper half and Miranda was attacking the lower half, the three were at the climax of their speed and the onlookers were holding their breath.

Once thing Jon noticed in the two siblings coordination and it was that the two highly depend on each other, complete each other moves and cover each other's mistake. Jon knows two people who can fight like that and these were his father Jonrad and his uncle Tyr. They once told him that their mentor was the only person who would defeat them as a pair by knowing their mistakes and using it against them. So to break the perfect coordination between Mirren and Miranda, Jon needed to see their style and a.n.a.lyze it.

And here it came, there was the moment when the two fall from coordination and attack at the same moment. Without checking the other's balance.

Miranda was kicking at Jon from the front and Mirren was performing a roundhouse from the side. The two were off balance and usually, Miranda had an easier retreat.

Jon didn't bother with her at this moment and focused on Mirren, he grasped Mirren's leg and pulled him towards him fast.

Miranda panicked seeing her brother completely falling towards Jon and her only thought was to push Jon away so her kick had to reach.

At that moment, Jon's plan worked and he completed had Mirren between him and Miranda. Miranda's attack landed on her brother but...

Something went completely wrong.

Miranda's kick was directed to Jon's abdomen and Mirren was being pulled so his position was unbalanced. Once Miranda's kick landed, it was a bullseye to yesterday's. .h.i.t spot.

Mirren froze while holding his crotch facing his sister. He then fell on his face in agonizing pain.

"Brother!" Miranda panicked and didn't know what to do.

"Whoops!" Jon was not sure how that was so accurate.

The others saw that and Isha came over.

"G.o.ds... he had it again." She kinda felt sorry for Mirren.

The others were not sure what to do but the servants were already ready with an ice pack.

"You!" Miranda looked at Jon with absolute anger.

"Hey, that wasn't my fault." Jon didn't want to be blamed for this too.

"I don't care! This is for Mirren."

Miranda charged at Jon with anger faking a bunch and kicked a low blow.

Everyone in the place was shouting to stop her but her kick landed.

"..." "..." "..." "..." "..."

Now looking at her leg, somehow and for some reason, it was completely snapped in the wrong direction.

She fell in her b.u.t.t silently as the pain took a while to reach her brain.

She looked up at Jon whose figure covered the sun behind him.

"Well, well, look what you have done! Ever heard the slang 'b.a.l.l.s of t.i.tanium'? That was two of them."

That was the last thing Miranda heard before she pa.s.ses out.