Agent, Ebonheart's finest Options

[jack cloudy]

Yesterday was my birthday so here's my belated gift to all of you. The start of a new fanfic! (Wings of Light will be continued as well.) You may notice a shift of focus compared to my earlier fanfics.




Agent.
Chapter 1: In training.

My knees were shivering. For a good reason, I might say as the Duke towering over me looked very intimidating in his heavy suit of Ebony armour. Just to compare the two of us, the helmet would have been enough to crush me. Also, being dressed in cheap rags has never been a good source of courage. As it was, I had more than enough reasons to be afraid of him.

Who am I? I no longer use the name I was born with. I changed it upon my arrival here on Vvardenfell. Now I finally I have a name I can spell. Anyway, my name is Ro-El Frost. Sounds Khajiit? Maybe, but I am really closer related to the Nords, though without the muscles, the alcohol tolerance, the noise and without the size. Go figure.

The Duke turned to a man wearing some sort of golden armour. Probably the boss of the guard who was blocking the only way out of the room.
,,Is this the kid you were talking about?” The Duke asked with a stern voice. This did not sound well.
,,Yes, that’s the one.” Was the equally stern reply. This was one of those moments that your life would start to fly past your eyes.

How did I get here? Well, I don’t really know to be honest. People claim I must have been on the Skooma to have forgotten how I ever found myself in that mine. I didn’t like it there. The slavers forced me to do hard labour every day. I could feel my life slowly seep away with every single egg I harvested. I had to get out.

My plan took time but it worked in the end, except for one small detail. I harvested some poison one of the Kwama warriors had been spitting at the wall and mixed it with my food for the day. The day after that, I dumped it into the lake that was somehow inside the mine. The food had been swallowed by the Slaughterfish before I’d stepped away. The next part of my plan was the hardest. I’d been warned that the smell of their queen’s blood puts the Kwama into a killing frenzie. This information was meant so that the slaves were careful not to kill themselves, but it could also be used to my advantage.

So as you might guess, tapping blood from the queen is a potentially lethal act. Fortunately, I knew that by tapping just a little through a tiny wound made with my fingernail, the Kwama would not even notice. I carefully kept the blood sealed away inside a bottle till after four days, I’d finally collected enough. That night came the last part of my masterplan.

I managed to convince the slaves to go swimming in the lake, after showing them that the Slaughterfish had died through my act of poisoning. Next, I sprinkled the collected blood on the clothes of the slavers. I managed to get out to the lake before the killing started. I’d never been so glad that Kwama can’t swim. Those things were completely out of control. Which leads me to where I am now.

,,You have caused the death of three Dunmer and would have escaped if my Legionaires weren’t performing a raid at the same time.” The Duke spoke directly to me. Remember the little detail that went wrong? Well two dozen heavily armed soldiers who found a whole angry bunch of Kwama in their face, that’s what went wrong.
,,I thought they would run when the Kwama went mad. I didn’t expect them to die.” Was the weak defense I managed to whisper.

My arm was brusquely grabbed by the guard. The slave bracers I’d been forced to wear clattered on the floor.
,,Ro-El Frost, you have closed down an illegal egg mine and punished those who were responsible. You have further freed their prisoners who are being returned to their families as we speak. All that without harming the Kwama themselves, my men are responsible for that. As such, it is my pleasure as a servant of the great Emperor, Uriel Septim, to grant you your freedom and to take you into my service as an agent in the order of Ebonheart. Serius will escort you to your room.” The Duke now said with a smile and pointed at the guard who had released me from the symbol of slavery.

In a flash of inspiration, I snatched the bracers from the floor before I was dragged out of the room by Serius. We ascended many stairs before he finally threw open a wooden door and pushed me inside. ,,Consider everything in this room to be yours. You’ll be summoned tomorrow at 6 am. Wait inside your room till we come for you.” Serius ordered me before slamming the door shut. Not the nicest guy in the world.

I sat down on the bed and looked around, still unable to believe what had just happened. Instead of being branded as the bad guy and possibly executed, I had been turned into some sort of hero. Not exactly something that happened to me every day.

After I finally admitted to myself that things had turned out alright, I took a look around the room they’d given me. Apart from the bed, there was a closet, a mirror, a desk with several books on it and a sturdy wooden chest. It wasn’t big, but not small either. I opened the closet with the intention of swapping my dirty old rags with something more comfortable. It was cold this time of the year. The closet did not disappoint me. It was filled with all kinds of clothes ranging from simple but sturdy to downright extravagant and fit for a noble. There were shirts, pants, robes, shoes and even a few skirts, though I did not know what I was supposed to do with those. Men don’t wear skirts where I come from. Finally there were a few gloves on a separate rack.

