Dragonborn Saga

Chapter 219 Taking Fort Frostmoth

A/N: Sorry will edit later.. remember to vote 5000 stones for extra!

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Fort Frostmoth was the primary Imperial military base on the south coast of Solstheim, in the Hirstaang Forest. It was established some time in the Third Era, after the Imperial discovery of the island. The fort acted as the area office of the East Empire Company, established on Solstheim to mine the rich deposits of ebony from Raven Rock, and was also the main link to Vvardenfell.

During the eruption of the Red Mountain, the fort suffered a lot of damage and lost a lot of walls and towers, the Ash Storms piled up over each other and buried a large portion of it too, what led to the Ruins with an army of Ash Spawns that we see now.

Ash Spawn are creatures found in the Ashlands of Solstheim. They began to appear on the island after the massive eruptions of Red Mountain. Their spawning from the ash is caused by Heart Stones, which contain some trace of the Heart of Lorkhan’s power and give life to bones found buried in the wastes.

"Okay, listen up. We are about to enter an area with a lot of those pesky Ash Spawns. Remember to always step on hard grounds and watch the areas with a lot of ash... technically the whole place is covered in Ash but try to feel the difference between the Ash based on its heat. Now, move out!"

With my orders, the twenty so Troopers with formed a protection formation, the Shield Bearers on the outside and the Mages on the inside. Jullanar had some arbalists (crossbowmen) following her and started scouting the south of the fort towards the coast.

"There is an old dock with some Ash Spawns, a tower and an entrance to the fort."

"Good, eliminate them."

Jullanar gave the order and the arbalist, released their bolts. The sound of then bolts cutting the air sounded vividly and all the Ash Spawns around the dock area were hunted down right away. Jullanar the raised her crossbow and fired a bolt, the bolt traveled through the air and landed on a very far small group of Ash Spawn. As the bolt was covered with a Magical Rune, it exploded right away and a layer of frost was seen on the Ash Spawns covering them all and causing them to freeze, another three fast bolts broke them to pieces.

"Damn, girl. You’ve become good at this." I couldn’t help but to admire.

"Learned from the best."

True, undoubtedly true.

"Okay, charge."

The team started advancing forward to the pier securing our back, then we moved ahead towards the fort through an big entrance. I teleported Jull and Nefertiti on a tower so they can act as our sniper and spotter.

As we passed the gate of the run-down fort, we heard a voice I wasn’t really expecting to be there.

"Men, invaders have entered the fort! Prepare yourself for an ambush! Fort Frostmoth will never fall! Long live the Empire!"

The Troopers around me all looked at each other not understanding what the situation is, the Empire had no presence in Solstheim since almost two centuries.

What answered them was the sight of tens of Ash Spawns rising up from the ash all around the fort and looking at our direction.

"Steady men! What we are up against are old undead creatures from the time of the Empire on Solstheim. I beseech you to put these men to rest so they can find peace." With a stern voice, I announced the identity of what we are up against.

Ash Spawns are the bones of those who died in the ash and got affected by the power of the heart so it is safe to say that they are undead in a sort, and the voice that spoke just now was General Falx Carius, a General of the Imperial Legion, was an Imperial posted to Fort Frostmoth sometime before 3E 427 as a Knight Protector and Garrison Commander. He had numerous dealings with the Nerevarine during the latter’s journeys on Solstheim. He died in 4E 5, but was raised from the dead by a new Necromancy Technique.

Clearing Fort Frostmoth and taking down General Flax is my ultimate goal in this expedition.

"Shields, UP! Mages, FIRE!"

***

The fight started as the Dare Dragon Troopers took a circle formation around the Mages and the Arbalists. Outside the encirclement, there was the team of six fighters taking down the horde of Ash Spawns like treating children.

Bjorna was excited to test the new Greatsword in her hand, Stormfang was an incredible artifact created by a manish hand and Bjorna was most pleased with its performance.

