Tsun walked further into the tomb, his bare feet pressing against the cold, uneven stone floor. The air smelled damp and stale, with a faint metallic tang that reminded him of old blood. His breathing was steady, the sound almost lost in the quiet, but the constant clanking of the armor he had scavenged earlier was driving him insane. It felt like every step he took announced his position to the entire tomb. Worse still, the straps dug into his skin, chafing against his shoulders and waist. The plates pinched at his arms every time he moved.
He stopped in the middle of the corridor, the discomfort no longer bearable. Reaching up, he grabbed the chest plate and yanked it off. The straps snapped with a loud crack, and the plate hit the ground with a resounding clang that echoed through the empty space. He repeated the process with the rest of the armor, throwing each piece onto the ground until he was left standing in nothing but his skin.
The straps had left red welts across his shoulders and ribs. He rubbed at them, muttering under his breath. "Whoever made this garbage wasn't thinking about comfort."
Tsun crouched down, grabbing one of the plates. Inside, he spotted a strip of leather lining. With a few sharp tugs, he tore it free. The leather was old and stiff, but it would do. He ripped it into a long strip and tied it around his waist, fashioning a crude loincloth.
He adjusted it, making sure it stayed secure. "Good enough," he said, standing up.
Now free of the clunky armor, his movements felt smoother, more natural. He stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders, enjoying the newfound freedom. Then he continued down the corridor.
The walls were rough, lined with shallow alcoves. Inside each alcove were skeletons, their bones yellowed with age. Some still had scraps of clothing clinging to them, but most were bare, the fabric long since rotted away. The floor was littered with bits of stone and broken weapons, crunching softly under his feet.
As he walked, Tsun's mind began to wander. He needed to figure out what his new body could do. The earlier fight with the Draugr had proven he was strong and fast, but he felt like there was more. He needed to test himself, to push his limits and see what he was truly capable of.
He stopped walking and closed his eyes, focusing inward. Instantly, he became aware of every part of his body. It was an unnatural sensation—he could feel everything, down to the smallest detail. Every muscle, tendon, and bone was mapped out in his mind, each one waiting for his command.
He started to experiment. Bending forward, he folded his torso in half until his hands touched the floor. His legs stayed perfectly straight, his back showing no strain. He straightened up and twisted his torso, rotating it around until his upper body was completely backward.
There was no resistance, no pain. His body simply moved, adapting to his will.
Straightening out again, Tsun looked at his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists. His movements felt fluid, almost too easy. "This body," he muttered, "it's not human."
He thought about the Pillar Men. If his body was like theirs, could he replicate their abilities? He remembered Esidisi, who could heat his blood to boiling and use it as a weapon. Tsun focused on his own blood, feeling it flow through his veins. He tried to heat it, to make it boil, but nothing happened.
Frowning, he tried again, concentrating harder. He imagined the blood bubbling, growing hotter with each pulse. But it remained the same, its temperature unchanged.
"Nothing," he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
It made sense, though. His body wasn't like Esidisi's or Kars'. It felt closer to Santana's, the weakest of the Pillar Men. Santana had been strong, yes, but he lacked the advanced abilities of the others.
Tsun thought about the stone masks the Pillar Men had used. They had spines that pierced the brain, unlocking the full potential of their bodies. Without one, he was limited.
"I'll need a mask," he said to himself. "But I doubt there's one lying around."
He crouched down, rubbing his chin. The masks had been crafted with precision, their design based on advanced knowledge of anatomy. If he wanted to make one, he'd need to understand the process. And then there was the Super Aja, the gem that amplified the mask's power. Without it, the mask's potential was incomplete.
"One step at a time," he muttered, standing up.
His thoughts shifted to his cursed technique. The ability, Boogie Woogie, came with innate knowledge of how to use it. He didn't have to figure it out—it was like the information was already hardwired into his brain.
He looked down at the pile of discarded armor. Clapping his hands, he activated the technique. In an instant, the world shifted, and he was standing where the armor had been.
Tsun chuckled. "Alright, that's fun."
He kept moving. The corridor ahead was dark, the air colder than before. The faint growls of Draugr echoed from deeper within the tomb. Turning a corner, he spotted three of them standing still, their glowing eyes staring into the darkness.
Tsun stepped forward, drawing their attention. The Draugr raised their weapons, their movements jerky and unnatural.
The first one charged, its rusted sword held high. Tsun waited, standing still until the last possible second. When the Draugr swung, he bent backward, folding his body in half. The sword passed harmlessly over him, its blade cutting through empty air.
