The adventures of Arthago chapter II, The Rebellion Options

[Agent Griff]

Here's the link to Chapter I of Arthago's tale.
http://www.waiting4oblivion.com/forums/ind...?showtopic=1782

We can get this new chapter over with. I can also tell you that after this chapter, Arthago will move to a new province. I'm not telling though, you have to be on your guard. Well, blabbering over, here's the begining of the newest chapter of Arthago's tale. Enjoy!


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I found myself in an icy Arena, fighting someone I didn't know. He was a tall Imperial, wearing ebony plates under his blue cloak. He wielded a great mace which gave him supernatural power. He lunged at me with a ferocity I had never seen before, forcing me to put all my strength into evading his blows. He had a red in his eyes which froze the blood in my veins. What did he want? Why was I fighting him? I woke up in my inn bed after managing to hit this powerful foe. I was sweating heavily, and my head was banging. It had been a nightmare, a very realistic one. I hoped that this I wouldn't experience this kind of nightmare ever again.

Nightmares and monstrous foes aside, I had a meeting with the king of Sentinel and I didn't want to be late. I took a look at my armour. It had some patches of dirt on it, the weather in Sentinel was very windy at the time so sand storms often engulfed the city. I gave the armour a quick scrub with a cloth then put it on. I wanted to look my best if I was going to meet the King and talk affairs of state with him. I made my way downstairs and after greeting the regulars I was on my way to the palace. I decided to collect Marshall Daron from his house first. When I reached his house, I found him shaved and wearing some expensive clothes. So the Marshall had an official side to him eh?
"Are you ready sir?" I asked.
"Ready as can be, let us be off!" Marshall Daron said. And with that we were on our way to the palace.

We reached the palace soon enough, and entered the throne room. The king wasn't wearing his crown or any fancy clothes. This must have seemed like an unofficial meeting to him. Whatever. I greeted him.
"Greetings sire! We have come to discuss the subject of Lord Kain's murder." I said in an official tone.
"Yes. Lord Kain was, a good man. But sadly, the ambitions of another got into the way and he was murdered in cold blood." the King said in a sad voice.
"Aye. Lord Vhosek." Marshall Daron said.
"Yes. Lord Vhosek's personal ambitions were to rule his own province. He has it now, in the form of Lainlyn. The terms I agreed with him were that, if Lord Kain refused to rule in our name Lord Vhosek could slay him and rule the province himself. It seems Lord Vhosek didn't even propose any terms, he just plain murdered Lord Kain. If I were to send soldiers to arrest him, he could go to the kingdom of Wayrest and start a war with us. I can't have that, the men have just returned to their homes after a war. We must wait and somehow bring Lord Vhosek to justice." The king said.
"I know how." I said.
"And how may that be Arthago?" Marshall Daron asked me.
"I will go to Lord Vhosek's palace in Lainlyn and slay him myself. I can't let Lord Kain's murder go unpunished." I said in a bold tone.
"Bold words for someone so young. How will you get past Vhosek's guards? He has his own knight order to protect him." The king said. He was right, I was geting too bold for my own age and experience.
"Yes, you are right my king. But what shall we do? Lord Vhosek might as well build his power in Lainlyn and start a war with us. We must neutralize him. If he lied to your Majesty and murdered Lord Kain just to gain power then he doesn't feel any fear towards your Highness." I said.
"Aye, true words. I must say that you have a great ammount of political savy my boy." the king said. Wow, beeing aknowledged by the king felt great.
"I have heard that some rebellious groups have been popping up in the north of the kingdom. Maybe Lord Vhosek has already started his movements?" Marshall Daron said.
"Unprobable, but we must check into it. We cannot risk Lord Vhosek making troop movements in our own backyard. You are to look into it Arthago." the king said.
"I would be proud my king. Where must I go?" I asked.
"Go to the town of Verkath, south west of Skaven, and inspect the situation there. Come back and report once you've found any evidence of troop movements alright?" Marshall Daron said.
"Aye, I'll be on it right now. I'm off to pack my things and any suplies I might need on the journey. Farewell my king! I shall return once I find enough evidence of troop movements." I said in an anxious tone. Finally, a new quest, not just any quest, a quest from the King! And with that I was off to the market to buy some food and water.


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And that's the first bit of this chapter. It was kind off short, but the next one will be longer, I promise you. And if some of you missed the last update of the first chapter then you should check it out. Cheers!

This post has been edited by Agent Griff: Mar 26 2006, 10:34 AM

[Agent Griff]

Sorry for not showing my face on this fine forum for three days, Easter has taken its toll on me. Anyway, here's the final part of this chapter!