I choose for a simple blue shirt with matching pants and a pair of shoes fit for indoor use. As the last action of the day, I picked up the book lying on top of the pile. ‘History of the Empire, part 1’ it said on the cover. If my idea of an agent was somewhat correct, these books had been placed here for a reason. I had some reading to do.

[jack cloudy]

Update time! A longer one.



I arrived two days later, amidst a raging storm. Shielding my face with an arm, I stumbled into the first building I came upon. I wiped the ash out of my eyes before I could view my surroundings. Two people, an Argonian and a Breton, watched me silently. Judging by their robes and the scrolls lying on a nearby table, I had found the local mage guild.
,,Ash storm. Mind if I stick around till it calms down?” I asked. The howling of the wind against the giant crabshell provided the truth behind my words.

The Breton motioned towards the table.
,,No problem at all. It isn’t the first time a blown away traveller comes by. Vvardenfell is known for Ebony, Kwama eggs and the nastiest weather in the Empire. Take a seat.”

As we sat down, the Breton poured some flin into two cups. The Argonian went back to his studies.
,,So, traveller. Where are you from? Any good rumours lately?” The Breton inquired. I took a short sip from the flin before answering.
,,Pelagiad. Nothing much, just a few cases of the flu. What about here?” I replied. The Pelagiad bit was not entirely a lie. I had passed the small town during my journey and there had indeed been a few cases of the flu.
,,I suppose you’ll hear soon enough. Strange things have been happening. They say that Morvayn’s house is overrun by monsters, though no one is willing to tell more about it. And then our Archmaster now claims that young Sarethi is a murderer. Of his best friend on top of all things! Those two were always seen around, getting into trouble. I can’t believe it.”

I kept the rest of the conversation on the idle chit-chat level. What little I’d learned about the murder was interesting. After our drink, I got to tour the hall. While interesting, there wasn’t anything for me to do here except buy a few scrolls. I knew nothing of Magicka and learning would take time, too much time. I had no doubt that I was already being searched back at Ebonheart. I would have to finish my business here as soon as possible.

The storm had ceased. I stepped outside of the hall where I took out my guide to Ald’Rhun. There was a mention of the Rat-in-the-Pot cornerclub. No place was better for getting supposedly secret information than the shadiest place in town. No place was better for getting into trouble.

In the club, I stuck to the side, keeping out of conversations and away from any drunks. The trick here was eavesdropping while enjoying a good drink, which I did.
,,Hey kid, are you interested in some merchandise?” I looked up to see a Dunmer with extremely bad breath look down on me. His eyes sat deep within their sockets, his mouth revealed rotten teeth and several disgusting boils sat on his face. His eyes were even redder than was normal for his race. I wondered what kind of disease caused this.
,,No thank you. I don’t need anything.” I said in an attempt to make him lose interest and go away. Instead, he gripped me by the shoulder. There was much more strength in his hands than I expected.

,,Come on. I tell you, it is all the rage among you Redorans. Everyone wants one. You don’t want to look like a kid without any money, do you?” He insisted.
,,If I buy something, then I’ll become the kid without any money. Now what makes you think that I’m a Redoran?” I asked him with a somewhat tense tone in my voice. Instantly, the Dunmer let go of my shoulder.
,,Oh, sorry. It’s the clothes, you see. I’m sorry for having wasted your time. Well, I must be going.” The man mumbled and shuffled away. I could barely fight back a grin as I took a scrap of paper out of my pocket.

I’d noticed how he was constantly checking his pocket. When he had been distracted by gripping my shoulder, I slipped a hand into the pocket and retrieved the little scrap of paper. I finished my drink and left the tavern before he could notice he had lost something. Outside, I took a look at my prize. His suspicious behaviour made me think that it would be more than just his Ash yam recipe.

Here is another crate of statues. These are to be placed here in Ald'ruhn. Place the statues quickly and wisely. Destroy this note. Do not disappoint me again.

Hanarai

I whistled silently. Looks like I hid the jackpot at suspicious dealings. I had the distinct feeling that something was up with those statues. If it wasn’t because they had to be placed, the strange behaviour of the seller or the fact that the previous load had been disappointing, it was the bit where my Dunmer friend was told to destroy the note. Notes were only destroyed when they had served their purpose or they contained words that shouldn’t be shown to just anyone. I suspected the latter.

A quick look at my own information revealed the existence of a female Dunmer going by the name of Hanarai Assutlanipal. I decided to pay the lady a quick visit.

