Sel, Chapter 3 Options

[minque]

Thanks Danny for not letting me wait!....I´ll remember that gesture! As usual this part is very well written, you make the charchters alive and let them show emotions...and of course you had to involve a mysterious Altmer huh? Now I´m naturally stuck wondering who he is....but I´m sure you will tell me.....in the next update which will be due ....soon?

Alright here´s the deal-......I´m going away on a business-trip tomorrow, but I´ll be back late tuesday eve (my time).....and then there´ll be an update right?

[mplantinga]

It's good to see Sel demonstrating some independence and responsibility. I'm looking forward to seeing how his new job turns out.

[Tellie]

Yes, more Sel, poor Vysi and Sel, I look forward to dee how this is going to evolve, and my head is getting better thanks for asking .


So by all means, I'll wait in patience for the next one. Who am I fooling, post more now :beg :grovel :grovel.

[Dantrag]

*Dantrag bows to his wonderfully small audience*

*he gets pelted with tomatoes*

-----

"I'll be back tomorrow." Sel promised.

"Why don't we just move to a plantation, and you can farm or something?" Vysi pleaded. "I don't want you raiding dwemer ruins all the time; it's too dangerous!"

"It'll give us enough money to survive. Remember when we were little, and we always raided the Imperial Fort? Do you want to be doing that years from now?"

Vysi shook her head, but didn't say anything else; she couldn't convince her stupid brother anyway.

"I'll be back tomorrow if not earlier." he reiterated before walking out the door. That little conversation hadn't gone well; he had only succeeded in making his sister mad at him and worried about him. He was the older one; wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?

He found himself at the Ald Skar Inn, and he walked inside to meet his future employer.

"Hello, Sir." Sel said, extending his hand. "I never did catch your name."

"I'm Aldaril." the altmer replied. "I'm ready to go if you are."

Sel nodded, and with that, they were on their way. Aldaril talked non-stop, but Sel didn't mind; it kept his mind off of his mother. Apparently, they were going to one of the least dangerous ruins as a sort of practice run, Sel knew. The ruins were near Balmora, but he couldn't say the name.

"Arkngthand." Aldaril said again.

"Arkingdan?" he tried again.

"You know what? I'm going to call it Ruin Number One. Then the next we go to will be Number Two."

Sel laughed. "Fine with me." He still wouldn't remember though, especially if the number got over five.

They came upon a bridge, and found an abandoned cart.

"The ruin is just across this bridge." Aldaril said, putting down his pack on the cart. "Let's have lunch before going in."

Sel sat down on the cart beside his employer and chewed on a tough, saltened piece of hound meat. Obviously meant for travel and not enjoyment, that food.

"Are we going?" Sel asked.

"One moment." Aldaril said, packing his food back into his bag, and taking his bundle of papers out. He left the bag on the cart and stood.

"Now we're going, my boy." he announced as he led Sel to the door. "Get that crank will you?"

Sel obliged, and was surprised as the door opened. He rushed in behind Aldaril before the door closed on him.

He was greeted by an eerie dim light; obviously not made by any natural fire. He looked on the walls and was surprised at the torches that weren't really torches.

"Are there really constructs with a giant ball for feet?" he asked.

"A Centurion Sphere? Of course. We may come across one or two." the mage answered, sitting down to make a few sketches of the ruin's architecture.

"So what are we trying to find here?" Sel asked.

"Well, legend has it that when the Nevervarine passed through here two years ago, that he took a puzzle box. Me, I believe that legends only have some truth. There could very well be a puzzle box here, the real question is whether or not he took it."

"What if he did?"

"Then we'll have to be happy with some coins, some dishes, and a few gems."

"Those sound better than a puzzle box." Sel replied.

[minque]

*Bowing gratefully at Danny* An update....how wonderful--...But why do I have the feeling something bad will happen soon? There is some kind of hidden tension in this part.....is it the things you´re not telling? or is it.....just me?

Anyway, thanks for updating, and I´ll eagerly wait for the continuation of this great story.....

[mplantinga]

*applause* The audience, hanging on every word from the eloquent Dantrag, bursts into applause, hoping that the story is not yet over and the show will go on.

