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]

Acadian: It is nice, and good for Jak. Fina is his longest, and closest, friend so her bringing her along really helps as he has someone to talk to when he isn't doing a job.

The mystery shall be solved... little bits at a time.


Darkness Eternal: Lol it's probably because of his rough patch with Fina that he was more willing to befriend Arissa. Had Fina not pushed Jak away he never would have leaned toward partnering up with Arissa and becoming her friend and then lover.

You are correct, Jak now has more responsibility than ever. Luckily, as Brynjolf told him, he will handle most of the hard numbers stuff and contacts until Jak gets more used to hi new position.


Previously- Jak, Brynjolf, and Karliah killed Mercer thus bringing justice to the Guild. However, their work was not done as Karliah asked Jak to return the Skeleton Key to the Twilight Sepulcher, a place where Nightingales get their power and connect with Nocturnal, so that the Guild could regain her favor. Jak completes this mission and returns to the Guild and back to the old ways of thievery throughout Skyrim. Within a few weeks Jak had the Guild back on its feet and officially made the new Guild Master.

Final Chapter: A Thief's Ascension

After a few weeks, Jak began to understand how things worked as the Guild Master, and in that time even took extra time learning all the responsibilities by passing on jobs. Despite being busy as the Guild Master, the kind of work enabled his mind to wander, unlike when he is hands on doing the jobs personally. Jak would find himself thinking about everything with Mercer, and selling his soul to Nocturnal, what it really meant and what would happen to his soul when he died..

After going so long without completing a job Jak checked in with Vex to see if there were any available, she had a few and he accepted the one in Markarth. Jak then returned home after checking the books one last time to make sure everything was in order. The next morning he got up and gathered his things to leave for Markarth and talked with Fina while she prepared to leave for Whiterun to complete a bounty.

"Fina, I haven't exactly been truthful with you for a long time... and I don't want to do that anymore, you deserve better from me."

"Oh?" She looked puzzled, "What do you mean, Jak?"

"It's a long story and I really need to leave, but when I get back from Markarth I will tell you okay?"

"Okay." Fina looked at him with a slightly worried face, "It isn't anything bad is it? Are you okay?"

"Oh no.. I'm fine, it's just complicated. But you'll be back from Whiterun before I get back from Markarth so I'll just tell you when I get back."

Fina told him she looked forward to it and they both left the house and went their separate ways.

Days later, Jak arrived in Markarth and scouted out the house he needed to rob. As he walked the streets he was surprised when a guard mentioned something about "doing business in the city now." but Jak played dumb and the guard walked off. Once night came Jak crept through the city and broke into the house. He grabbed the item Vex requested and made his way out into the cool night, he gazed up at the sky as stars and aurora borealis lit up the night. Jak let his Nightingale armor change back into his guild armor and he made his way to the Silver-Blood Inn, he rented a room. Sleep was hard to come by as Jak laid in bed thinking about how he would tell Fina the truth, the stone slab that was the bed didn't help either. The next day he began his long journey back to Riften; the trip was uneventful until the morning he made rode into the Rift. As he rode along the road he spotted a woman standing on the side of the rode waving him down yelling... Jak stopped as he got close and got off his horse to find out what was happening.

"Are you alright?" Jak asked as he walked closer.

"Please! I need your help, some bandits captured me and my friend and they... I escaped, but they still have my friend you have to help her!" The woman fell into his chest and began to lightly sob. Jak wasn't sure he could take on a camp of bandits in broad daylight, but he couldn't refuse and leave her and her friend to suffer at the hands of the bandits. He agreed to help and asked her to show him the way; they made their way into the woods and Jak followed as the woman led the way in a hurry. The woman would glance back at Jak and he couldn't tell if it was because she didn't trust him, thought he was going to stop following, or some other reason but whenever Jak tried to ask her anything she would just insist that he hurry. As they got closer to some ruins the woman slowed down and became more cautious until they reached the foot of the stairs leading up to the ruins then she stopped.

"Your friend is up there?" He turned to the woman.

"Yes..."

Jak took a deep breath and thought to himself, Nocturnal please get me through this, I don't know how well I'll manage against a camp of bandits with no shadows to guide and protect me.

"You stay here and I'll go up there and take care of the bandits. Okay?"

Before the woman could respond Jak suddenly felt paralyzed as someone grabbed him from behind and removed his hood, "Well well, you did good Vivienne. You may make a good vampire yet." Jak could do nothing but look at the blonde woman who now had him under her spell. She looked Jak in the eyes, smiled, and then stroked his cheek before sinking her fangs into his neck and began draining him of his blood while Vivienne tried not to look, but her gnawing hunger was overpowering and she couldn't look away.

"Kath, stop! You're going to kill him!" Vivienne stepped forward"... I mean I need to feed too don't I?..."

Kath then stopped and looked up, "I know what I am doing." She paused, "But, if you are so eager then here." She handed Jak to Vivienne insisting she drink.

"Will I kill him if I drink? I don't want to kill him." Vivienne looked down at Jak.

"Of course not, I won't let you. Don't worry, you will become accustomed to things all to quickly and you won't have to worry about things like this." Kath responded.

Vivienne then gently bit Jak and began drinking his blood, he could do nothing but feel his life slip away while under Kath's spell. Vivienne stopped drinking only moments after biting and when Kath asked why she lied stating she was full.

"Well if you're full we can go, just drop him there." Kath looked around to figure out the direction they wanted to head to get to Riften.

Vivienne gently placed Jak against the rock formation, "I'm sorry." Vivienne whispered before she stood up. The two of them began walking away leaving Jak in a weak, almost lifeless, state. "I tell you Vivienne, Riften will have plenty of people to feed on just like him, it will be great." Jak fell to his side and began going in and out of consciousness. His perception of time escaped him, he couldn't tell if he had been laying there for seconds, minutes, or even hours as his consciousness came and went.



"You're dying, aren't you?" Jak opened his eyes and looked up.

"Arissa, hush! Jak, my sweet baby, it isn't your time. I know you can make it, all you have to do is fight. You can do this I know you can."

"I know you can do it, Jak. I've seen you accomplish great things, this should be nothing. You can't die here."

"Shut... up... I am not going to die. I am not going to die!" Jak got up and tried to walk away only to fall back to the ground. He then gathered his strength and began to crawl across the ground to get back to the road, he struggled and used every bit of energy he had to pull himself across the ground as he slowly lost more blood. He could see the road ahead, but he needed to rest to regain his strength. He turned over to catch his breath but his breathing had become quickened and he took short breaths. As he laid in the grass his eyes slowly closed and his breathing slowed...Jak suddenly jerked, "No, no fight! I am not going to die! I won't!"

Jak rolled back on his stomach, he had reached his limits, as he felt his body going numb and cold, so he used his remaining energy to crawl back to the road. When he finally reached the road he took one last look for anyone to help before his vision finally blurred and went black.