A Thief's Ascension, The story of Jak's life from small beginnings Options

[BretonBlood]

I am by no means a writer, in fact I am horrible but figured I'd post a story I wrote on the Bethesda Forums here. I fully expect to be picked apart for my bad writing, this was also written about 2 years ago. I also like to include pictures to somewhat show what is going on since it kind of helps take away some of the burden of creating the scene through writing.

Chapter 1

"Oh wait, aren't you going to eat something before you go to work?"

"I can't I slept in, sorry mom." Jak said as he quickly rushed out the door to head to the Riften Docks.

Once at the docks Jak got to work quickly with the daily chores he was assigned when he got the job. Luckily he had been doing it for so long that even starting late he could get his work done in time, and after a few hours he took a break to relax watching the lake. It was peaceful for awhile until...

"Hey Jak! What are you doing?" The young Breton came up from behind and sat down beside Jak.

"Hello, Fina..." She stretched her legs out across his lap. "Alright then... well I am on my break, I got all my stuff done and before I get back to work I wanted to relax over the lake."

"Oh, that sounds like fun, I mean I can't imagine working here is all that fun."

"It isn't bad, it can get boring but it pays okay. Plus I get to rest here every now and then and take in the view and fresh air."

"It is beautiful, isn't it? "

"So what are you doing here, Fina?"

"I don't have anything to do since I haven't gotten any jobs from the Jarl or anyone, so I decided I would come see you today."

"Lucky me." Jak smirked and Fina smacked his arm.

Jak eventually stood up and explained he had to get back to work, so Fina hugged him and said good bye. Once the sun began set Jak finished up his remaining work, and headed home where his mother cooked a meal while he recovered from another day of working for the Riften Fishery.

As usual Jak worked a long day at the Riften Fishery and decided to go to the Bee and Barb for an afternoon drink. He sat the bar drinking several mugs of mead trying to take the edge off.

"By the gods, Fina? Is that you?"

"Marc?"

"That's right. Wow it has been years, what are you doing in Riften?"

"I live here, in fact I just got back from a job the jarl gave me to go take care some smugglers. What about you?"

"I have been travelling Skyrim looking for potential patrons, and ended up here. It is great to see you, want to get a drink?"

"Umm, sure." Fina and Marcurio headed to the bar to order some mead when Fina noticed Jak sitting at the bar and walked up to him.

"Jak, how are you?" She stood beside him at the bar and Jak nodded his head as Marcurio walked up to the bar. "Marc, this is Jak... Jak this Marc, he is an old friend of mine."

Marcurio greeted Jak, but Jak gave a quick hand gesture and took another drink of his mead. "Jak are you drunk?" Fina asked.

"Not drunk enough." he replied.

"I'm going to change out of my armor. Marc watch him for me and make sure he doesn't get into trouble." Marcurio laughed and agreed to the request.

"She is great isn't she?" Marc gave a sigh, "It's been so long since I've seen her."

"Yeah, she is great..." Jak replied.

Marcurio leaned forward onto the bar, "So what's the story between you two? Are you?"

"We're just good friends." Jak explained.

"Oh. Interesting."

Marcurio began small talk with Jak and explained how he knew Fina from when they used to study magic in Cyrodiil when they were younger. Then he began to rant about how he was a master of the arcane and his skill in battle was unmatched. He also hinted that if Jak ever needed him he could be hired. Jak didn't pay much attention, he instead noticed the coin purse he had hanging from his belt. After a couple minutes Jak went to get up from the bar, but stumbled and Marcurio caught him before he fell.
"I think you have had enough to drink, at least until Fina gets back."

"Fine. Maybe you are right, I'll just go home now. Tell Fina I said bye." Jak made his way to the door, "Sucker." Jak smirked and put the coin purse in his pocket.

[BretonBlood]

Darkness Eternal: Indeed Arissa is very independent. We will find out more about her in the next chapters.

Actually Arissa kind of just showed up, he had no intention of letting Arissa meet his mom... at first.

And you may be correct. Thanks for reading.


Acadian: Arissa is in fact from the Arissa the wandering rogue mod, she is easily one of my favorite followers. And thank you, I tried my best to learn her personality from how she acted and talked in the little time I had her with Jak when I was playing him.

And you know, for the last several weeks I really have been wanting to read some of the other fan fiction stories on here as they look very interesting, I just have been very busy because I am taking summer classes to catch back up. But I definitely agree, I would love to read others stories and see how they write and what not.

Chapter 6

After swimming back across the lake the two entered the city and made their way back to Brynjolf. Jak went ahead to talk to Brynjolf while Arissa hung back.

"Word on the street is Goldenglow got hit hard, and that you could see the fire from the city. Good job, lad."

"It was easy enough, and here is what was inside the safe." Jak handed over the note and gold. Brynjolf was surprised to find that Aringoth had sold Goldenglow to an unknown buyer with a strange symbol for their signature, and then explained how Maven didn't like being cut out off deals and her payments.

"Speaking of payments." Jak spoke up.

"Ah yes, smart as a whip. Here you go, lad. One more thing, Maven has asked to see you, she mentioned you by name."

"What does she want to see me for?"

"That's between you and Maven, and I prefer to keep it that way. Don't be worried though, it's just business most likely, just don't keep her waiting."

Jak left Brynjolf and returned to Arissa and gave her half of the payment from Brynjolf.

"Thanks... can I ask you something, Jak?" She paused for a second, "I need your help with something, and it's very important to me. I need your help finding the man responsible for ruining my family, and destroying my life."

"Arissa, what are you talking about?" Jak paused and noticed a melancholy look that had come over her face, "I don't know what to say, but sure I'll help it's the least I could do. Why now, though?"