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Soon enough, we descended down to the lower floors of the royal palace where the armoury was located. The narrow hall-ways leading to the armoury made the large group of men I was with huddle together. I could see that some of my soldiers were grasping their swords, ready to slay Vhosek.
"I don't want bloodshed, release your swords!" I shouted as my voice echoed through the hall.
The men aknowledged my order and laid their hands off their sword-hilts. The King seemed at peace with himself, so did Lord Vhosek. At one point in the journey, he turned back to me, sizing me up. His eyes looked right through me. He then turned to King Lhotun and asked him something in a low voice.
"So this is your new watchdog eh?" Vhosek asked in his cunning voice.
"He slayed Bridwell." King Lhotun said, smilling as Lord Vhosek went pale.
"Bridwell? It can't be. You're just trying to demoralize me before the duel, I can see right through your tricks." Lord Vhosek hissed.
"Believe it if you will. He can go right through you if he so wishes it, old friend." King Lhotun said as he kept looking forward.
"I have my own men my old friend, you don't scare me with your rabble!" Lord Vhosek said as he looked back at me with one eye.
"In case you haven't heard, your treacherous men are being slaughtered in this very moment by Lord K'avar." the King said as he smilled at Vhosek.
"K'avar? He's in the city?" Lord Vhosek asked in a confused and slightly scared voice.
"Oh yes, he had taken the army to deal with some rebels in Na-Totambu, that is why the city didn't have an adequate defence force. That is why your men managed to seize it, temporarily. You shall all die shortly though." King Lhotun said in a cold voice.

I almost felt sory for Vhosek as I saw him getting scared beyond means. His doom approached and he knew it quite well. I could see the wide, iron doors of the Royal Armoury in front of us. Once we reached the door, I ordered one of the men to open it. A bright light, coming from the open balcony in front of us, burst through the dark hall-way. King Lhotun looked to Lord Vhosek in a pleased way as he showed him to the balcony. The screams from the clashing armies outside could be heard.
"Go outside and see for yourself as your men are slain and you are left alone." the King said as he went for a chamber.
"By the name of Satakaal, you're right. What have I done?" Lord Vhosek said as he saw his men retreating to a corner of the bloody plaza.
"You'd better go into a chamber and equip your armour of choice." the King said.
"Luck to you Lhotun, as it has certainly left me." Lord Vhosek said with a slight tear in his left eye as he went into another chamber.
While the 2 men equiped their armour, I chose to go to the balcony and look at the carnage outside. The men of Sentinel and the Candle Knights were surrounding Vhosek's men into a bloody corner of the plaza. Many of Vhosek's men had already fled into the surrounding buildings, trying to escape the carnage. I could see their bodies hanging on the bloody balconies and open windows, all pierced by arrows. Lord K'avar was fighting bravely, right at the middle of the bloody plaza, swinging his claymore around wildly forming a circle of death as he went. Blodied bodies and cracked shields were left in his wake, all belonging to Vhosek.

Before the battle could end, the two men emmerged from the chambers. One of them, King Lhotun, was armoured lightly in comparison to his rival. The upper part of his body was protected by merely a fine cloak without a hood. The lower part of his body was better armoured, he was wearing a tanned-leather skirt lined with fine chainmail at either side. The chainmail was glistening in the rays of the sun. At his hand, the King held a spear with a steel tip. At his waist, tied to his belt, was a golden shortsword the kind of which I had never seen. I had seen tapestries which featured men clad in golden armour before, the Rourken clan. Mythical dwarves who came all the way from the land of Morrowind, the ancestral home of the Dark Elves. Could this be a shortsword made by Dwarven smiths? At his other hand, the King held a round shield made of fine iron. With this armour, the King would be quick but lethal, just the kind of combination that I also appreciated.

On the other side, Lord Vhosek stood silent. He was far more heavily armoured than the King. On his head he wore an iron helmet. On his chest lay a leather vest, lined with bronze scales that gave Lord Vhosek the appearance of an Argonian or some other scaly beast. His hands were protected by chainmail and he wore leather gloves. The lower part of Vhosek's body was just as well armoured, with iron greaves and fine leather boots. In Vhosek's hand stood an exotic blade of Akaviri origin, a katana they called it. It was a fine blade with razor-sharp edges, perfect for slicing and slashing away at the enemy. Lord Vhosek however had no shield. All in all, Lord Vhosek was wearing the traditional battlegear of a Redguard warrior, a type of armour neglected by many warriors these days.