Straightening up, Tsun sidestepped as the second Draugr attacked. Its axe came down hard, but he twisted his body, avoiding the strike with ease.
The third Draugr moved toward him. Tsun clapped his hands, and in an instant, he swapped places with one of the others. The Draugr's sword swung through the space where he had been, slicing cleanly through the neck of its ally.
The decapitated Draugr crumpled to the ground, its head rolling a few feet away. Tsun laughed. "That was fun," he said. "But now I'm bored."
He stepped forward, grabbing the nearest Draugr by the arm. With a sharp pull, he tore it off, the dry bones snapping loudly. The Draugr swung at him with its free hand, but Tsun caught it mid-swing and drove his fist into its chest. The impact sent the creature flying backward, its body slamming into the wall and collapsing into a pile of broken limbs.
Another Draugr lunged at him, its axe swinging toward his head. Tsun caught the weapon's handle and snapped it in two, then delivered a crushing elbow to the Draugr's skull. The bone gave way with a sickening crunch, and the creature fell to the floor.
The last Draugr hesitated, its glowing eyes flickering. Tsun didn't give it a chance to retreat. He grabbed it by the neck, lifting it off the ground, and slammed it into the stone floor. Its head shattered on impact, fragments of bone scattering across the ground.
With the Draugr dealt with, Tsun continued deeper into the tomb.
Eventually, he reached a bridge. The stone was cracked and uneven, with patches of ice scattered across its surface. In the middle of the bridge sat a hulking creature with gray skin and a deformed face. It was covered in thick muscle, and its long arms rested on the ground like a great ape.
Tsun stopped, looking the creature over. "A troll," he muttered. "Has to be."
The troll stood up, its glowing eyes locking onto him. Letting out a guttural roar, it charged.
Tsun braced himself as the troll swung a massive fist at him. The blow connected with his chest, sending him skidding backward across the icy bridge. He came to a stop just before the edge, his bare feet digging into the stone.
Rubbing his chest, he straightened up. "Not bad," he said. "Let's see what else you've got."
The troll charged again, swinging wildly. Tsun ducked under the first swing and stepped to the side, avoiding the second. He retaliated with a punch to the troll's ribs. The creature grunted but didn't stop, slamming its fist into his shoulder.
Tsun staggered but recovered quickly. He grabbed the troll's arm, twisting it sharply. The troll roared in pain, trying to pull away. Tsun held on, driving his knee into the creature's stomach.
The troll doubled over, and Tsun grabbed its head with both hands. With a sharp motion, he slammed its face into the ground. The stone cracked under the impact, and the troll went limp.
Tsun crouched over the body, pressing his fingers into its neck. He absorbed the creature's life force, the energy flowing into him like a surge of warmth.
Standing up, he stepped off the bridge and followed a ramp leading downward. At the bottom, he found a corpse wearing mage robes. The robes were intact, though covered in dust.
"Don't mind if I do," he said, stripping the corpse and putting the robes on.
The fabric was loose but warm, a welcome change from the cold air of the tomb.
He continued down the corridor, the growls of more Draugr growing louder. Mixed in with them was a voice, faint but unmistakably human.
Tsun slowed his steps, walking quietly toward the sound. It grew louder as he approached a large chamber.
Light flickered ahead, almost blinding after the darkness. Stepping into the chamber, Tsun saw a tall woman with blood-soaked blonde hair. She wore ragged armor and held a torch in one hand and a sword in the other.
She was surrounded by Draugr, their weapons raised as they closed in on her.
Tsun grinned. "A person," he said to himself. "Finally."
He stepped forward, his bare feet crunching against the stone floor. The Draugr turned to face him, their growls rising.
The woman glanced at him, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion.
"What the—" she started.
Tsun raised a hand. "Relax," he said, his grin widening. "I'll handle this."
The Draugr surged forward in a mass, like a horde of zombies, their growls and hisses filling the chamber. Tsun took a step forward, planting his foot firmly on the stone floor, as the closest Draugr swung its sword at his head. He leaned to the side, the blade whistling past his ear, then grabbed the creature's arm. The dry, brittle bones cracked as he twisted sharply, snapping it at the elbow. The Draugr hissed, its glowing eyes narrowing as it lunged at him with its free hand. Tsun caught the bony fingers inches from his face, tightened his grip, and crushed the hand into splinters. The Draugr didn't even have time to react before he drove his fist into its chest. Ribs shattered like twigs, and the force sent the creature sprawling backward into its allies, knocking two of them to the ground.