"I have known where he is for some time now, but I didn't think I could face him alone, but now that you are here, we could. I trust you enough to ask for help."

"I'm glad to help you out. Where do we need to go?"

"He is hiding out in a cave in Haafingar, near a stormcloak camp, like the skeever he is..."

Jak agreed they could head out there next, but he didn't want to make the journey without getting a job first, so he got a bedlam job from Delvin in Solitude. Of course, having over heard he was heading to Solitude, Vex asked Jak to perform a job she had recently gotten to steal an item from someone's home in Solitude, so he gladly accepted. Jak and Arissa went their separate ways to get some rest and met each other the next day. Before leaving Riften Jak wanted to talk with Maven, so he wouldn't keep her waiting and Arissa wanted to acquire some new armor and decided to meet up afterwards. After asking around, Jak found out Maven was in the Bee and Barb so he went there and found her upstairs.

"So, you are the one Brynjolf has told me about? Not very impressive looking to me."

"I might say the same to you. Your name carries weight, and I expected more." Jak retorted.

"Watch what you say, boy. I could have you thrown in jail, or worse..."

Maven continued and explained her job for him and how she needed him to put her competitor out of business. She did not like how quickly he had set up his establishment and told Jak to talk with a man named Mallus Maccius because he would give the details on what he needed to do. So with one more final warning from Maven not to mess up this job, Jak was on his way and met Arissa at the bottom of the stairs. She had acquired her new armor and Jak was impressed with it, so after exchanging a compliment the two left the Bee and Barb and the city. They decided to take the carriage to Solitude and Jak took this time to ask Arissa about what happened in the past with the man they were looking for. She explained how he had betrayed her family and sold them to the Thalmor, so they arrested her family, stole their land, and destroyed her life and after that the Nord disappeared and she tried to find him.

They eventually reached Solitude on a beautiful day, and naturally Arissa spoke up, "My father used to bring me to Solitude sometimes. It is a nice city filled with snooty types and nobles. But you know what they say, with nobility comes more lootability."

Arissa told Jak the way and he lead as they walked along the road. They came to a little path that strayed from the road, Arissa said that was where they needed to go and so the two followed the path and after walking down the hill they eventually found the cave. They stood for a minute, while looking around Jak noticed that Arissa's anger was rising and could feel her tensing up. She began walking towards the cave when Jak grabbed her hand, "Arissa, don't do anything rash, okay? This isn't a suicide mission." She simply nodded and Jak headed into the cave first.

Once inside they followed along the narrow cave and came to a big open space; Arissa was awestruck by it, but Jak was more focused on the wolves that inhabited the cave. They crept as close as they could before charging the wolves and killing them one by one until all laid dead, and even more came running from deeper in the cave when they heard the commotion. They took on each of them as they came in what seemed like waves and then continued through the cave until they came to a fork in the cave passage. "I say we go left." Arissa chimed in and Jak agreed. It seemed going left was the right way as it led them further into the cave, but both Jak and Arissa thought that may not have been as great as they thought, as they entered a another big open area there were egg sacs everywhere, and as they slowly made their way into the room spiders began descending from the ceiling and walls. Arissa quickly started attacking the ones that had dropped down to her right nearby and so Jak carefully maneuvered around the poison they shot and took them out by circling around them and swinging at them as fast as he could. Once all the other spiders had been killed a giant one descended from an opening in the ceiling, Jak and Arissa tried to confuse it by attacking from opposite sides. The tactic worked until the arachnid spit poison at Arissa barely missing causing her to trip. The spider turned to attack her but Jak was quick enough to jump in front of the spider and stab in the eye killing it.

Jak helped her up and the two of them looked for a switch to open the gate to move forward. They could not find a lever and Arissa commented on how it may be a secret switch, and she was right as she pulled down one of the torches next to the gate causing it to open. It wasn't long after the gate that they ended up in another room, but this one did not have spiders or wolves, but instead a man standing on platform. He did not notice them enter the room and so they both slid to the side behind a wall. Jak looked at Arissa who was breathing heavily and noticed a crazed look in her eye, and shook his head telling her not to do anything, but she did not listen and ran out towards the Nord.

"Come down here and fight you coward! You will pay for what you did to my family!"

Jak ran out behind her as the man drew his battleaxe and ran down the ramp towards her. He was slow in his movements as he was older and so whenever he swung his giant battleaxe they would dodge and then begin their barrage of slashes against the old Nord and he eventually died by Arissa's blade. She smiled as she stood over his body, then as she looked up she noticed some journals sitting on a chest near his bed. She pointed it out and began walking towards the chest when suddenly the whole cave shook and part of the ceiling fell to the floor.

"Arissa we need to get out of here now! This place is coming down!"

"No! I need those journals to prove my families innocence!" She ran up to the chest and started grabbing the journals.

Jak ran up and grabbed her and they ran to a gate on the other side of the room. They opened the door with a key already in the gate and Jak ran forward looking back to make sure Arissa was following him. He turned at the last second to find the way they were going had ended and was instead just a ledge with a long drop into a dark pit. Jak suddenly stopped himself and slid right at the edge, but doing so caused the ledge give out making him fall but he grabbed little rock and held on for his life.

"Jak!" Arissa came to the ledge and tried to grab Jak's hand unsuccessfully before laying down and trying to reach a second time, "I can't reach you! You need to boost yourself up so I can grab your other hand."

"Alright..." He looked down into the abyss of the pit, his heart pounding out of his chest.

Arissa counted to three and Jak tried to boost himself up to grab her hand when the rock he was holding broke.

"No!" Arissa cried out as he plummeted into the pit.

This post has been edited by BretonBlood: Jul 22 2016, 05:40 PM