Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

> Corrupted heart.
jack cloudy
post Jan 5 2007, 09:59 PM
Post #1


Master
Group Icon
Joined: 11-February 06
From: In a cold place.



Alas, I couldn't wait for Agent to finish before I began my next story. Oh, curse me, all of you whose blood shall be spilled before this story comes to an end.

Ahem, I don't expect my loyal readers to complain though. Heh, I hope I managed to portray the first of my main characters nicely. And one last thing that might be interesting to know. This story takes place before the birth of Luper. So yes, that means at least 23 years before any of my other stories. Now, without further stalling I present:


Corrupted heart.

Chapter 1: Among the cold dirt, the fallen lie.

Consciousness flickered, remaining just out of reach. His senses delivered their messages to his clouded mind, broken fragments of a greater whole. The sound of heavy boots hammering cold rock, the smell of dust in his nose, the feeling of being carried in a boneshattering grip. A taste, plaguing the tip of his tongue. Blood, his blood.

The feeling of movement stopped. Words now echoed in his ears, words he did not comprehend.
,,This looks good enough. Open the door.” The shriek of rusted metal being moved ripped through the haze clouding his mind. Now consciousness returned fully and with it, a chance. For a moment, he continued to feign unconsciousness. Long enough to hear more words, words not meant for him.
,,You, don’t move unless you want even greater problems.” The hands holding him pushed him along. His tail brushed against iron bars. Now was the time.

With the frightening grace of a natural killer, his muscles sprang back to full readiness. He used the body of his captor to swing around, somersaulting into the air and landing on the unfortunate man’s back. With a quick swipe, claws ripped out the man’s throat and crushed his neck. Even before the man began to lose his signs of life, the killer had leapt away. The next guard found himself smashed against the iron bars of the cell. Claws leaving a trail of blood in the air where the last thing the man saw before his eyes were removed. He too died soon afterwards. The whole event had taken less than a second from start to finish.

Breathing heavily from both his exertion and the rough treatment he’d received earlier, the killer stared down at his latest victims. In a slow symbolic movement, he raised his claws and licked them clean of blood, savouring the taste. His ears began to pick up the sound of distant boots coming steadily closer. A standard patrol. His hand snatched the nearby torch from the wall and he slammed the piece of wood into a dusty pool of water. There was a large cloud of smoke and then, darkness.

Even though there was practically no light left, his eyes still saw as good as if he was standing outside on a clear day. He quickly scanned the nearby cells. The one which had been destined for him was already occupied by the short stature of a Bosmer. The one directly on the opposite side of the tunnel was occupied by a muscular Dunmer who looked around warily, not seeing a thing. The killer took a double take on the two beings. While the Dunmer displayed all the expected signs of fear, the Bosmer surprisingly acted as if she hadn’t noticed the massacre at all. She just looked at the ground in front of her bare feet with a blank stare.
,,Must have lost its mind so deep underground.” The Killer concluded. He knew from experience that many Bosmer were extremely claustrophobic and hated being in a room without any windows or underground. A natural result from living in the treetops of Valenwood.

The boots had now gotten close. Soon, the owner of these boots would see the darkness ahead and know that something was wrong. By then though, it would be too late. The Killer crouched at the edge of the darkness, confident in the natural camouflage he had. Now the guard ventured into view and the killer’s heart skipped a beat. This was no guard. The fingers of fear reached out for him, embracing him with their cold touch. It was a feeling he hadn’t felt since childhood. The darkness in the tunnel was vanquished by a bright burst of light. With that same burst, the light in his eyes faded and he slipped into unconsciousness once more.

An armoured boot stomped on the ground beside his head.
,,You’ve missed your chance. Enjoy the blood you’ve claimed. They were your last kill.” A gruff voice said as the killer was picked up and taken to his cell.


--------------------
Fabulous hairneedle attack! I'm gonna be bald before I hit twenty.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
 
Closed TopicStart new topic
Replies
jack cloudy
post Jan 21 2007, 09:55 PM
Post #2


Master
Group Icon
Joined: 11-February 06
From: In a cold place.



