Killing in the Emperor's Name, A collection: An argonian assassin's world Options

[canis216]

Here you, the reader, will find works associated with Always-He-Lingers-in-the-Sun's life and work all together. His future stories will be found here, primarily. I think it's appropriate, as his tales have taken on a more serialized form--if not strictly so. I still intend to experiment with different perspectives and styles within his general narrative, so don't expect every installment to flow perfectly into the next--that isn't what I'm going for. I'd like to think that I'm using Always-He-Lingers-in-the-Sun's stories as a medium--evocation of the rough existence that is life on Vvardenfell.

[canis216]

An Obsession – Part Five

“Fine idea, Heik-Auri. Now we take all the risk.”

Nine-Toes and Heik-Auri slinked through the saltrice fields, perhaps fifty yards from a complex of mud-brick manor buildings and slave shacks.

“Three-and-a-half hours to sundown, Nine-Toes. And ten miles to cover with eighty hist, undetected, through three of these damned plantations. How else are we going to do this?”

“We could have taken a few others.”

“No, you and me. It’s the most discreet way to do it. If there weren’t so many Dres to take on I’d do it all myself.”

“That’s crazy.”

“That WOULD be crazy. Now you’re with me, so it’s fine. We clear the place up, send the signal, and the others advance. We can even arm some of the slaves, if they’re willing. Here, give me a boost.” The two argonians had reached one of the manor houses; it looked like a guard tower. After receiving a bit of push from Nine-Toes, Heik-Auri began to scale the exterior wall. “I’ll lower the line when I’m done.”

Nine-Toes waited at the bottom of the tower, crossbow ready in case he should be discovered. A few moments after Heik-Auri disappeared over the tower parapet a thin gray robe dropped down beside him, which he quickly ascended. At the top he found Heik-Auri, a trap door into the tower, and a figure in bonemold lying prone in a rapidly expanding pool of blood, chitin short-bow at the side.

“You didn’t hear me from down there, did you?”

“No, Heik-Auri. I believe that you were as silent as the dead.”

The assassin grinned. “For both our sakes let’s hope that continues. Care to silence the door? It would be a pity if we were detected on the way in.”

Nine-Toes cast a spell of silence upon the door, which Heik-Auir gently opened as his friend readied his crossbow. No one was waiting below.

“I’ll lead” Heik-Auri whispered as he lowered his body through the opening.

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The pair encountered four more guards in varied states of preparedness. Heik-Auri killed the first three by creeping up behind, clasping a free hand over the guard’s mouth, and slashing the throat with his new daedric dagger. The fourth turned immediately before the attack but died before he could bring his sword into play. Nine-Toes watched.

“That dagger... it is enchanted, yes? What does it do?”

“It absorbs health, Nine-Toes. A lot. And it never fails.”

“Never fails? You mean...”

“Yes, I stole it from the Shadowscales. And yes, they’re probably still looking for me right now, trying to take my head. No more questions, no more answers.”

Silence reigned, for a moment.

“Alright Nine-Toes, let’s move on to the next building. Once we’ve cleared the main buildings we’ll take out the exterior guard. That might be a little harder. We’ll need your crossbow.”

“Back to the top of the tower?”

“Yeah, we can’t risk going out the front door. We’ll work outside in. No one escapes.”

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Three more guards patrol the grounds, unaware of the fate of their mercenary companions. Nine-Toes crouches behind the parapet atop the shipping house; Heik-Auri stalks the courtyard below, two blades drawn, edging up behind a fair-haired nord in heavy armor. He must be sweltering, Nine-Toes is thinking; Heik-Auri is thinking about a helmet-less skull. He spirits himself forward, bringing the hilt of his ebony blade hard down upon the nord’s skull. He is down, the nord; Heik-Auri cuts his throat and raises a free hand to the air. At the signal Nine-Toes launches bolts at the other two guards—the first is struck in the throat and falls, the second is struck in the shoulder and charges forward to the shipping house, totally unaware when an iron arrow launched from a hist bow strikes him from behind.