Nemesis Options

[Jacki Dice]

This is a little something I've been toying with for awhile. I've decided to bring it out to the forums here. This story will include the original version of Kalila Blackstone, from Madness Helps me Save Myself. This version of her has absolutely no ties to the one borrowed in the story.

Speaking of, Madness Helps me Save Myself will continue as planned. Sometimes working on something separate for a while soothes my writer's block.

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1

“That which is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.�
--Friedrich Nietzsche

In a perfect world, it would have been an assassin. Or maybe a bandit. It would be someone who was out to hurt her, who justifiably deserved to die. However, as Tara Karminova clutched her dagger to her chest, she knew it would be no such person. The world was too imperfect.

She looked around the dark alleys of the Imperial City Market District for someone no one would miss. Guilt weighed in her heart for even thinking that. Did someone’s life have less value just because they had no one to miss them? Of course not. But, she needed someone whose death wouldn’t prompt a thorough investigation. Maybe a skooma addict.

Oh, dear gods, what am I doing? She leaned against the wall of one of the shops. Her heart was no longer fluttering and her stomach no longer churned. Instead, she seemed to simply accept it. That was what scared her. “It’s for Clarissa,� she reminded herself. “It’s for her.� She clenched the grip of her dagger tightly and continued lurking through the alleys.

At first she thought she had blended in quite well with the street urchins in the Imperial City. She simply threw on an old, dirty robe that had torn a little on the bottom. Her brown hair was unbrushed and thrown back in a messy bun. Once she saw the beggars in person, however, she realized how far off she was. Their clothes weren’t just dirty, they were barely intact enough to keep them out of prison for indecent exposure. None of them wore the soft cotton that she was in. They appeared to be stitched together from odd pieces of fabric and sackcloth. Tara was also far too healthy looking. Her cheeks were somewhat plump and the robe hugged her frame tightly, revealing that she didn’t often go hungry. The beggars were nothing but skin and bones. The biggest difference was their eyes. Tara could easily tell who had lived on the street by the hardness or loss of hope in their eyes. There was no way for her to imitate them in that way.

She turned behind the Copious Coinpurse into a small garden. It was empty save for a young woman sleeping on the ground. Tara crept toward her, running her finger over the black soul gem stashed in her pocket. It would have been much easier to cast some sort of spell on her, but Tara thought a stabbing would look far more ordinary than magic.

The girl stirred slightly as Tara approached. Tara straddled her and turned her on her back. She was pretty. She had quite a young face. She was probably no more than nineteen. Tara hesitated for a moment before raising her hand. A violet flash erupted from her fist and washed over the girl. Once that was done she took out the dagger and plunged it into the girl.

The girl opened her eyes wide as blood oozed onto Tara. A scream rose from her throat and Tara quickly covered the girl’s mouth with her free hand, stabbing again and again until the girl stopped moving. She wished she had known where to plunge for a more painless and instant death. That part of her research had been overlooked. Tara took out the soul gem and was satisfied with the glow of the girl’s soul.

She got up and panted, staring at the girl’s body. Did she have parents? A sister? Probably not, since she had been sleeping there alone. Still, Tara was overcome with mixed emotions.

“It’s for Clarissa,� she said to herself.



Tara had to hold in her disgust as she stared upon Clarissa’s corpse.

Three years had passed since Clarissa Blackstone’s murder and time had not been kind. Clarissa’s skin was gone for the most part, only remaining in small patches. On the pieces of skin around her temples, sat dry tufts of her once luxurious black hair, though the slightest brush would turn it to dust. Her bones were not white, like the models shown at the Arcane University. Instead they were a filthy brown. The sockets that once held beautiful grey eyes were now empty and covered by a paper thin layer of skin. The gown she had been buried in had long since been eaten away. Though she went out and bought a new robe, Tara did not look forward to redressing her. Logically that shouldn’t have bothered her any more than digging Clarissa up or even setting her body on the kitchen table.

Tara wanted to pass the time doing something other than staring at Clarissa, but she was unable to take her eyes off of her. She was repulsed but fascinated at the same time. When she finally tore her eyes away, she decided to head into the basement to distract herself.

Just yesterday, the basement was full of alchemical equipment. The shelves had been lined with empty bottles and crates full of filled ones ready to be sent off to the different Mages Guild halls. Jars of ingredients sat along the windows. Now it was empty. The windows were boarded. A metal collar attached to a long chain sat in the center of the room. Tara picked it up and tugged it with all her strength. It held fast to the wall. She sighed deeply and dusted off her hands. Hopefully it would withstand the added strength of the undead.