Well, I've been following the teasers quite closely. Ra'trith is the one who tried to assassinate the emperor, Rajn is that guide in Valenwood and Aran is the Ashlander who stopped a Nord's axe with his hand and then killed his sponsor a minute after the battle.



Aran watched as the gates were lowered. He stepped into the arena, carefully avoiding the sharp tips at the top of the gate which had now sunk into the ground. Ghorak walked to the center of the arena.
,,Listen, this match is private! There is no crowd! The winner receives a thousand septims, paid in solid coins. First one to admit defeat loses! Try not to kill. Begin!”

The Dunmer did not move as the Orc retreated to the edge of the pit. He let his eyes wander over the Redguard who was his opponent, analyzing his strengths and weaknesses. He began with the man’s race, a Redguard. Then, his eyes wandered down to the weapon, a katana held loosely in his right hand. Next, the armour, a suit of overlapping Bronze scales.

The Redguard was getting impatient. He’d moved to the center of the arena, expecting Aran to do the same thing. Yet, Aran was still standing at the gate.
,,What’s the matter with you? Lost your guts? If you’re afraid to fight me, you shouldn’t have stepped into the ring.” The man shouted across the distance.
,,I can’t blame you though. A spear is a two-handed weapon, impossible to use with just one. Come on, why don’t you step out while you have the chance? I won’t tell your girl about it. If you have one. Not much chance with such an ugly face.” He continued.

Aran’s eyes narrowed.
,,Overconfident, impatient and jumps to conclusions. Furthermore, he tries to bolster his own courage by insulting the opponent. Pathethic.”
He continued to wait till the Redguard had lost all patience and charged him.
,,Stupid fool! If you don’t want to admit your defeat, I’ll make you!” That comment brought a smile on the Dunmer’s lips. The Redguard looked surprised by this reaction and slowed down a little.
,,As planned. Now, to make my move.”
Aran stepped aside and swung his spear around above his head. At the last moment, he flicked the shaft around with his fingers till the spear was pointing down. A loud ringing sound echoed across the arena when the katana bounced off the weapon. He brought the spear back into an horizontal position and trust the butt into the Redguard’s stomach, sending him down on his knees.

Aran brought his spear’s blade down to the man’s throat.
,,A warrior hides his strength with an illusion of weakness. Remember this, or you’ll never win a battle.” He spoke solemnly. He pressed the blade against the Redguard’s throat.
,,Do you admit defeat?” Aran asked.
,,Yes.”


Erinus was humming an old tune. Her patient was still unconscious but she knew from experience that it wouldn’t last much longer. When the Bosmer woke up, she would have to explain the situation. She heard someone knocking on the door and got out of her chair to see who it was this time.
,,I hope it’s Aran. He’d better not come back in pieces.”

The visitor was not Aran. Rather, he was an Argonian whose red scales matched his red clothes.
,,Good day to you. I hope I do not disturb you?” It spoke in an odd hissing accent. Its expressionless eyes glanced at the Bosmer lying in the hut’s only bed. Erinus looked at her patient as well.
,,No, you don’t disturb. How may I help you?”

Without a word, the Argonian took the woman by the arm and led her out of her home.
,,It’s not safe to talk here. We’ll talk there, behind the bushes. It is an important matter that concerns all of us.” He spoke. While Erinus could not read the strange creature’s expressions, she felt that it meant her no harm. So she followed, although she was slightly concerned about leaving her patient.
,,I believe that this is far enough. No one will hear us here, as long as we keep our voices down.” She finally whispered.

The Argonian turned to her.
,,I am known as Marsh-Speaker. You may call me Marsh. I need your help, lady Codius. The matter concerns the Emperor, whose health I fear.” He whispered, still in his peculiar accent. Now Erinus knew what caused this accent.
,,Its mouth is not shaped for our kind of speech. Just that it can speak comprehensible words is an achievement. To speak this well, he must have lived among us for a long time.”
,,I heard nothing about his health and even if there were problems, he has his own private healer for that.” She answered, hiding her own doubts with a confident voice. He’d made some odd decisions lately.
,,I know, but his own healer would not speak to me. Lady Codius, I do not ask of you to cure him or even to get involved. All I want to know is this, has the Emperor done strange things in your opinion?”

