Voice Of The Warrior, The Story about Arneth the Redguard Options

[Fuzzy Knight]

Well as I've had a little break on my story I've started writing this one. Its about the young Redguard Arneth, who is very knew to Vvardenfell and soon discovers how his terrible start on this world will shape him into a important character in the history of the Dunmers...

Chapter I
Birth of a Warrior

His eyes became empty, as they ran out of all hope. They looked into nothing, he were ready to accept his destiny to leave this world. His breath became cold, and just vanished. My grasp on the katana was still hard as the people started coming, their faces was num. The blood slowly ran down the katanas edge making a pool of blood on the stone ground, it filled every crack it could find even under the feet of the people who flooded around. The katana started feeling heavy as I started realizing what I just had done.

I got up after sitting by the side of Dranas Sarthram and looked around on the crowd as I could hear a guard coming up behind them. The katana fell to the ground, throwing the blood from the blade all around as I stood there totally stunned as the guard dodged his way through the thick crowd. He held his long blade high in the air, it was like I got a shock and suddently turned off running against the exit of Suran. The tears started running down my face as I tried to get myself out of town and over the bridge.

The guard catched up easily as I neared the wooden bridge, suddently the guard got a grip on my shoulder with his shield arm. I threw myself to the left before loosing balance, tripping over falling down the little hill before diving into the water hard. It was all black for a moment, it was like everything stopped and I was totally still in the water. As I tried to reach for air and the water came flooding down my throat as deadly as a slash from a sword I knew what happened. I dragged myself up from the water only to meet the armored Dunmer guard pointing his sword between my eyes. The guard grabbed my neck and dragged my out of the water before leading me into the city with a blade against my back.

The crowds had followed along as I’ve been captured and brought back to town, screaming out the words that would haunt me in this world for ever. As the words murderer and the horrifying words reach my ears, it felt like my time was over. I’ve done what would change my life, what would change the life of a young Redguard in a new land into what would be his first time in Oblivion. I’ve already heard all about the Dunmer’s hospitality to outlanders and that I’ve now becomed a murderer wouldn’t make it any better. I could remember, the moment once again as the hope ran out of Dranas Sarthram eyes, but now it was me. I was thrown into a dark little room in the basement of the Guard Tower. He locked the door as it was the door to live and it the light slowly faded away and the room became all black as he crawled into the corner closing my eyes.

The peaceful life that my parents have settled here in Vvardenfell for had been totally ruined. Would they leave me, I really could understand if they would leave Vvardenfell, and maybe return back. I surely understood why they would make such a decision; they hadn’t really cared about me anyway. Guess they even would deny that I was their son. The feeling of fear and sadness went over to anger against my parents. I knew my parents wouldn’t help me, why should they. I’ve killed a person; I took away his will to live against his will. And that I might need to face the same destiny for my actions, as I thought of that, and thought over what I had done. It was like me, my character was lost. I never could in the wildest dreams or in any type of situation kill a person. Who could I kill for, no friends no real family. My mind started going blank as my fist loosened after the thoughts about my family, and I fell asleep on the cold stone floor.

Suddently I started feeling an unpleasant feeling, even thought my eyes was closed it could feel and see the light. As I opened my eyes, the door followed. A guard stood in the door and up the stairs by the door out another guard stood. He grabbed my arm and got me on my feet but in no gentle way. My back and neck was feeling bad after sleeping on the stone wall. The guard took me up to the other guard he stood there leaning by the wall, looking in quite a hurry to get out of there thought.

“Well here is he, the murderer of Dranas Sarthram” the guard said pushing me forward against the other guard by the door he looked supprised.

“Cant accept our laws can he? If I understand the recent situation right?” the other guard asked questioned as he took of his helmet.

“No he can’t. He killed Dranas because he was a slaver” he replied “Which is legal here in Morrowind” he added looking over to me. I just kept looking away, trying to ignore it. The memory that I wanted to conceal wasn’t going away by having two Dunmers having a conversation about it.

“I see… The youngster made a big mistake, but I don’t think he deserves any penalty. He is still young, and has blade skills and I'm sure he can change this and into another person. He is not a killer. I think we’ll give him a chance, but not so easily” the guard said, totally demanding it as he looked down on me. Looked like he had some hope for me, and in his eyes I couldn’t see hatred but it really looked like he had hope for me even tho he knew what I had done.

“You want him to go!?” the guard spitted out, his inside of the helmet would be filled with saliva. He almost was about to reach for his sword and grabbed me hard by the shoulder almost making me loose my feeling on my right arm.

