This is 5 years before the beginning of Morrowind, heh

Chapter Seven: The Amulet's Secrets

The moon was high in the sky. Most of the soldiers slept, except for the three heroes. J'skooma argued with a stool over the moon and the sun and which one tasted more like Cyrodiilic Brandy. Zalphon tucked his amulet beneath his shirt and said to the others, "Good Night, Friends." The Dunmer stepped towards a hammock and layed on it. J'skooma got into a hammock soon after the Dunmer.

Quick-Strike looked into the ocean. The calm, silvery waters. The Argonian snuck into the sleeping quarters and saw the hammocks were beds to hundreds of soldiers. He walked over to Zalphon and pulled the amulet from beneath the shirt. His eyes widened, his breathing grew fast, just like heart-rate.

The runes surrounded in the violet gem were in an ancient language. "The Amulet of Lord Korvinus Broodikus." Quick-Strike thought hastily, "L-L-Lord Korvinus, he is the great grandfather of Lord Alu'Kar. It is said he died to an adventurer, but his soul was never claimed. It was thought he placed it in an object... The Amulet..."

Quick-Strike firmly gripped his hands around the amulet and tried to yank it from Zalphon. It was stuck. Zalphon whispered in his necromantic slumber, "Yes, Lord Korvinus. If that is your will, it shall be done." His dreams were that of serving Lord Korvinus. The ancient lich was whispering to him in his sleep.

Zalphon's eyes shot open and he hissed, "Do not touch the Amulet!" Quick-Strike jumped back and Zalphon put his sword to the Argonian's throat.

"Touch it one more time, and I. Will. Kill. You," The Dunmer barked. Quick-Strike nervously backed away.

"S-s-sorry, Zalphon," The Assassin responded. "It won't happen again."

Woo Hoo Zalphon! Scary !!!

Chapter Eight: The Shadow Knight

Arrows slammed at the boat. The men looked out to see nords, barbarians. The Captain screamed, "All men to arms!" The boat was beginning to sink and off in the distance was an elderly man. He wore a suit of Nordic Ringmail Armor and wielded a huge Nordic-Steel Mace and a Kite-Shield to match. Zalphon looked off into the distance and this was no barbarian, it was their shaman. The ship crashed into the island. Blackness surrounded their vision.

Quick-Strike awoke with rope around his neck, his hands, and his feet in the shaman's room. He had only a loincloth on. J'skooma awoke with his robes in the middle of the strange barbarian village. Zalphon awoke in his suit of armor in front of the shaman. The Shaman hissed, "Why do you come here, Dark Elf?"

"I joined the Imperial Legion after my old allegiances deteriorated," Zalphon barked in response. The Amulet was glowing faintly. J'skooma walked in. His feet tracking snow and his breath being seen.

"Leave Lunarscar forever, and we might not kill you."

"You've just sealed your fate, Shaman."

Zalphon ripped his blade out of the scabbard and thrusted it into the chest of the shaman. He struggled to breathe with the blade in his chest. The Dunmer kicked the soon-to-be corpse off his sword and slammed open the door. The nords stared with their weapons ready. "You are all about to be dead, just like your shaman," The Dark Elf shouted. "Prepare for a new life, eternally serving me in undeath!"

The Amulet was a beacon of black light. He turned around and muttered a spell and the corpse rose. It's eyes were milky-blue, but it obeyed. "Kill them," Zalphon said. "All of them." The Armored Corpse rushed out and beat into his previous followers.

Quick-Strike slammed Zalphon against a wall and with fury hissed, "What in the name of Akatosh are you doing, Zalphon?!"

The Shadow Knight responded, "Beginning my conquest of Tamriel. I will have this world at its knees. I will dominate all of Tamriel and rule with an iron fist of the living dead. You can serve me, and J'skooma as well."

"You're walking down a path I can't follow," J'skooma responded.

Quick-Strike stated, "If this is what you want, you'll go through me." The Argonian frowned and a tear rolled down his scaley cheek as he drew his weapons. The Dark Elf grinned as he slashed. The Assassin parried with his shortsword and thrusted with his dagger.

"I always loved you, Quick-Strike. I'll make your death final," Zalphon said with sincerity. His shield slammed into the Argonian's face and his sword went down to his throat.

Quick-Strike hissed, "Kill me. You've become the very thing you've sworn to destroy. Evil."

As Zalphon lifted his blade above his head to perform the coup de grace, J'skooma muttered a spell. Suddenly him and the argonian were teleported to the Imperial City. Quick-Strike whispered, "This isn't the end, J'skooma. We'll have to kill him."

Zalphon stared in disbelief. He roared, "I'll kill you, Quick-Strike!" Then he walked out and saw the dead village. With a complex spell, they all stood up. Then suddenly he was teleported by the amulet to a tower. The Obsidian Tower.

"The dream you had, this is where it occured. Welcome to your tower," The Amulet telepathically stated. "We're in the Black Marsh, where no mortal man or mer can survive, except for argonians. Quick-Strike and J'skooma will come along with somebody else."

Zalphon responded, "I'll be ready... I'll be ready."

I've scanned this and will give a deeper read when I have more time - all I have to say is: ARGH - don't make this the last chapter of The Knight - this is my favorite of all your stories! ARGH !!!!!

This is the last chapter of Book One of the Zalphon Series. The next book will be: The Shadow Knight's Empires. Set five years later. Zalphon has armies of the living dead serving him. Quick-Strike leads a monastery of monks and assassins dedicated to serving the Nine. J'skooma like usual is still with his most loyal servant, Quick-Strike.

Oh good, so the story will continue - whew! I know this story "The Knight" - someone on the BGSF was saying they were addicted to the story and hated to not know the ending.

http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4446

Is a link to the continuation of the story.