Wulfur wasn’t happy facing the Ash Creature as the Fork of Horripilation wouldn’t work on them, he took a mace and a shield from Jon’s storage ring and started bashing the creatures around. He was covering for anyone who gets outnumbered.

Nefertiti transformed into her Beast Form and used the Shadow Magic to her heart’s content, she would sink into her own shadow and it would creep so fast towards a target, she then would jump out of her shadow and strike the target. To deal with the Ash Creatures like the Ash Spawns, Nefertiti formed a mace head on the end of her tail, she would run past an ash spawn and her tail would strike turning it back to a dead ash.

Jullanar lied prone on top of the broken tower and started shooting with her lever-action crossbow, her shots were as fast as that of a rifle, she was counting how many she killed with a song. An ash spawn sneaked up behind her and was about to shoot his flame but a burst of Frost Magic exploded sending it away to pieces. As her fun was over, jumped down from the tower with a short sword and a small shield in hand, she started bashing and kicking the ash spawns to let out some steam.

Alina was going around easily pushing any ash spawn that gets near her direction with Wind Magic, her Wind Magic can be considered the nemesis of all Elements so the Ash Spawns that were based on the Fire Element were being broken easily be her hand.

All these amazing warriors were having their cinematic movements done and Jon was having his own little fun on his own.

"This is truly magical! Ash, bones, stones and Heart Energy, what a beauty!"

He broke the arms and the legs of an ash spawn and started an immediate field research.

The energy of the Heart of Lorkhan in these Ash Spawns was really attractive to him. He was very well aware of how many people tried to use the Heart’s Energy many times before, while most has ended up in a miserable failure and lost the most precious of what they possessed, some used the Heart to ascent to Godhood.

Examples on those who were harmed by the Heart’s Energy were countless, if one wanted to give a specific example then one would just say ’The Dwemer Race’.

The Dwemer, also known as Dwarves or Deep Elves, were the most advanced race in the Magical Technology, they have surpassed any other mortals in the field and became one of the strongest if not the strongest race during the First Era. This advanced race used Magic like none other, they have scorned both the Aedra and the Daedric Princes not seeing them as Gods but as Rivals. This is how great the Dwemer was. However, when they tried to use the Heart of Lorkhan to achieve ascendance for all their race, they all disappeared from existence with a ’Poof’! Their disappearance is the Number One Mystery in the world and the only lead is the Heart of Lorkhan they tried to use.

An example for those who succeeded in using the Heart of Lorkhan were the Tribunal; Vevic, Almalexia and Sotha Sil. The three were Chimer (North Elves), a race of Elves who later became the Dunmer (Dark Elves), after the disappearance of the Dwemer, they acquired some powerful artifacts called The Tools of Kagrenac and used them to harness the Heart’s Energy for them three and becoming Gods... Living Immortal Gods who walk and talk in the world of Mortals. They build their own faith and all the Chimer reverted to it which caused them to become the Dunmer until the Tribunal fell from glory on the turn of the Fourth Era.

This was how the Heart of Lorkhan reshaped the world every time it was used or exploited. This heart is now is in the deepest of the Red Mountain, that volcano south to where Jon was standing. With the large eruption of the Red Mountain during the Red Year 4E-5, these stones called the Heart Stones, carrying a small portion of the heart’s Red Energy, were now all across Solstheim. And even with such a tiny portion of energy compared to the Original Source, these Heart Stones still possessed the incredible power of the God responsible for the creation of the Morthal World, Lorkhan.

Jon kept examining the Ash Spawn and how lively and wild it was, they were controlled by not only the Heart’s Energy but with Magicka, Jon met Ash Spawns before and could tell that the Magicka inside them are different, Wild Ash Spawns have Natural Magicka but these had Used Magicka which meant they are controlled, still, that is not a news for Jon.

’If that Energy could be cultivated!’

A strange thought popped up in Jon’s mind and his eyes widened from the uncertainty he felt.

