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]

Sorry for not posting on this in awhile guys! My friend had my Oblivion cd and I just got it back yesterday. Aaanyways here's the next update, hope you enjoy it.




On my arrival back at the Sanctuary, I was met by an overly happy Vincente. I sighed heavily; I didn’t like excessively cheerful people. “So,” he began, clapping his hands together, “the pirate is eliminated. Excellent. No one will mourn his passing, and Sithis is appeased. Please accept this Black Band as your reward. It is quite useful to those who value...discretion.”

I slipped it on and found that when I did I immediately felt more comfortable in my light as a feather Brotherhood armor and stronger, more resistant to all kinds of magicka.

The vampire Breton looked after me with a slightly annoyed expression as I walked away with barely a word, only a whispered ‘thank you’.

Knowing that taking another contract could be disastrous to my emotional and mental health I decided to read one of my newly found books. About halfway through A Game at Dinner, I felt a light tap of a claw on my shoulder. Twisting a little bit to see over my shoulder I found Teinaava standing there.

“You look very absorbed with that book. What is it?” He asked going over to the other chair to sit down.

“A Game at Dinner.” I replied after a moment’s hesitation. Who cared whether he knew or not?

“An interesting book, Shadow. You’ll like the ending.” He told me and I frowned slightly; I didn’t like the ending of a good book being given away. Seeing my expression, he laughed. “Oh don’t worry, I won’t give away the ending, I don’t like it when that happens either.” A kindred spirit then? I asked myself. Maybe, it seemed I had more in common with someone of a race I usually didn’t care for-and an assassin at that-than some of my own kind. “Plus,” he added, “I don’t want to do anything that could get me hurt. With a temper that scares Lucien, I don’t think doing something that could make you mad would be the best idea.”

I stared at him dumbfounded. Lucien thought that my temper was scary? That’s enough to make anyone proud. I didn’t let Teinaava see how strange I thought it was but I wondered at it for a moment. “What do you think of Lucien? We didn’t get along too well when we met.” I admitted.

Teinaava’s eyes glinted with something unreadable, then the look vanished replaced by warm amusement. “Yes he said something of that. But Ocheeva and I have known each other since we were hatchlings. He is the one who trained us in the way of the Shadowscale, and is like a father to us. I hope he becomes something like that you.”

I shrugged at his statement about Lucien being like a father to me one day. I didn’t see it happening anytime soon. “Shadowscale? Sounds familiar for some reason.”

“I can’t see why. In the Argonian homeland of the Black Marsh, those born under the sign of the Shadow are taken at birth and given to the Dark Brotherhood.” Strange, if I had been an Argonian I would’ve been accustomed to this lifestyle since my kittenhood, or the hatchling stage I guess.

“A Shadowscale hatchling is trained in the art of stealth and assassination, and lives a life of service to the mighty kingdom of Argonia. A Shadowscale who lives to come of age is accepted into the Dark Brotherhood as a full member of the family. So it was with myself, and Ocheeva.” He finished his explanation, and waited sat back in his seat a little more comfortably.

“That sounds amazing. How ironic that my sign is the Shadow.” I smiled faintly although my friend’s statement about living to come of age made me shiver a tiny bit.


“As is your name.” He acknowledged. I nodded to his observation and yawned. I realized I hadn’t slept for nearing twenty-four hours. “You must be exhausted, I’m sorry for keeping you from your bed.” He apologized hurriedly.

“It’s fine, I hadn’t realized how tired I was till now.” I reassured him quickly. Gathering my book and the bag next to my chair and went into the living quarters. Finding a bed I quickly set my bag next to it and laid on it, fully clothed in my armor, and fell gratefully into the welcome abyss of dreamless sleep.