“Calm down Gavis. I’m not just going to give him away, I’ll hand him over to Wayne. He’s a good man in the Balmora Fighters Guild. He’ll teach him to respect our laws and much more…” he replied totally calm thought his Gavis looked like he had some close connection to Dranas and wouldn’t let me go this easily. But I didn’t know how easy this was supposed to be. Even the thoughts that he wanted me to be trained to kill; at least I thought that after he started brining the blade skills. I didn’t want more, no more suffering, not now.

“I wont this outsider beeing left over to another outsider, even were I can’t keep my eyes on him” Gavis replied holding me even harder. I could see Gavis totally enraged.

“Enough of this Gavis. I out-rank you and I don’t want this to go any further. Give me the boy and return to your duty!” the guard demanded, he grabbed me and took me away from Gavis thought Gavis wanted to kill me now. Could see it in his eyes and behavior but he let me go and the guard took me out to this huge creature, huge bug that they called Silt Striders.

He looked down on me as we stood on the stairs. “My name is Sarvel, and yours?” he said to me, I looked back up at him into his eyes as mine started to fill with tears. It was actually some hope. “Ehm… It’s Arneth. I’m Arneth” I said to Sarvel.

“Arneth. Well we’re going to Balmora and to a faction. Fighters Guild is called, and another Redguard as you works there. I will leave you over to him; he will train you and hopefully make you understand our laws” he said before taking out some septims out his pocket handing it over to the Dunmer who was by the Silt Strider. And then my journey for Balmora started. The sun was setting as we started moving against Balmora on the west side of Vvardenfell I heard it was.

This post has been edited by Fuzzy Knight: Jul 20 2005, 10:00 AM

[Fuzzy Knight]

Another updated... Finally...

Broken Blades, broad Shields and Arcane blasts

The trials, the warriors and mages that were to see all over Vivec had arrived. The city was tense, training was there little of. I met Sarvel in the Arena, in the training quarters where I would sleep and train for the days that involved the trial. The first day pasted fast, as I had taken a walk through Vivec, visited the Temple and the cantons, at first the city stunned me thought it wasn’t a city for me. Great mysteries hidden in the dark places of Vivec spoke out to me, I wanted adventure but as Sarvel had told me. I was still young, and the dangers around in Vivec was someone for the experienced, those with years behind them of training and combat. Some of those where also here at the trials, I had managed to get some glimts of the mages sometimes in between, their divine and arcane spells that could unleash such great power I had never seen. Conjuring the strangest of creatures to help them fight, I was truly not ready for this but I didn’t have much of a choice if I wanted a normal life.

The sun rised over the water lighting Vivec the next day, the Ordinators knocked on all the rooms in the training quarters getting people up - it was time for the first round of the trials.

I hadn’t had much sleep, the voices inside my head made me think hard over the night of tactics and attacks I could use in all kinds of scenarios. The instincts sharpened, the emotions were closed out and my body was tense and actually eager for combat. I grabbed my armor, gently and careful I took it on, checking all was at its place and sitting hard. I reached for my belt; in it I had a few things that might become necessary, some cure wounds potions, cure poison potions and a dagger. Not of the best quality but I was hoping they would last out the first round. I went up to the door, grabbing Flamescythe on my way. I looked around on the people going against the arena, tried to point out which of these would be my greatest foe. But it wasn’t even one I could point out, I tried something I doubt I would learn within weeks training, all these people could have their strength and weaknesses just as me. Some laid their eyes on me on their way against arena, taunting, intimidating looks, it felt like they knew me. Many of these warriors was Vvardenfell best, I knew that hope was one think I needed to have on my side today.

I walked down the corridor with the others, the arena door was opened and many were already outside in the arena. Swinging their weapons around and showing off their magic, others stayed neutral, not revealing their powers for the others just as what I did. I stayed out from the middle close to the wall, and had a close look at those near me. I didn’t know how the trials were fought. I was wondering if the warrior near me, just here and now unleashed fury on me other and would let the blood flow.

As my thoughts tried to figure out what was going to happen, people started gathering on the seats around the arena. Thought none of them looked like peasants or normal citizens. Their shiny, big and master worked armor with glowing weapons or fine robes with the smallest of details.

One stepped out in front and looked down at the arena with a scroll in his hand; he was a Dunmer with Ordinator armor but without a helmet. Long dark red hair formed in spikes that pointed backwards and totally red eyes. He looked with sharp eyes on us all, before he raised his scroll up in front of himself.

“Welcome warriors and mages of Vvardenfell, welcome to the trials” He said with a loud and powerful voice echoing through the arena.

