23 Frozencaller Tournament ( 1 )

As night became day, the sun shone on the world, starting another cycle of life.

That day was special.

The day everyone was waiting for.

The start of the Frozencaller Tournament.

...

Half an hour before Frozencaller Tournament started.

Two fully covered in cloak children could be seen walking on the city's 'slum'.

Although many thieves and bandits wanted to do something, they felt something was wrong, so they gave up.

They were Asa and Iphislia.

As the duo slowly walked, they finally arrived at their destination.

A black door with strange runes.

Although Asa or Iphislia wasn't very proficient in the Arcane, they understood that the runes were only to alert someone that there is someone on the door.

Slightly touching the door with her right hand, Asa smirked.

Suddenly, angry footsteps could be heard.

"... Who the fu-" A man said furiously as he opened the door, but was interrupted by something.

An Arrow slowly penetrated his head as he started to fall backward.

As the man finally hit the ground, Iphislia could be seen walking over his body.

With her cloak covering all her body, she slowly took out 2 daggers from her hips.

Tilting her head, she started to observe the place.

Various people have turned their heads in confusion.

There were different types of people there.

Bandits.

Assassins.

Thieves.

"Bos-!" A bandit was about to shout something to the upper-floor but was interrupted by something cutting his throat.

Blood squirted everywhere.

As it squirted, it strangely started to cover an invisible figure.

Soon, the figure showed itself.

It was Iphislia.

Turning their head to the door again, there was only Asa, who was leaning against the entrance door, staring at them amused.

As they turned their head again toward Iphislia, they saw her slowly but surely, vanishing in thin air.

Like a ghost.

Like a shadow.

Using a combination of the spell 'Invisibility' and her already trained body, Iphislia started her slaughter.

It was like they were dying from nothing.

Throats being cut.

Heads being decapitated.

Bodies falling to the ground.

As Asa saw the scene, she shook her head and sighed.

After all, she was the least 'Talented' of the group.

Iphislia surpassed her way too fast, making Asa speechless.

She had the talent for assassination and illusion Magic.

As Asa stopped daydreaming, Iphislia already finished killing everyone.

All the ground was red from the blood.

There was no spot without blood.

Nodding to each other, they slowly walked to the upper floor.

...

On the upper floor, a man was sitting relaxed on his luxurious chair as he signed his documents.

He wasn't handsome but he wasn't ugly.

Just a normal face.

Just a normal body.

Vulmer, or else known as Dr. V to his close friends.

He wasn't a bad person.

But he wasn't a good person.

One of the only Dwemer who wasn't interesting in 'Technological Advancement' through Machines.

He fully believed that the biological body had undiscovered potentials.

So he started to study the physical bodies of the different Races and Animals on Nirn.

Through his connections with nobles of all races, he was able to procure different corpses.

From Men to Mer.

From Young to Old.

From Female to Male.

The number of corpses he dissected was uncountable.

The only problem was his memory.

No matter what he studied, no matter what he discovered, he would forget it in less than a day.

The only way he found to continue researching was to write everything.

No matter how small his advancements were, he wrote all of them.

But... he made a mistake recently.

He started to become greedy.

Like an addict, He became obsessed with knowledge.

Seeing a new Men race walking on the street, he made an agreement with a noble to, somehow, kill at least one of them and give their bodies to him.

He never did that.

He never could do that.

But, as he aged, he started to change.

And that mistake took him to the present.

An Arrow being pointed at his head.

Two daggers ready to cut his throat at any strange movement.

Asa and Iphislia.

With glaring eyes, they were ready to kill him instantly.

But, they were waiting.

Waiting for something... or someone.

Footsteps could be heard.

Slow footsteps, like when someone is taking a walk in a park.

Finally, he appeared.

Miraak appeared.

He slowly walked to the old Dunmer, staring at his soul.

Soon, he said, "... You have two options."

Gulping, Vulmer stared back in nervousness at Miraak.

"... Surrender... or Die." Miraak said seriously as he took out a scroll and threw it at Vulmer's desk.

Glancing at it, Vulmer read what it was.

'Soul Slavement Scroll'.