I knocked politely on the door and waited for it to open.
,,Just a moment!” I heard a quick shuffling inside. Now this was suspicious. I calmed my mind as I waited. After a full ten minutes, the door finally opened. Wary eyes glared at me.
,,What do you want, Outlander?” Hanarai spat at me, emphasizing the word ‘Outlander’. I smiled as I made a little bow.
,,Oh, I ran into your associate a while ago. He was willing to sell me some most interesting merchandise but alas, his supply had run out. He told me to see you for you would certainly still have a statue.” I spoke with a quick tongue. In the meantime, I managed to sneak a quick glance into the house behind her back.

It was a bit dusty. I could see two pairs of footprints. One pair obviously belonged to Hanarai while the other belonged to something bigger, something inhuman.
,,I don’t sell to Outlanders.” She shouted before slamming the door shut in my face. I stood there, thinking if that disease both Dunmers were suffering from was contagious. Right now, I was convinced I was dealing with something big. Hanarai got extremely agitated the moment I mentioned the statue. I had no solid proof, yet my master had told me that in some cases, an Agent had to rely on instinct. My instinct was screaming to take a closer look.

I made sure no one was watching before jumping on top of a nearby cart. From there, I could reach the roof and climb up onto the chimney. I hid out of the view of any passing people.
,,I praise you, oh great lord. Soon, Ald-Rhun shall be in your grasp, a bastion from which we can purify the lands of those who deny you. Even at this moment, I have spread our agents into the Redoran council. Sarethi and Venim manor have fallen under your spell. Those who would not fall, Morvayn and that young Dunmer who always hung around Sarethi manor have been removed by your men. Have faith, for the Sixth House shall rise from the ashes.” Hanarai was apparently saying some sort of prayer inside her home.

I counted the facts down with my fingers.
One, I was dealing with some sort of fanatic rambling about a Sixth House. Two, Ald-Rhun was slowly being conquered from within through treachery and foul play. Three, Sarethi had fallen under a spell and the young Dunmer hanging around Sarethi manor was likely Varvur’s late friend. Conclusion, I had definitely hit the jackpot here. What would follow was taking action against the bad guys, or bad woman in this particular case. The only fact I forgot to take into account was the rumour about monsters invading Morvayn manor. I also forgot about the big footprints I'd seen.

The chimney was not only a good tool for eavesdropping, it was also a good entrance for when the door was locked. I dropped down, landing in the fireplace softly. Fortunately, there was no fire burning. A quick look on the upper floor revealed that Hanarai had ventured down the stairs. I followed, without a sound. The door was open and I would never forget the horror I faced beyond.

Hanarai was not alone. Her little chapel was filled by a hulking mass of flesh. Upon seeing me, it gave a loud grunt and limped up the stairs towards me. Hanarai also turned around.
,,You again! You have seen that which you shouldn’t have seen. Now die!”

Both the monster and the Dunmer woman came up to meet me. I withdrew my hands into my sleeves, pulling out two steel throwing stars. I lobbed the first at Hanarai’s knee and the second went straight for the thing’s face. The woman fell down as the star penetrated yet the creature didn’t even seem to notice the sharp bit of metal sticking into its flesh. I cursed loudly as I realized the trouble I was in.

It swung slowly at me with a massive arm. I ducked under the blow and then kicked at its leg. Pain shot up my own leg in return. This thing had some really hard skin. It swung its arm back, forcing me to jump back, up against the wall. When it brought back its arm for a third swing, I pushed off against the wall and soared up into the air. My boot came into firm contact with its face which snapped back with a satisfying crack of shattered bone. Pleased with the knowledge that nothing could survive a broken neck and a nose in the brains, I landed behind its back and moved to arrest Hanarai.

The woman had pulled herself up from the floor again and now brandished a digger gleaming with venom. ,,You will never get me! Now die!” She shouted again. I rushed forward and knocked the dagger out of her hands with my fist while my foot connected with the still healthy knee. With both knees officially ruined, she was helpless.
,,Now can’t we calm down and solve this peacefully? Hanarai Assutlanipal, You are hereby placed under arrest according to the authority granted to me by the Duke of Ebonheart. You can come along quietly or you can make me knock you out. Your choice.” I spoke with a calm but stern voice.

A shadow fell over me.
,,Aw, crap.” I muttered as I spun around and drove my fist against the tough skin of the thing. It was still alive, somehow.
,,Zombie, why did it had to be a zombie?” My train of thought never finished. Something sharp stabbed me from behind and all went black.