She took a broom from a corner and started sweeping. Clarissa still deserves cleanliness, she thought. But the basement was usually kept neat and there was nothing much to sweep. She finished in seconds. She looked at the Mages Guild banners still hanging on the walls. Her eyes welled up with tears. How could she still keep those up knowing what she was going to do? How could she ever look at Arch-Mage Traven in the eye again?

With a trembling hand, she took the banners down. She tried telling herself that it was to keep them from getting ruined, but deep down she knew it was because she felt unworthy.

When she returned upstairs she was pleased to see that the hourglass was nearly empty. It was time.

For something so complex, it was strange that it was so simple to accomplish. She had imagined an elaborate ritual involving candles and conjuring. Strangely, the hardest part had been obtaining the soul gem. That and getting the soul. She closed her eyes, forcing away the image of the girl she had killed. She couldn’t afford to think about it. All spells, complex or not, required confidence and concentration.

Her home along the Lake Rumare was close enough to hear the temple bell from the Imperial City. As it rang twelve times, Tara placed the soul gem directly over where Clarissa’s heart had been. She focused on the soul inside, transferring it the way she would to an item.

The soul was stubborn. Even in death, it resisted Tara’s demand, almost as if it knew that it would cease to exist as itself. Tara trembled violently. Her heart pounded hard and she broke into a sweat. The soul would cooperate. It had no choice.

Tara grunted hard when the soul finally entered Clarissa. She panted heavily as the gem crumbled into dust, falling into Clarissa’s bare rib cage.

Clarissa’s eyelids fluttered. She sat up, turning her face toward Tara. Though the sockets were empty, she could feel the intense stare going straight through her. Tara backed up instantly. Would Clarissa remember? Or would she react with hostility? Clarissa opened her mouth, though the only sound that escaped was a dry crackle. Her body wouldn’t return to a normal living being until she received more souls.

“Clarissa,� Tara whispered. “Do you remember me?� She took a step forward. “I’m your sister.�

Clarissa tilted her head back and forth. A chunk of skin plopped on the floor causing a surge of bile to rise in Tara’s throat. She swallowed it back down and forced herself to ignore it.

“Everything is okay now,� she said. “You’re back home now.�

She held out her hand. Clarissa ignored it, seeming to be more confused than anything.

“She’s just in shock,� Tara said to herself. She glanced at the robe. She decided to put it on her when she had more skin as there was nothing really to cover.

She led Clarissa into the basement and locked the collar around her neck. “This is just to keep you safe. When you’re back to normal you can have your old room back. I’ll even get you into the Arcane University like you always wanted.� She sighed, not knowing why she said that. That wouldn’t be possible. Everyone knew that Clarissa had been dead a long time.

Clarissa crackled again, though Tara doubted that she understood anything she had been saying anyway. No need to feel like a liar, right? she wondered. “I’m going to go clean upstairs and then I’ll have to fix up your grave outside. I can’t have it looking like it’s been recently disturbed. I’ll be back soon.�

Once she was back in the living room, she locked the basement door and then placed a plank of wood in front of it. She couldn’t chance Clarissa getting out into the open. She would be killed on sight. Tara couldn’t have that. She refused to lose her twice.

She immediately set out sweeping up the living room and kitchen. There was so much dirt. Too much. Should any guild mates come for a visit, she felt it would cause immediate suspicion. Maybe it was just paranoia, but at the same time, her sudden insistence to work from her home instead of the guild halls already seemed strange. Sure, months had passed since then, the nagging feeling remained stuck in her mind.

Though it had to be done, she couldn’t keep her mind on her task. She felt drained. She sank to her knees staring at the basement door. She could hear Clarissa shuffling faintly, the chain jingling with her every movement. She glanced at the turquoise banner on the wall bearing the Mages Guild symbol. Her life as she knew it was over. She wept.