What would happen if he used this Energy?

What would happen if he cultivated it?

Will he be harmed or will he become powerful?

The Tribunal used the Tools of Kagrenac to harvest that Energy and become Living Gods but it didn’t end well for the Dwemer who tried to do the same?

The Tools of Kagrenac? Mostly destroyed but there were still one... Jon was uncertain of what he should do but he had that discovery not too long ago.

When he crafted Alina’s Crown, he enchanted it with a Heart Stone instead of a normal Soul Gem because Alina’s Eye energy were very wild and only a wild energy can stop another. But what he found was not only Alina’s Eye Power that was resonating with energy of the Heart Stones but also his own Energy... not only his Magicka, Life Force or Aura but the Heart Stone’s red energy resonated with him to the point of Harmony.

It wasn’t a good news for him by any mean, he was scared and he came to Solstheim with the first goal in mind and it is to confirm the theory on a being like the Ash Spawn.

When his head could no longer understand how to deal with that Energy, he punched the Ash Spawn turning it to ash dust and went away from it.

"Nefertiti 10, Alina 9, Jullanar 11, Wulfur 9, Bjorna 8. Jon however is 1. Congratulations on coming at the last place." Jullanar mocked Jon’s attitude as he only killed one Ash Spawn after he spent all the time in the fight researching.

"I’ll make you Chicken Shawarma for your grand victory." Jon mocked back.

"Oh, thanks. I want it with Tahini and Pickles." Jullanar was relentless.

Jon was regretting the fact that he recreated many dishes from his past life but it was always nice to see a smile on his family’s face. Anything for their smiles.

"Good Job, everyone! Now, to the fort."

***

The main building of Fort Frostmoth was a large and sturdy one with very thick and powerful walls. As soon as the team went it, they were faced with Ash Spawns.

Jon took the lead started the fight with a strong ’Chain Lightning’ spell. The Ash Spawns were trying to respond with their Flame Magic but Jon was completely taking down whatever they throw at him. The team behind him, who were the mocking how lazy the Boss became just now, got their memories refreshed on how mighty Jon can be when he goes all out with Magic. He took almost half of the Ash Spawn waves on his own.

On the way in, the team discovered a spider nest in some cave tunnel filled with Albino Spiders. Unlike Skyrim’s giant Frostbite Spiders that could be as large as bears, these Albino Spiders were as small as cats. Jon recognized them and ordered that the living ones should be killed and the Eggs should be all harvested, these were really precious materials that Only he knew their real use.

"Look at all these beauties, I really want to adopt one." Jullanar felt sad killing these Albino Spiders that looked cute in her eyes.

"Soon, my dear. Very soon!" Jon replied nonchalantly and kept pointing at the resources in the cave which were the rare and precious Ruby and Emerald ores and all that.

The team returned back to the Fort following the fast paces of Jon who obliterated everything in his way.

Not until the reached the centermost room in the Fort, the Ash Spawns stood on halt around the room and a man was standing around them. Once he saw Jon and Jon saw him, Jon simply charged at him like lightning.

This man was General Falx Carius, a formidable warrior and a champion in the Imperial Legion but that was too many years ago.

General Carius saw Jon charging at him so he carried his large Warhammer and waited for Jon’s to strike but Jon suddenly stopped and aimed his hand forward with a spell.

It was Telekinesis.

Jon plucked out something from the chest of the General that looked like a glowing red round stone. Just like that, the General fill on the ground like a motionless corpse.

"How easy!"

Jon exclaimed and looked behind him at the dumbfounded team.

"Clear the place from the Ash Spawns, Loot everything with value. Wuflur, that man’s hammer is yours."

He said and turned around to a table on the side, on it there were some notes and pieces of paper scattered everywhere. Jon quietly pulled out a chair from his ring and sat in front of these notes with the Heart Stone in hand.

"Sweet Research Time!"