Shadow in Darkness, I'm trying again. Options

[seerauna]

Okay, I'm going to try this again. This time I'm doing Dark Brotherhood making it a little easier, because I like assassins so much. Black Hand is my inspiration with his wonderful tale of Sethyas Velas. Anywho, hope you enjoy this one.



Leyawiin, Near the Five Claws Lodge
I tensed instinctually as I pulled the bowstring back, matching the bow’s own tension. My heart pounded as I released it, for I was releasing an arrow meant to kill an innocent person. The Argonian Weebam-Na was destined to die for something he didn't even know had happened.

When the arrow hit the Argonian's scales, I was surprised by the intense force behind the arrow. Normally arrows did not make it past a couple inches. Mine slammed into his throat, it went all the way through to emerge, barely visible, out the back. I flinched away from the gruesome scene, appalled by what I had done.

I scurried to retrieve my arrow and fled to the relative safety of a nearby inn. To anyone standing nearby I seemed relaxed as I sat at a table, but really my muscles were so tense I could barely move. As near as I was to the bar it wasn't quiet, but even so everyone could hear the sudden bloodcurdling screams that came from outside.

I rushed outside with the rest of the people at the inn along with much of Leyawiin, as much to see the results of my handiwork as to not blow my cover. A woman was standing next to the body of the unfortunate Argonian.

“Bejeen, what did you do!” One man yells, his voice sounding strained. Bejeen, whose face before had only the single emotion of terror, now showed a mixture of anger, shock, and the ever-present terror. Several other faces mirrored hers.

“I did nothing to my husband! Why would I? He is the only one that took in a lonely starving maid…” Bejeen trailed off sobbing.

“No.” My sudden statement surprised even me. “No, she didn’t do this. What reason would Bejeen have to kill her husband? To me this looks like the work of the Morag Tong, which as far as they are from here isn’t very likely, or the Dark Brotherhood, which is much more likely. You might want to find the killer or you might have a string of assassinations on your hands.”

I paused momentarily to take a quick breath. “Don’t blame Bejeen for something she cannot control. That would be the worst thing for you to do.” I said, my voice gradually growing fainter until it was barely a whisper, I walked as fast as I possibly could from the throng of onlookers.

I went back to the inn I had fled to. I asked the publican if she had any rooms left. One look at my face had her quickly giving me the key to a room upstairs.

“Okay…” She trailed off.

“Shadow Kear.” I supplied her with my name. Although it probably wasn’t a good idea, I was past caring.

I walked upstairs and collapsed on the bed, my emotions taking control. Guilt suppressed any of the joy of the kill I might have felt before. My horrified mind repeated one question over and over. What had I done?

The feeling of sweet relief as the black abyss of sleep swept over me was drowned out when I fell into a dream of the previous day’s events, of what had led me to this murder.

I was walking through the town of Leyawiin repairing gear and restocking supplies as needed for my adventuring habits. I saw an Argonian walking in my direction. It was clear he wanted to talk to me. My lips formed the beginnings of a snarl.

“What do you want lizard?” I hissed at him. His appearance made my otherwise pleasant, if sometimes cold manner, unpleasant and rude.

What he was about to say was drowned out by a sudden urge to stab him with the dagger hidden beneath my armor. This Argonian would die.

In a rush of fur and claws I was running, running from the sudden bloodthirstiness that had engulfed me. My emotions were primarily horror and a sadistic glee at the thought. I ran from my glee.

I woke covered in sweat. The dream had been so lifelike it could have been happening at that moment. The last thing I wanted was any more surprises.

So imagine my now familiar and unwanted surprise when I found the Imperial that would later lead my life in a direction I never wanted it to take, standing at the foot of my bed.

EDIT: Took some of Illydoor's crit and fixed the beginning up a bit.

This post has been edited by seerauna: Apr 20 2009, 01:16 AM

[seerauna]

My creativity has returned! Along with my Internet connection . Here's the next update. Thanks to everyone who has commented and given feedback! I'm not so sure about the dialogue, because I wrote it from memory but I think it's pretty close.



Lucien chuckled at my alertness. "She seems annoyed and disgusted. Why would that be? I can see her eyes, they reflect her soul." He murmured to himself. I'm wasn't sure I was supposed to hear his strange comment and kept my opinions about it to myself.

"So, the deed is done. How do I know this? You will find that the Dark Brotherhood knows many things. For you are now part of the family." He droned on like this for awhile. One statement jumped out at me and practically forced me to follow it to the next.

"You will now go to the Abandoned House in the city of Cheydinhal. Unlock the door and go to the basement. Then knock on the Black Door and you will be posed a question, 'What is the color of night?' You will answer, 'Sanguine, my brother.' Once inside the Sanctuary speak to Ocheeva. She will tell you what to do from there."

I nodded, thinking that this had to be the most self-absorbed, idiotic man alive. As he had last time Lucien cast his chameleon spell. Did he have to do that every time? I snorted at his actions.

"Do you not think that I don't notice your contempt for me Shadow Kear? Do you think me blind? Well you will find out that you assume wrongly if you believe these things." Lucien said, obviously irritated by my behavior.

His chesnut colored eyes held me as if spell-bound. Even invisible they were noticible. I had never noticed the power and beauty in them. I shook my head, just as annoyed as him. This man had no power of me except in rank, and even then I could rise just as high or even higher if I set my mind to it.

My features twisted into a snarl. "Just go and leave me to my own mind!" I rasped towards his barely visible figure.

His face was eerily similar to mine in expression. "You cannot hide from me forever Shadow Kear!" In a last stand he disappeared from view and I heard the trapdoor shut loudly.

So far my confrontations with Lucien were not going to well. My rebellious nature and my utter disgust for the Dark Brotherhood Speaker were not helping the situation, since they only enhanced it further. At least I knew the feelings were mutual.

I snuck out of the inn, and cursed to find that my mare had wandered off. Thankfully the Legion Forester had his own horse, a black stallion. I untied the reins from the fence pole and set off for Cheydinhal. Along the way my mind worked furiously to solve the mystery that was Lucien.

He seemed to have a deep-rooted fear of something. It showed in his eyes every time I was around him. But what was he afraid of? This was what I truly wanted to know. Everything else was very minor compared to this. Obviously Lucien had to fear competetive assassins from other guilds and people in cities who knew he was assassin, but it was something else, I could tell it was.

I hissed in annoyance. I didn't like mysteries but this one had to wait for later. I continued on to the next mystery, the Dark Brotherhood itself. People had always remarked on my aggresive behavior, but had never gone so far as to suggest that I could be a killer, let alone a murderer. Then again, my aggresiveness might be the whole reason why they didn't suggest it.

Suddenly, the stallion neighed. I looked up and looked around, surprised. Either this horse was faster thsn the wind, or I had lost track of time thinking. I had already made it to Cheydinhal. I dismounted the horse and clicked my tongue.

"Go boy, back to the inn. You've done your job well." I whispered. As though he had understood, the stallion nickered. Then he broke into a gallop and disappeared into the trees. I continued on foot to the city. This should be so fun. Here goes nothin'. I stepped up to the gates and into the city.

A shout came from behind me, "What are you doing?" I froze in terror and then slowly started to turn.

This post has been edited by seerauna: Jan 10 2009, 02:38 AM