This post has been edited by Jacki Dice: Dec 23 2019, 07:08 AM

[Jacki Dice]

haute ecole rider~ Thank you~ I've done the DB quests in all my playthroughs and I was pleasantly surprised by the creepiness of that door! I'm glad I was able to bring that here

Grits~ Cheydinhal is my favorite town and I am loving bringing it to life with all the Dunmer influence. And something tells me that their food would have a lot of spice to it... and it makes me a bit hungry for some fruit and chili powder~

~~~~~

Tara

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Chapter Fourteen: Family

At least it was clean.

Tara was pleasantly surprised by the interior. As it was underground, there were no windows, but candles sitting in amber scones bathed the room in warm light. As Tara took a few slow steps in, she caught a sweet scent in the air. After a few moments, she recognized it as incense and… cake?

Why did she smell cake? Couldn’t be.

She turned the corner and nearly shrieked again. Tara was face to face with skeleton in a suit of leather armor. It stood up and opened its mouth, letting out that now-familiar crackle. It silenced itself and that was when Tara noticed the large axe in its hand.

“Wait…” Tara said, immediately putting up her hands, though she wasn’t sure if it would understand the gesture.

Never in her life did she think she would feel so happy to see an animated skeleton. The bright feeling blossoming in her stomach almost made her giddy. Someone here had to have brought this skelton to life. Maybe she was in the right place after all! Of course, that depended on if this skeleton would attack.

Luckily, it didn’t raise its weapon. Instead, it turned away and let out a long crackle. A door opened and an Argonian woman appeared. “Aeron, what is it?” She asked. Then she set her large orange eyes on Tara. “Oh!” She approached with open arms. “Welcome, sister!” Before she could say anything, Tara was pulled into a tight squeeze.

“Let me look at you,” the Argonian said, releasing her from the hug, but keeping both hands on Tara’s shoulders.

Tara looked her over in return. The Argonian’s head had three small horns on each side, with a beaded cloth draping along the back of her head. She was dressed in the same armor as the skeleton, though hers was in much better condition.

“You must be Tara Karminova,” she finally said. “Lucien told me about you weeks ago. We weren’t sure if something had happened to you along the way.”

Tara just shook her head. She didn’t recall giving Lucien her first name, let alone her last name.

“My name is Ocheeva,” she said. “It’s so wonderful to have you here. Normally, I would start with a tour of the Sanctuary but we were just about to sit down for dinner. Won’t you join us?”

It took Tara a moment to find her voice. “I just ate,” she said.

“At least have some cake,” Ocheeva insisted. “Telaendril just baked one and her cakes just melt in your mouth! You’ll see!” Before Tara could object, Ocheeva took her by the hand and lead her to the room she had been in.

“Divines…” Tara breathed as she was brought to the dining area. The table and chairs were made of beautiful cocobolo wood. The red finish was illuminated by the several candles in the room. Several places at the table were set, with the meal in the center. From what Tara could tell, dinner was a large roast, several rolls, a garden salad, and mashed potatoes. A few bottles of shein were next to a set of wine glasses.

Tapestries featuring a black hand were hung around the room, but the featured painting was of a lush valley, with a river running down the middle. It was so realistic that it was almost like looking outside.

Ocheeva left her for a moment to ring a silver bell. “Everyone, I have wonderful news,” Ocheeva called out. “Our sister has finally come home!” When she returned to Tara, she placed her arm warmly around her shoulders. “Let me introduce everyone.”

The first one in was a tall man in fine black silk clothing. His long brown hair was tied in a ponytail, though a few graying curls hung at his face. What drew Tara’s attention were his eyes.They were a beautiful hazel, but something about them just dew Tara in. It wasn’t until he smiled at her that she realized he was a vampire.

The vampire took her hand and lightly pressed it to his lips. “Warmest greetings to you,” he said, releasing her hand. Tara’s eyes were wide and she looked to Ocheeva, who was just beaming. “I am Vicente Valtieri,” he continued. “I provide assignments for all new family members, but we’ll discuss that when the time is right.” He paused for a minute before leaning in a smiling gently. “Please do not let my appearance...unnerve you. The needs and tenets of the Dark Brotherhood come before my own needs as a vampire.”

Tara wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t know what those needs or tenets were yet, but she wasn’t confident enough to promise herself safety.

With a light clap on her shoulder he moved on to the table. “Looks wonderful, Ocheeva,” he said. “I see these potatoes are separate from the others,” he lifted a small bowl. “This is mine, I’m assuming?”