The healer shrugged.
,,I suppose he does. But I’m a healer, not a politician. How can I judge his decisions?” She asked Marsh-Speaker in return. The Argonian nodded, another habit he’d learned from the humans and elves that surrounded him.
,,True, but I am a politician so I can judge him. I’m telling you, the Emperor acts as if he is an entirely different person. I don’t know the soul of a man. Therefore I came to you, for advice.”


Back at the shack, a pair of pitchblack eyes opened. They squinted as they tried to make sense of the blurry image. The image cleared, revealing a wooden ceiling.
,,Cut up trees, barbaric.” Rajn thought to herself and managed a weak chuckle.
,,They probably think the same thing of me. The city people call the forest people barbarians, the forest people call the city people barbarians as well.”
Her eyes shot wide open and her mouth formed a soundless ‘oh’.
,,This isn’t that stupid jail. There’s a window, air! I’m above ground! I feel so happy, I could hug a tree.”

She tried to sit upright but fell down before she’d even managed to lift her head above the pillow.
,,My leg hurts. Next time I meet a dog, I’m going to kick it so hard, it thinks its ribs are floating above its head. I wonder where the Dunmer is? Or where I am, for that matter.”
She yawned.
,,Who cares, not my problem. Maybe I’ll worry about it tomorrow, or next week, or next month. Maybe never.” Already, she’d used up her strength. She drifted off into sleep before she’d even realized.


--------------------
Fabulous hairneedle attack! I'm gonna be bald before I hit twenty.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post

