Ekali of the Frozen Heights, Book one Options

[Saquira]

So, I've been working on this since before Skyrim came out now and I think it's about time I publish it. I'm still working on Felisas Memoires, I actually got really inspired yesterday and wrote up the ending so now I know exactly where I want to go with it. I just wanted to get started on publishing this story as well.

I'm no longer working on A Strange Love, you'll probably have gotten it by now but I just wanted to get it out. I might go back to it and continue sometime, but then I'll make a completely new version and it probably won't happen for a very long time.

I change a lot of the things in the main quest in this story, because the dragons really should be able to use all the shouts(it's their language after all) and a lot of other reasons. Ekali won't only follow the main quest though, not like Felisa did. And I'll also have this story be much more orderly, in that I'll divide every chapter in numbered parts and will be writing a "what came before" paragraph at the start of each update.

Anyway, this is the story of the khajiit Ekali, and her journey through Skyrim.

Ekali of the Frozen Heights
Book one

Prologue

The female threw herself across the cold stone just as fire lit the sky, melting the snow of her former location. The beast roared out his rage as he turned after the khajiit, pale fangs still hot from the fire. She thought up the words when its jaws clamped shut above her, forcing Ekali to roll out of the way as it brought its head down again.

“Fo Krah!” The shout was loud, and covered the beast in frost as he lifted his muzzle towards the sky in rage. He flapped his wings, unleashing more fire in her direction, and took to the air.

Getting up from her crouch, the khajiit sprinted across the ice crusted stone, coming to a stop at her pack from which she drew a bow and quiver. The bow was already strung in anticipation for an event just like this, and she put an arrow to it just as the beast came around for another go. Her hands wouldn't be still as she aimed for the creature, and it was by chance that the arrow stuck in its throat. She sprinted again as he roared in fury, black eyes intent on her body.

“Dovahkiin! Zun Haal Viik!” His powerful voice was triumphant as the bow flew out of the woman’s grasp, and she cursed, barely avoiding the swipe from his tail when he flew past. As it was the blast of wind knocked her of her feet, and she pictured a fireball in her mind as she got up again. The dragon was wrapped in flames mere moments before his feet connected with her shoulders and threw her backwards.

Her feline claws where out before she had time to process the empty space beneath her feet, clinging like picks to the ice encrusting the rocky mountain. The stone shuddered as the dragon landed and made his way towards the precipice on which she was hanging.

“Dovahkiin.” The beast smiled at her as he lowered his head, looking over her white body.

The tension on her claws was causing a numbness in her hands when she hung there, and the khajiit grunted when she tried to get a better grip on the cliff side as well as getting her legs up. She'd be damned if she didn't get up, she knew that all to well.

“Trouble, Dovahkiin? Perhaps you should have practised your claws before coming, they often make a lot of difference.” He smiled again as he reached one of his feet out, extending a claw. He looked at it briefly before turning back at her. “How is it you say... oh yes, any last words?” Ekali kept quiet and he smiled again, edging further out on the edge to get to her.

The light of the blue green aurora reflected on his scales when he got closer, making him look even more majestic than before. His head had the shape of an arrowhead with spikes that were angled backwards from his face. His eyes were dark, and the scales had a soft brown colour to them.

She narrowed her eyes at the dragon as she tried to get a better grip on the ice, and clung tighter when the wind picked up, tousling her fur. The ice was mixed with snow, and her hands were barely noticeable because she didn't wear any gauntlets at the time.

The beast crept closer still, and put his foot on her paw to be able to break her grip. With a last smile that caused the blue light to be reflected by his teeth, he tore her away from the cliff, and opened his mouth to shout.

“Fus Ro Dah!” The shout threw her further away from the ledge, away from any hope of survival, and caused her to yell out in shock.

Oh hellfire, was the one thought that went through her head as she looked down at the ground far beneath her, the wind wining past her ears.

* * *

End note: So, there's the prologue. You don't get to find out what happened for a long time though as the prologue takes place long after the first chapter, which I intend to post the first part of on Tuesday. And I really like constructive criticism.

[Saquira]

And it's finally done! I've had way to much to think about lately, and then I set out to write a fight with a giant spider. I have no idea of how a giant spider would fight if it existed in the real world, but I do hope this worked out.

McBadgere: Um yeah, I can't really explain that . Thank you

King Coin: If Gladio hadn't been there she'd also have had to handle four bandits on her own. As a forester, having been exposed, I don't think she'd have had much chance. She wouldn't have lived long enough for the mistake with the hammer to have time to happen. She's good for a forester, but not that good. So yeah, there are several positives about Gladio arriving when he did.

Warning! And right, if you have a weak stomach or have a problem with spiders you might not want to read the first part of this chapter. I think you have to be very sensible to not be able to handle it, but you never know.

Previously on Ekali of the Frozen Heights: Ekali arrived at Bleak Falls Barrow, and launched her attack on the group of bandits residing there. Having lost the moment of surprise, she was both happy and shocked to find that the wolf Gladio had come to join her. Breaking her ankle in the ensuing battle, as short as it was, it took a while before she could properly greet her friend. That accomplished, they took out the two bandits in the first area of the barrow before Ekali laid down to rest, knowing that Gladio would stand guard over her.

Chapter 3.2 Otherworldly creatures

The cobwebs stretched from the ground all the way up to the roof in the passageway, and Ekali shivered at the thought of what must have created them. Gladio got stuck with his leg in some of it, and she had to bring out her fletching knife to free him, after which he walked with his tail almost between his legs.

The wolf was whining by the time they heard the panicked calls for help, and the khajiit drew her great-sword before leaning around the next corner. Cobwebs completely covered the archway, and she brought her sword up to slash at them. A growl arose from the wolf as he walked past her when she was finished, treading carefully into the large room. Ekali followed close behind him, sword ready as her eyes swept the room.