“Yes, those are made especially for you,” Ocheeva nodded. “He’s very sensitive to garlic,” she explained to Tara.

The next one to greet Tara was a young woman. She was no older than Kalila, though judging by her bubbly demeanor, that would be Tara’s only reminder of her. “Welcome, dear sister!” Tara was pulled into another big hug. Tara lightly patted her back in return. She smelled of strongly of peaches. Really, if Tara hadn’t been in the Dark Brotherhood’s lair, she would never have guessed the girl to be a hired killer. Even her outfit, a colorful sundress, seemed impossibly out of place. “So good to finally meet you! My name is Antoinetta Marie!” With a grin at Ocheeva, Antoinetta joined Vincente at the table.

The next one kept his hands to himself. He was a bald Orc in a full suit of armor that clanged with every step. “Welcome!” He boomed. “Welcome to the family! I'd hug you, but Ocheeva told me not to.”

Tara immediately noticed that he was holding hands with a Bosmer. She hugged her tighly enough for both of them. “Warmest welcomes to you,” she said. “I am Telaendril, wood elf and loyal daughter of Sithis and this is Gogron gro-Bolmog. I hope you find our Sanctuary to your liking.”

Tara pursed her lips for a moment. “It’s very warm,” she said.

An orange furred Khajiit came next. Tara didn’t recognize him, but his green and blue robes made her wonder if he was a fellow mage. Perhaps out of everyone here, he would be one that she could connect to. “If it isn't the newest member of the ‘family,’” he said in a sneer that immediately dashed Tara’s hopes. “Let's get one thing straight. The Tenets prevent me from killing you. But I don't have to like you. I'll sell you equipment, but only because Ocheeva is making me. This family doesn't need any outsiders.” With that, he shoved himself past Tara and went to the table.

Argonians were not known for their expressiveness, but Tara could see that Ocheeva was fuming. “M'raaj-Dar,” she hissed. “I’m so sorry about him. He’s a real piece of work sometimes. He lacks understanding of how we like our sanctuary to operate. If he gives you trouble, you let me know.”

Tara sighed softly. Maybe it was for the best. With each friendly greeting, she noticed that she was beginning to return the fuzzy feelings. M’raaj-Dar’s coldness reminded her of where she was.

The final member to greet her was an Argonian man. He and Ocheeva greeted each other first and though he didn’t hug Tara, he was just as kind as everyone else had been. "I welcome you to our family, and this Sanctuary,” he said. “I am Teinaava. May you find yourself at home here, in the loving embrace of our Lady the Night Mother."

“That’s everyone,” Ocheeva said with a relieved sigh. “Come, let’s eat before dinner gets cold.

“Oh, but I already…” Tara gave up the argument as Ocheeva sat her down next to Antoinetta and across from Vicente. She grinned and waved. Tara hesitated, but waved back.

“This morning, something told me that today would be special,” Ocheeva said over the quieting chatter. “And now our sister has finally come home. Before we eat, Tara, let’s formally welcome you to the Dark Brotherhood.”

She picked a book off a shelf and opened it up.

“Tara Karminova, you have been brought here by our Speaker, Lucien LaChance. With Lucien, you signed a covenant. The manner of execution, your signature and in the shed blood, the ink.”

There were nods and murmurs of approval that made Tara want to just disappear.

“Know this,” Ocheeva continued. “Every Dark Brother and Sister is a child of Sithis. He whom we call Sithis has many other names. Chaos. Doom. Discord. Sithis is the Void. We of the Dark Brotherhood serve the Night Mother, who is the bride of Sithis. The Night Mother rules her children with a terrible Black Hand. The Black Hand is the ruling body of the Dark Brotherhood. It is made up of one Listener and Four Speakers. As a member of the Dark Brotherhood, you must abide by the Five Tenets. They are the laws that guide and protect us.

“The Five Tenets are as follows: Tenet Number One, never dishonor the Night Mother. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Tenet Number Two, never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Tenet Number Three, never disobey or refuse to carry out an order from a Dark Brotherhood superior. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Tenet Number Four, never steal the possessions of a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. Tenet Number Five, never kill a Dark Brother or Dark Sister. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis.

“Tara Karminova, do you solemnly swear to uphold these five tenets and dedicate your life to the Dark Brotherhood and your family?”

Her family…. Kalila, Clarissa, her mother, and Aidan. This was going to be a necessary evil to continue dedicating her life to her family. Besides, she thought. If I need to kill anyway, I may as well make some money for it.

“I swear,” Tara said softly.

This post has been edited by Jacki Dice: Aug 1 2014, 03:36 AM