Posts in this topic
jack cloudy   Corrupted heart.   Jan 5 2007, 09:59 PM
Lord Revan   Nice beginning Jack, that sounds a lot like the Im...   Jan 5 2007, 10:56 PM
The Metal Mallet   Wow, your use of description has left me stunned, ...   Jan 6 2007, 12:50 AM
jack cloudy   Yup, it's the Imperial prison alright. Hey, I...   Jan 6 2007, 05:03 PM
The Metal Mallet   Let's just say that I wanted to play around ...   Jan 6 2007, 05:38 PM
jack cloudy   Wow, I just can't stop. I promise I'll get...   Jan 6 2007, 10:22 PM
The Metal Mallet   You would think they would just relocate the priso...   Jan 6 2007, 11:02 PM
jack cloudy   The point is, they would relocate. Only, the priso...   Jan 6 2007, 11:20 PM
The Metal Mallet   Haha! What delcious update, jack. So it loo...   Jan 7 2007, 12:03 AM
canis216   I don't want to ruin anything, but I must ask;...   Jan 7 2007, 12:19 AM
Black Hand   Excellent! Yes, I likie the story already, and...   Jan 7 2007, 08:43 AM
jack cloudy   I won't have much time tomorrow but I'll t...   Jan 7 2007, 10:32 PM
canis216   Ah, this prison just gets worse and worse--feels c...   Jan 7 2007, 10:41 PM
The Metal Mallet   I hereby rename this prison The Labrithyn of Doom...   Jan 8 2007, 12:45 AM
jack cloudy   Yeah, I think I went a bit overboard here. Would t...   Jan 12 2007, 11:01 PM
The Metal Mallet   Uh oh, they're in trouble now. If only our Du...   Jan 12 2007, 11:48 PM
jack cloudy   The Werewolf grinned in anticipation. Finally, he ...   Jan 13 2007, 08:02 PM
canis216   Temporary refuge from the werewolf. Sounds like th...   Jan 13 2007, 08:14 PM
The Metal Mallet   Hmm I'm curious of who this new "mystery...   Jan 13 2007, 09:36 PM
jack cloudy   And a quickie to end today's update. ,,Yes...   Jan 13 2007, 10:31 PM
The Metal Mallet   Hmm so it seems that higher up beings are taking i...   Jan 14 2007, 03:02 AM
jack cloudy   The sun cast its merciless rays down on the roofs,...   Jan 15 2007, 08:37 PM
The Metal Mallet   Our healer seems to have a bit of humour to her, w...   Jan 15 2007, 11:02 PM
jack cloudy   Hmm, I just realized. Ra'trith alone has murde...   Jan 16 2007, 08:05 PM
The Metal Mallet   Well not all killers have character development, j...   Jan 17 2007, 01:05 AM
Black Hand   Whoa. I stand in awe of your post machineiness Jac...   Jan 17 2007, 04:25 AM
Malpense the Dark   Wow, I'm really loving this series! As a ...   Jan 17 2007, 12:15 PM
jack cloudy   Thank you and welcome. Please have a look at the o...   Jan 17 2007, 11:00 PM
The Metal Mallet   Well you can certainly tell that Aran is a pridefu...   Jan 17 2007, 11:26 PM
Black Hand   One Handed Spear Weilding at its best! Keep it...   Jan 21 2007, 10:18 PM
The Metal Mallet   Each character and getting more steadily defined a...   Jan 21 2007, 10:55 PM
canis216   Wow, a lot's happened here since I last peruse...   Jan 21 2007, 11:23 PM
jack cloudy   A shadow walked into Cheydinhall, unseen by any of...   Jan 24 2007, 10:29 PM
Malpense the Dark   Nice stuff Jack, very enjoyable. I like how the c...   Jan 24 2007, 11:04 PM
The Metal Mallet   I would be suspicious too given the information on...   Jan 25 2007, 12:21 AM
Black Hand   My my my Jack! You're now officially induc...   Jan 25 2007, 05:41 AM
The Metal Mallet   We have such a guild!!!? Sweet!...   Jan 25 2007, 05:20 PM
jack cloudy   It's obvious, isn't it? When you pay money...   Jan 25 2007, 07:08 PM
The Metal Mallet   Ra'trith nears the Imperial City! Beware ...   Jan 25 2007, 08:10 PM
jack cloudy   A short one. Enjoy! That night, Aran retu...   Jan 25 2007, 10:55 PM
The Metal Mallet   .... And then the trap reveals itself!! O...   Jan 25 2007, 11:15 PM
jack cloudy   No need to be patient any longer. The trap reveals...   Jan 26 2007, 11:40 PM
The Metal Mallet   Hmmm, that Redguard was rather peculiar. Seems to...   Jan 27 2007, 01:37 AM
canis216   Hah! Ansei, shehai, all that good stuff! B...   Jan 27 2007, 03:48 AM
jack cloudy   Hey, I don't mind if you are a bit of a lore-f...   Jan 30 2007, 08:22 PM
Malpense the Dark   Great update man, really good. Enter the Blades, ...   Jan 31 2007, 12:46 AM
Malpense the Dark   I really hate to double post, particularly when th...   Jan 31 2007, 01:54 AM
canis216   Forum rules: You can't start a new topic until...   Jan 31 2007, 04:33 AM
jack cloudy   Yeah, it's a relatively new rule. Ever since w...   Jan 31 2007, 10:40 PM
The Metal Mallet   Ahhh, our Khajiit has a history with Vincente. It...   Feb 1 2007, 01:14 AM