Another Draugr leaped at him, swinging a battle axe toward his neck. He ducked under the blow, his hand shooting out to grab its leg midair. With a sharp motion, he yanked it downward, slamming it into the ground. The stone cracked under the impact, and the Draugr's body twitched as he stomped on its head, the brittle skull caving in with a wet crunch. More Draugr closed in, and Tsun charged into the swarm. A sword slashed across his ribs, the rusted blade scraping against his skin but failing to cut through. He grabbed the Draugr by the throat and hurled it into the air. It crashed into another Draugr, both collapsing in a tangle of limbs.
An arrow zipped past his face, grazing his cheek. He turned, spotting a pair of archers standing at the far end of the chamber. Their bows creaked as they drew back another volley. Tsun reached down, grabbed the broken body of a fallen Draugr, and swung it like a club. The first arrow splintered against the makeshift weapon, the second flying harmlessly wide.
He dropped the body and sprinted toward the archers, weaving between the Draugr that tried to block his path. One swung a spear at his legs. He leaped over it, landing with a heavy thud, then grabbed the spear and drove it through the Draugr's chest. It collapsed, impaled, as he kept moving. He could've used Boogie Woogie, but honestly he wanted to get used to this body first, and he hoped fighting would do just that.
The archers fired again. One arrow hit his shoulder, the tip snapping against his skin. The other grazed his thigh, leaving a shallow mark. He closed the distance quickly, grabbing the first archer by its bow and snapping the weapon in half. The Draugr reached for him with clawed hands, but he punched it in the face, the force shattering its jaw and sending teeth scattering across the ground.
The second archer tried to reach for a dagger at its side. Tsun grabbed it by the head, his fingers digging into the brittle bone, and squeezed until the skull cracked. He threw the body aside and turned back toward the swarm. A sharp chill swept through the air. Several Draugr raised their hands. Frost spells shot toward him, the icy blasts biting into his skin. Ice crystals formed on his arms and chest, the cold seeping into his muscles.
Tsun gritted his teeth and moved forward. The ice made his movements slower, but it wasn't enough to stop him. He grabbed the nearest Draugr, its hands still glowing with frost magic, and smashed its head into the wall. The brittle skull burst apart, leaving a smear of frozen blood on the stone.
Another Draugr lunged at him, swinging a mace toward his head. Tsun caught the weapon mid-swing, the rusted metal bending in his grip. He yanked it from the Draugr's hands and drove it into its stomach. The creature folded in half, falling to the ground as he crushed its ribcage with a stomp.
The frost spells kept coming, the air around him thick with icy mist. His skin cracked where the cold bit deepest, but it didn't slow him. He charged into the spellcasters, their glowing hands raised to attack again.
He grabbed one by the arm and twisted until the bone snapped, the arm dangling uselessly. The Draugr tried to retreat, but Tsun grabbed its neck and lifted it off the ground. He slammed it into the nearest wall, the impact leaving a jagged dent in the stone. The creature's body went limp, sliding to the floor.
Two more spellcasters attacked him from the side, frost blasts hitting his back. He turned sharply, grabbing one by the leg and swinging it into the other. Both fell in a heap, their limbs tangled. Tsun stepped forward, his foot coming down on the chest of one Draugr. Bones crunched loudly as its ribcage collapsed under his weight.
The second Draugr scrambled to its feet, but he grabbed it by the throat, lifting it high above his head. With a sharp motion, he slammed it into the ground. The brittle body shattered on impact, pieces of bone scattering across the floor.
The last Draugr swung its weapon wildly, screeching as it charged. Tsun sidestepped the blow, grabbing the creature by the neck he closed his grip and the skull cracked open, the glowing light in its eyes fading. The chamber fell silent. Tsun stood in the middle of the carnage, his chest rising and falling steadily. Broken bodies and shattered bones littered the ground around him, weapons scattered among the debris.
He stepped over the remains, looking at the numerous wounds over his body, they were already starting to heal and close up. Turning back toward the woman, he saw her standing frozen in place, her sword lowered and her mouth slightly open.
Tsun grinned, stepping toward her. "Told you I'd handle it."
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AN: Basically just a chapter of him learning about his body, not much else if I'm honest. Kind of boring but who is the mysterious woman he meets at the end. Spoiler it's the Dragonborn. And yes she'll be a love interest. Yes there will be lemons, but this isn't a lemon story. It's the story of a pillar man in Skyrim. Anyway hope ya enjoyed this
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