...

Half an hour later, on the Arena.

Since Snow Elves became Snow Elves, they conducted the Tournament as a way of, not only competition but as a research tool.

With an invitation from a noble, no matter the race, anyone could participate.

A group of merchants from the Ayleid Empire was present on the Arena.

The reason for their presence was quite simple.

Talent.

Taking someone talented under their wing would be tremendously beneficial for their security.

It was an implicit reward for the participants.

As long they showed something special or different, they could be recruited as bodyguards for the rich merchants or rich nobles.

All of the participants wanted the fame being the champion of the Frozencaller Tournament.

One of the merchants, a Chimer named Kieran Virhice, was there.

He was one of the 'Weird' ones.

One of the only merchants that detest slavery, he was being suppressed by Nobles, Merchants, and third parties that didn't want someone like him in power.

Being a traveling merchant, he needed competent bodyguards.

So, he came to the Tournament to find them.

Although Ice Magic was quite limited, it's better than nothing.

"... Can you believe it?... They let savages participate..." A Merchant said hatefully.

For them, it was like letting a dog eat on their dinner table.

It was utter disrespect for the Mer Race!!

'... Savages, huh... Those fools...' Kieran thought sighing.

The reason he started to detest slavery was only because of a simple reason.

Because He was already 150 years old and he was a traveler merchant.

He saw many Nerdic tribes.

Keptu Race, Kothringi Race, Orma Race.

He saw so many races of Men and he started to understand something very important.

The Mer was limited to their arrogance.

The arrogance of controlling almost all the continent made Mer narrow-minded.

Men races were in fact, equal to the Mer races.

Each had something good in their arsenal.

Kieran knew that, if they continued on this path, something tragic will happen.

So, he stared at the merchant that was speaking earlier and said, "... When will their turn start?"

To an Elven Noble invite someone from the Men races, he or she would need to have something special.

"... Oh, It's you, Kieran... The savages turn will be th-" The Merchant was responding when suddenly, an extremely loud interrupted him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!!!" The commentator, an Ayleid with exquisite robes and black hair, shouted in 'ecstasy'.

Seeing everyone in silence, he continued shouting, "We all know why we are here, right!?"

"Yes!!" The public shouted back, equally excited.

After all, some of them traveled long distances to be present there.

"... And this time, it will be very special!! After centuries of only having Mer as participants, we will finally have someone from the Men Races!!" The commentator shouted in 'ecstasy' again.

But, this time, he didn't hear cheers.

It was so quiet that they could hear the distant footsteps of people in the street.

Coughing awkwardly, the commentator started shouting again, "... As our first round, we will have the famous... Folmon Coldmane!!!"

As he finished speaking, a gate on the arena opened, revealing a figure.

An Old Snow Elf slowly walked to the platform.

As the wind blew on his beautiful white robe, his old white beard danced along.

His posture. His calm breathing. His Aura.

All of them made it clear for everyone.

He was an Expert.

An Ice Magic Expert.

As the public wondered who would fight such being, the commentator was staring weirdly at the name of the opponent.

'... On the first round, huh... Looks like they want to eliminate him the fastest possible...' the commentator thought as he sighed.

"--- And, as his opponent, we'll have none other than... Miraak!!" The commentator shouted to the public.

"... Miraak?.... Don't tell me..." A merchant murmured to himself.

As the public asked the same question, the other gate opened.

With his blonde hair dancing in the air and his pure black robe blowing in the wind, a child not even eleven years old was slowly advancing toward the platform.

He was Miraak.

His eyes were showing determination to win.

With each step, he could feel the glare from everyone present.

Hate.

Jealousy.

Fury.

"... So this is the savage, huh..." The Merchant that was badmouthing Miraak spoke disrespectfully.

Kieran just shook his head in disagreement.

Although Kiera could feel Miraak's somewhat lack of Magicka compared to other participants, he felt it.

The pressure of someone at the Master level...

'... No...' Kieran shook his head again.

No, it wasn't a Master level.

It was something greater.

Something indescribable.

When Miraak finally stepped on the platform, the entire public became silent.

After all, the fight was about to start.