An Ashlanders Tale Chapter 2 Options

[jonajosa]

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Chapter 2

“And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by from this day until the ending of the world but we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. Be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition, and gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speaks, that fought with us upon St. Crispin's day!” -King Henry V addressing the troops before the battle of Agincourt on St Crispians Day in 1415


“Get up!” A sharp pain came across my face. “What did I just say? Get up!” Again something hit me across my face.

“He’s not going anywhere by himself. Come on lets drag him to shore.”

I could barely see a thing. My vision was blurry and my face was numb. They grabbed my arms and legs and lifted me up and carried up some steps and through a door. I was suddenly thrown to the ground. I tried to stand up but fell back down to the ground. A quick blast of cold air told me I was outside. There was something strange about the air too. It did not feel the same as the dry warm air of my land. I squinted to try to see where I was but I only saw a dull white blur. Someone grabbed my shoulder and pushed me farther forward.

“Keep moving.”

It seemed like for hours we walked. Strange noises always echoed through area we walked in. As we walked my vision improved but barely. I was able to tell that I was in a forest with snow all over the place. This was definitely not Vardenfell. I tried to recoup my memories of what happened before I woke up in this place. I remembered being in a city watching something burning in the middle of the street. That was all I was able to recall though before the men leading me somewhere told me to stop. I could see several houses and people moving about on a ridge about 100 yards from where I was standing.

I was lead in to the groups of houses and placed on the ground by a well. I looked around me. There were 6 houses all built of wood and stone. There was Armour at the end of town. The other 5 building looked to be either sleeping quarters or storehouses. I looked for the people I thought I saw. They were talking with the men who brought me here to this place. The first thing that went through my mind was here’s my chance to flee. But the curiosity of this strange world kept me glued to the wet ground. The men came back to me.

“How’s our little prisoner doing?” One of them said grinning at me.
I grinned back. “I’m doing fine nord.”

He glared at me and pulled his hand back and was about to strike when the other man silent until now stopped him.

“Do not strike him. He will need to look well when we show the imperials how well we treat our prisoners.” He grinned at me with brown worn teeth.

I glared. What did that mean? What would showing the imperials how well my health was help them? “What do you plan to do with me?” I asked.

“You will see in due time young dunmer, in due time indeed.” He said.
They laughed, picked me up and drug me to a building.

“You will stay in here.” One of them untied my hands. I was shoved inside. They bolted the door behind me. I looked around. No windows, locked door… No way out. I sat down. Time to think.
How can I get out of here and where am I?

[jonajosa]

“Get ready.” Dultog said. We were hidden behind a fallen log a few feet from the outer defenses of the rebel camp. By just glancing at the camp I could tell it was in a terrible condition. Men were stumbling around coughing their lungs out and there were motionless shapes lying on the ground everywhere. It looked as if someone had gotten there before us and slaughtered them all. Even though they all looked dead Dultog still had the entire company ready for action and the battle mages ready to unleash a hellish storm of fire upon anyone who came towards them. Then suddenly Dultog gave the order to attack.

The gray sky suddenly turned black and flashes of lightning sprouted from the gathering clouds. The lightning hit the ground and set tents afire. It was the first time I had ever seen magic like this used before. I was familiar with healing magic and the school of illusion for it was taught to the people of our tribe at a very young age. This was very different indeed. Lances of fire leaped out from the woods from our right and struck the middle of the camp, setting everything within 20 feet of the blasts afire.

I watched in horror as the people ran around on fire screaming and failing their arms. Some were smarter than the others though and quickly rolled in the snow and put the fire out on them. But almost as soon as they got up from putting themselves out our own men overcame them. The battle quickly ended after that.

Dultog got up and walked towards the carnage. I followed, stunned by the harshness and cruelty these nords showed their enemies. They were piling up the dead in the middle of the camp and setting them on fire. I did not get to watch more than that though because Dultog called me towards him.

“Something’s wrong here.” He began when I finally made it to him. “There should have been more than just 20 people here.” That very sentence sent my senses on overdrive. I immediately began scanning the woods for any sign of movement. He seemed to notice my sudden stiffness but chose to ignore it and continued talking. “They must have something planned.” He seemed stare into the distance while he talked. It looked as if he was already devising a plan to counter their already in place ambush.

I left him to his planning and began to walk towards the large blaze at the middle of the camp. As I got closer a sudden flash occurred. Then suddenly I saw myself walking towards a fire in the middle of a valley covered with ash dust. I recognized the scene immediately and tears swelled up in the corners of my eyes. I saw in the fire my brother standing there crying for help. The fire was slowly engulfing him. I tried to run to him but something kept my feet stuck to the ground. The momentum I started tripped me from the sudden stop and I fell face first into the dust. I looked up and saw my brother reaching for me with a blackened arm. I reached for it grasped it. His arm was burning hot but I continued to hold onto it with a death grip. I cried out to him but he mouthed only words. I stared at him and began to tell thim I was sorry when another flash ocuured.

Suddenly just as fast as my illusion started it was gone. I was standing there, holding the arm of a dead rebel in the fire. I dropped it and stumbled backwards into the deep snow. As the wet cold snow hit my hand a pain shot up my arm. Only then did I realize the seriousness of the burn. The gloves I had on were melted onto my hand. I tried to slap the leather off my hand before it burned too deep into it. But I only succeeded in getting the burning substance on the fingers of my other hand. I got up and quickly stuck both hands into the snow under my knees. The pain quickly subsided. I got off my hands and looked at them. Black leather was IN my hands! I tried to move my fingers to remove the leather but I couldn’t. I jumped up and rushed off for a healer.