As the great creature dropped from the ceiling it shook the ground, and Ekali looked over it with fear when her eyes found the beast. Clapping its mandibles together, the giant spider started forward as Gladio growled at it and circled to the right. He bounded forward and closed his jaws around one of the legs of the insect, from which was heard an audible crunch.

He'd given Ekali just enough time to recover from the shock, and when the spider screeched and turned after the canine, the khajiit came up on the other side and slashed with her blade at one of its legs. The sword almost severed the creatures leg, and it screeched again, realising that the khajiit was the greater threat. It tried to scurry out from in between them, but Gladio got his jaws around another of its legs and pulled. Ekali seeing an opening, evaded the creatures flailing leg, and struck out with her blade to pierce the spiders thick skin.

Several stabs later, she wiped the sticky blood of herself and looked Gladio over to make sure he didn't get hurt. Then she looked towards the back of the room, at a dunmer male hanging suspended by cobwebs in a door opening.

“Help! Get me down! I'll share the treasure with you, just let me down!” he called out when he noticed she was looking at him, and Ekali shook her head in disbelief.

“I'm looking for a golden claw, do you have it?” she asked as she raised her sword and cut at the cobweb. It went rather quickly, and instead of answering her question, the dunmer snarled that she'd never get the treasure, and set of running further in.

Ekali sighed and set of at a steady jog, knowing that he probably wouldn't get far. People's final resting places tended to be littered with traps.

:-:-:-:

The creak of the hinges echoed through the hall and brought Ekali to a stop just when she were about to step out of the hall into the space in which alcoves holding corpses where. The dunmer flew across the room, crashing into the wall to the left of her, and the strange angle of his neck told of the fact that he wouldn't get up on his own.

Before dying, he'd closed his eyes, and the man looked almost peaceful where he lay. If it wasn't for the blood dripping onto the ground, and the way his body bent over a large pile of rubble, she might have thought he was sleeping.

Ekali was brought back to reality when a moan sounded from one of the alcoves, and her eyes went wide when she saw three draugr in the process of getting up. Drawing the great-sword from its scabbard, she signalled for Gladio to stay close, and stepped out onto more level ground where she'd have room to fight.

The first draugr came at them with its axe raised, eyes glowing blue as it swung at her. She deflected the slash easily and having put the grotesque feminine shape of balance, drove the sword through the creatures ribcage, producing a sickening crunch.

Stepping to the side so as to not have the newly dead monster in her way, Ekali brought her sword up so that she could block the incoming hit from the second draugr, while Gladio lunged at the third.

Screenshot

Trying to keep the wolf in her peripheral, she blocked the barrage of chops that the creature tried to kill her with. When it stopped momentarily, she ducked down beneath its guard and struck at its legs while avoiding the reach of the draugr. A thud outside of her view, followed by a sharp clang as metal struck stone, told her that the other one had fallen and soon the wolf was by her side.

Skipping in close to the monstrosity, he took a grip around its leg and pulled it out from under the undead. Ekali took the chance when it had fallen, to bring her sword down into its chest.

Gladio put his head against her leg and she stood up, wiping of the sword on some of the rags that covered one of the draugr. Then she sheathed the blade and walked over to the Dunmer, crouching down next to him. Proceeding to look through his pockets, she found some drakes, a leather-bound journal and an ornament that had to be the golden claw.

She put them away amongst her own things, then arose and turned towards the path she had yet to travel down. A marked stone protruded from the ground, and she could see the spike trap that had killed the Dunmer bandit. She was careful to stay clear of the stone when she walked on, Gladio tight on her heel.

:-:-:-:

Screenshot

Frowning, Ekali tilted her head slightly to the side as she looked at the round door. She wasn't sure of what it was, but she knew that it was the only way forward, and there seemed to be a pattern in its design.

When putting her fingers into the indents in the middle, she recalled the golden claw, and took it out of her bag. It fit into them, but when she tried to push or turn the circular lock, nothing happened. Ekali took the claw away from the wall to look it over, and noticed the three carvings lined up one after the other on the side that would lay against the door. Looking from the claws carvings to those in a line on the door, she immediately saw the problem. The carvings were in the wrong order. But how do I change the order? In frustration, she put her hand against one of them and found herself jumping backwards when a rumble was heard from the stone, and the carving that she'd touched, together with a part of the door, moved to reveal yet another small carving.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she touched all of the carvings again and watched them move. At which point only one of them was the correct one, so she touched the other two as well, before putting the claw back into the indentations in the middle. This time when she pushed on it, the claw turned on its own, and just after she took it back to put it in her pack she heard the sound of stone grinding against stone. Then the whole door sunk down to reveal a large cavern.

Gladio started forward when Ekali was still busy marvelling over the huge space that was hidden just beneath the the surface of the ground. She followed a few steps after him after a while, and then ducked down when a group of bats came flying past them from a hole in the ceiling that they'd approached.

They heard the sound of flowing water, and soon saw the stream, as well as a large wall further in. (Screenshot) She stepped onto the small stone bridge that spanned the stream, and walked slowly up the steps towards the wall and the platform it stood on together with a large coffin and a small counter.

That was when she first heard the sounds. Voices, thousands of voices, whispering at first but growing in volume as she drew nearer to the wall. She was no longer aware of her surroundings when some signs started glowing blue on the wall, and in her mind little else mattered than going closer to it. Then she could see nothing but the glowing word as the voices coalesced into one. Fus.

Her sight came back quicker than it had disappeared, and with it came the realisation that the sharp noise she had heard didn't have anything to do with the wall. It came from the coffin behind her.

This post has been edited by Saquira: May 18 2012, 05:26 PM