“Today is the first day of the trials, and today you will fight. The rules today are simple, your going to win without killing or giving your opponent critical damage. From all I know, most of you know what the trials are about so you will know what not to do while fighting and what you should do” He added as he looked down on us, I remember what Wayne had told me about the trials. And I needed to remember that, it was about courage, honor, respect and discipline for each other while fighting, what a true warrior would have done.

“We will start today with one versus one, over the days we will test you both in fighting against warriors and mages. Against several opponents, with or without weapons and against our Ordinators” With that said he took his scroll down, and turned around taking one of the Ordinators behind him on the shoulder telling him something and the Ordinator just nodded.

Most of us were sent out of the arena the time that followed. Warriors and mages came out; either walking or carried thought they were not dead or had any critical damage. These fights were hard and had its tolls on the body and mind.

It was my time out, I got up and checked my armor for the last time before the Ordinator opened the door and I stepped into the arena. The sand was covered with rivers of blood, the walls was covered in blood and looked like the warriors weapons had been thrown around. In front of me stood a young Dunmer. He wore Telvanni Armor with a katana in his right hand and a shield in the other. I knew nothing about him; he looked at me with cold eyes. He raised his katana in salute, speaking some powerful and loud words in a language I had never heard before. They almost gave me the chills; he followed by taking on his Telvanni Helmet and widened his steps.

I raised Flamescythe, holding it with a strong grip. My instinct sharpened more and more as he started moving in a circle around me. I could feel my heart pumping faster and faster, the adrenalin started kicking in sharpening my scenes more. As I followed his steps I tried to figure out a moment to attack, and there it came. I leaped forward, my katana following as I held it high over my head slashing down. The Dunmer went straight down on one knee and raised his shield to block my powerful blow. He then rolled fast to the side after blocking my blow; he got up fast setting in a counter attack. His katana thrusted forward against my chest, I took a swift spin, dodging his thrust before he unleashed a slash against my blade arm. He could see it coming and withdrew, leaping back into a defensive position; he went fast into a defensive position as well with his shield in front. I needed to come past his shield; I readied myself for another attack. I charged forward once again straight against his shield, he sat his feet out wide preparing himself. With only feet to go I leaped with all my strength into the air, throwing myself over him landing behind him with a rough roll before I got up and made an acrobatic thrust against him. Flamescythe moved fast, the burning blade pierced through the armor between the shoulder blades and right into his back. With a great cry the Dunmer spun around attack with the edge of his shield, the hit was hard on my arm making me drop Flamescythe. His katana followed the movement and went for my throat. I threw myself down to the ground, only to hear the gleaming blade cut through the air right over my head. I stretched out my arms trying to get to Flamescythe only feet away covered in the sand and blood. But the Dunmer wouldn’t stop now, he held out his shield before charging in knocking me straight into the stonewall with his shield.

I could hear my bones crack as I was slammed into the wall, then his katana suddently appeared from behind the shield going straight for my chest. I tried to dodge it but I wasn’t fast enough, suddently my left shoulder was screaming in pain as the blade went straight into it, it found a gap between the armor and went straight through my shoulder and into the stonewall. The pain was burning, the blood flooded out as I cried out in pain and tears appearing my eyes. In a burst of pain I grabbed the Dunmer’s neck so hard, I could hear his breath slowing down until he lost the grip on his katana before I threw him into to the left making him tumble around before going face first into the stonewall, I followed by grabbing the sword hilt and taking out from my shoulder, the immense pain brought me to my knees as I took out the enchanted blade. With a few exhausted steps I came up to the Dunmer slashing down against his neck. As the sword fell, the thoughts of what I was taught went through my head, it felt like an eternity as the blade came closer, just then I realized what was happening. With only inches from his neck I withdrew the blade hitting him straight in the shoulder, he cried out in pain but the Telvanni Armor did its job. I raised the sword before pointing it down against his neck showing my victory and looked up at the judges, they only gave me an emotionless nod before I dropped the sword and fell back. I had almost killed the Dunmer in the trials, it could have been the worse mistake I could have done. My vision was all blurry as I looked up into the Arena ceiling. The sounds was hollow as I heard steps around me, I tried to feel my way to my belt where I had the potions. I found the cure wounds potion and with a short struggled getting the vial open I drank it all before starting coughing and turned to my side with tears in my eyes. An Ordinator helped me up on my feet; I felt dizzy but managed to stay on my feet as I was followed down to the door leading out of the arena.

As I entered the corridor some warriors and mages gave me a smile while nodding as I came victorious out from the arena.

I entered my quarters falling straight on to the bed. The wound hadn’t fully healed and some blood slipped out onto my bed sheet but I gave a damn in it. I sat up looking down at my left shoulder. It was hard to move it at all. Thought it was still early in the morning it felt like I was tired. I leaned back before I closed my eyes to rest.