Malpense the Dark   Great stuff Jack. Can't wait for more!   Feb 1 2007, 03:36 AM
jack cloudy   Chapter 3: Threads rebound. With the dagger press...   Feb 1 2007, 07:59 PM
Malpense the Dark   Ahh, the plot thickens! Who are these people ...   Feb 1 2007, 10:19 PM
The Metal Mallet   Well if I remember correctly, the Champion of Tamr...   Feb 1 2007, 11:40 PM
Lord Revan   Oh, he's a lot less than a corpse, remember MM...   Feb 2 2007, 12:33 AM
canis216   Indeed, the plots do thicken. There is so very muc...   Feb 2 2007, 12:34 AM
minque   Jackie! You´re a post-machine as well.....oh y...   Feb 2 2007, 11:51 PM
jack cloudy   Hmm, I don't hold the record at postmachining ...   Feb 3 2007, 12:01 AM
canis216   This is getting quite exciting... 'tis a bit o...   Feb 3 2007, 03:15 AM
jack cloudy   End of the Cliffhanger and the start of a new one...   Feb 3 2007, 10:33 PM
canis216   Wow... maybe I should try to play Arena sometime. ...   Feb 3 2007, 10:39 PM
minque   Yeah! It´s awesome....I also have Arena but ne...   Feb 3 2007, 11:01 PM
The Metal Mallet   Oooo creepy monster. I wonder want to be trapped ...   Feb 4 2007, 12:33 AM
Lord Revan   The highest rank of dremora is a Valkynaz, one of ...   Feb 4 2007, 05:46 AM
jack cloudy   I can tell you one thing about Arena, it's dam...   Feb 4 2007, 10:26 PM
canis216   Fantastic! And yes, Arena is really hard. I g...   Feb 4 2007, 11:16 PM
The Metal Mallet   Lovely update Jack! Looks like things are goi...   Feb 4 2007, 11:45 PM
Black Hand   Whoa....so thats what its like to read one of my s...   Feb 5 2007, 04:47 PM
jack cloudy   I love Arena. It has such a creepy atmosphere. Som...   Feb 5 2007, 11:11 PM
The Metal Mallet   Hehehe... I think I know where this is going ;) E...   Feb 5 2007, 11:36 PM
Black Hand   Oh Man jack,..see what you've started!...   Feb 6 2007, 01:25 AM
Lord Revan   Tsk, tsk, tsk, what is the word coming to? It see...   Feb 6 2007, 04:28 AM
jack cloudy   Back-stab? Bah, waste of arrows and they can't...   Feb 6 2007, 07:28 AM
jack cloudy   Marsh shook his head when he saw the Bosmer girl s...   Feb 7 2007, 10:57 PM
Lord Revan   So far so good, wonder how long their luck will la...   Feb 7 2007, 11:23 PM
The Metal Mallet   Lovely update! I also hope this plan works wi...   Feb 8 2007, 12:13 AM
jack cloudy   Say, does anyone know what the Imperial palace loo...   Feb 10 2007, 10:04 PM
canis216   Heh, quite the saucy one, that Bosmer...   Feb 10 2007, 10:09 PM
The Metal Mallet   Well it seems that they've gotten inside easil...   Feb 10 2007, 11:38 PM
jack cloudy   Ok, after our scene of breaking and entering. (lit...   Feb 11 2007, 07:20 PM
canis216   Yeah, Ra'Trith hasn't reared his head in a...   Feb 11 2007, 08:53 PM
The Metal Mallet   I really enjoyed reading the description of the ro...   Feb 11 2007, 09:11 PM
jack cloudy   Ok, just a quickie with no real influence on the p...   Feb 11 2007, 10:01 PM
canis216   No real influence on the plot, eh? We'll just ...   Feb 11 2007, 10:12 PM
Black Hand   Not all evil is wholly evil. Not all good is wholl...   Feb 11 2007, 11:43 PM
jack cloudy   A short one. I want to write a bit more but it...   Feb 17 2007, 10:59 PM
jack cloudy   She walked back to the entrance hall where she saw...   Feb 17 2007, 11:40 PM
The Metal Mallet   Ahhh the sneaky battlemage, just when you think yo...   Feb 18 2007, 01:00 AM
Black Hand   Battlemage?! BATTLEMAGE?! I freaking hate...   Feb 18 2007, 07:54 AM
jack cloudy   In a swirling cloud of Magicka, two forms wavered ...   Feb 18 2007, 09:50 PM
Black Hand   Well I hope you enjoy writing this, as much as I d...   Feb 19 2007, 07:49 AM
jack cloudy   I'll try to get the Elder scroll part done ton...   Feb 24 2007, 04:36 PM
The Metal Mallet   Creative explanation for defeating the "human...   Feb 24 2007, 04:58 PM
Black Hand   SGM!!   Feb 24 2007, 06:55 PM
jack cloudy   Wee, I got the next one! The first thing ...   Feb 24 2007, 07:59 PM
The Metal Mallet   Ooooo exciting, this is really picking up in the s...   Feb 24 2007, 08:15 PM
canis216   This is really thrilling stuff. Keep up the good w...   Feb 24 2007, 08:20 PM
jack cloudy   *Creeperlike voice* ,,I'm postmachining!...   Feb 24 2007, 09:21 PM
The Metal Mallet   Wow, things are getting more and more interesting....   Feb 24 2007, 09:40 PM
3 Pages V  1 2 3 >


Closed TopicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 

- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 9th August 2025 - 12:47 AM