The two fighters lined up and looked at each other. Each gave a nod to the other then took distance. I took the honour of signaling the begininng of the duel. Once I shouted that they may fight King Lhotun began the fight by swinging his spear in a wide arc, aiming for Vhosek's feet. Lord Vhosek senses this and backed off, evading the blow. He then began his counter-attack by swinging his sword diagonally to his right, aiming for the King's shield. The King blocked with the shield then thrusted his spear upwards, towards lord Vhosek's neck. Vhosek evaded the spear by moving his head to the side. He then ducked and advanced below the spear towards the King. After he closed in enough, he rose. The King swinged his spear in a wide arc again, aiming for Lord Vhosek's head but Vhosek ducked the blow. He then rose again and slashed his blade towards the King. The King managed to block the blow with his shield then push Vhosek away with it.
"Getting tired Vhosek?" the King taunted Lord Vhosek.
"Not at all, old friend!" Vhosek said as he stood his ground.
The King then thrusted his spear towards Vhosek's chest but pulled the spear back at the last moment, then turning it aside and thrusting the blunt end of the spear in Vhosek's stomach. Vhosek staggered back, in pain then prepared for a counter-attack. Vhosek approached the King then struck at his shoulder with his blade. The King blocked the blow with his shield, then pulled it to the side for a thrust of his spear. Vhosek dodged the spear then struck at the King's shield once again. The King managed to block the blow then swung his spear, trying to hit Vhosek over his unarmoured neck. Vhosek ducked then slashed at the King's leg. The King wasn't able to block the strike and he got badly cut at the leg. Blood started flowing.
"You seem wounded old friend! Are you getting tired?" Vhosek said with a savage smile.
"You seem ready to die Vhosek! Are you getting cocky?" the King said, trying to reply to Vhosek's taunt.
Vhosek started looking at the King as a weakling. He approached to give the killer blow. His slash came close to the King's neck, to far for the shield to block so the King blocked with his spear. The wooden shaft of the spear broke under the power of the blade into two smaller pieces. The piece with the blunt edge remained in the King's hand and the sharp edge fell to the ground. The King then tried a feint strike with his broken spear. Vhosek went for it and raised his sword, the King pushed him away with his shield. He then threw the part of the spear with the blunt edge towards Vhosek. The King then grabbed the shorter part of the spear with the sharp edge and went for Vhosek. Vhosek was in anger because of the King's feinted strike. He came at the King with a terrible blow. The King raised his shield then ducked. The blade became stuck in the shield and Vhosek was trying to extract it. The King saw his chance then struck. He thrusted his spear hard between the scales of Vhosek's vest. The spear went through and pierced Vhosek's stomach. He soon fell.

All gathered near Vhosek. He was dying and there was no one to save him. Good riddance I say. Everyone started getting emotional about it though, including the King.
"Vhosek! Vhosek! Are you alright? Are you alright friend?" the King franticly asked.
"Leave me to die, Majesty. You have proven why I am the vassal and not the King. I am proud to be a Redguard, knowing that the Kingdom of Sentinel has such a fine King. May you rule in prosperity, my King." Lord Vhosek said, coughing up with blood that came from his pierced organs.
"But what is a King whitout a great friend and rival?" King Lhotun asked in tears.
"You have earned the right to rule in peace. I am proud to have served under such a King and to have fought such an oponent." Lord Vhosek said, with an ever bloodier mouth.
"But you don't need to die Vhosek! I forgive you! I spare all your men!" the King said.
"Spare them, rule well, and defeat all those who oppose you. That shall ease my passing and make me proud when I join my ancestors. Names, you see, exist just that we can point in history and say that's mine. If you really want to save me, don't erase me from the records of your rule. Once we are forgotten, we really cease to exist." Vhosek said, as almost all men in the room gained tears in their eyes. Even I, who considered Vhosek to be a treacherous scum now respected him and his memory.
"In life or death, none shall forget you old friend. You will be remembered, not as a traitor to the Kingdom but as the man who saved the Kingdom from utter destruction. You have awakened all with this revolt. The Emperor will be aware of the situation and he will, in fear of a much bigger revolt, give Hammerfell more freedom. For that you shall be eternally remembered my friend." the King said as Vhosek's life force was draining out of him.
"I would be....proud if the young man who avenged the Great King Camaron received...my estate in Sentinel. He has fought for it and he has earned my respect in...doing so. I have done my duty to the Kingdom my King. I can now...die....in...p-peace...." Lord Vhosek said as he died.

It goes without saying that most men in the room started weeping as soon as the great Redguard hero, former leader of the knights of Sentinel, Lord Vhosek passed from this world. Even I, hardly stopped myself from weeping for the great man. He had fought well and he deserved it. The King then stepped to the balcony to stop the carnage outside. Vhosek's men had just surrendered and they were ready to be executed. The King stopped it all. Vhosek's men, grateful of the King's decision joined the ranks of the army, ready to defend Sentinel at all times.

Such was the bloody end of the Rebellion...




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That's it for this chapter! I hope you can get through to reading this IMMENSE update, all courtesy of the Griff. That fight scene is probably one of the better I've written thus far and I hope you like it.

This post has been edited by Agent Griff: Apr 25 2006, 05:53 AM