[MerGirl]

*claps* Yay! Updates, me very happy!

Poor Sel and Vysi! Hopefully, Sel will get some more money out of this adventure. *crosses fingers*

Lovin' the story so far, and I really empathize with the characters, and I hope they get by.
Anyway, can't wait for the next update!

[Dantrag]

It's that time....

Yeah you're about as excited about this as you would be a doctor's appointment.

------

Sel followed his altmer companion deeper into the ruins a few minutes later, not a word was uttered between them; Sel was too awestruck by the new experience that was a dwemer ruin, and Aldaril was too intent on finding this puzzle box.

It wasn't long before they heard voices. Sel glanced around nervously, and whispered. "What is that?"

Aldaril shrugged. "Could be smugglers, collectors like me, or even more likely, a dwemer ghost."

Sel didn't change his expression, hoping that it wouldn't be noticable that that last one scared him. "Do you think that we'll see one of these ghosts?" he asked, thinking that he was successful in keeping the nervousness out of his voice.

"Probably. But they're no trouble to dispatch as long as you have a spell, something silver, something enchanted, or both."

Sel was glad that he had both. They continued their way deeper into the ruin, and upon turning a corner, they found that there were no ghosts, but smugglers, as Aldaril said. They yelled something about trespassing, and Aldaril launched a series of spells on them. Sel turned his head at seeing one of them burn from the effects of a fireball, only to see a few sphere centurions coming up the corridor behind them.

"Uh...Aldaril?" he said, tugging on the altmer's robe to get his attention.

"I know they're there! Take care of it!" he shouted, running off after the rest of the smugglers.

Sel drew his sword and charged one of the centurions, only to be swatted away by the flat of its rusted blade.

Sel stood up, a bit disoriented. With a deep breath, he took a less aggressive approach - defense.

Sel waited, sword held out horizontally in front of him, for an attack. When one of the centurions obliged, Sel blocked, and forced the other blade far to the outside with his own, leaving the centurion open for a moment. A moment was all Sel needed. He summoned all of his strength, and swung, succeeding in relieving the construct of its head. Sel backed away from the dying construct to avoid the painful burning of the sparks that seemed to be everywhere. He backed right into another construct.

Sel fought as the metal arm wrapped around his neck, and stifled a scream when he realized that the remaining construct was appraoching him. He needed to get free. He twirled his sword so the the blade was facin his back, hoping to get a shot at the centurion that was slowly choking him to death. The sphere centurion tightened its grip on Sel suddenly, and a surprised and frightened Sel found that his sword was falling to the ground, making a clanging sound that was painful to his ears. It was the sound of defenselessness.

This post has been edited by Dantrag: Jan 28 2006, 02:25 AM

[mplantinga]

Sel sure has gotten himself into quite a pickle. I do have faith in his ability to survive; I'll be curious to see how he gets out of this one.

[minque]

Ok Doctor Danny! If doctor´s appointments were like this story...hehe yayy, I´d call today!

Now let´s see if Sel comes out of this ordeal alright....and Vysi? all alone at home? I must say I´m a bit worried about her....

Keep it up now....don´t let us wait too long for the next update....please!

[Soulseeker3.0]

WOW, i got bored today so I desided to read another story. Great job Dantrag.

[Dantrag]

boop!

-------

Sel's eyes were watering, and he could almost feel the lack of blood getting to his head due to the squeezing of his neck. Small red lines of blood were appearing where the construct's metal arm was digging into his exposed flesh. He had taken what he thought to be his last breath ten seconds earlier, and he was verging on panic.

He tried once again to pry the arm from his neck, but his muscles were no match for the contructs gear systems, and his arms were as exhausted as the rest of his body.

The second construct was now infront of him, blade raised high.

Sel felt a burst of energy behind him as Aldaril cast a massive fireball from behind him, melting the centurion that had been choking him to death, and Sel barely got out of the slow-reacting centurion's grip. With a gasping breath, the young dunmer fell to the side, towards his blade and away from the constructs.

His sword in hand, Sel plunged it into the ball that was the support of the centurion. Not satisfied, he pulled his blade free and hacked at the machine until it was no more than a multitude of unidentifiable pieces of rusted yellow metal, sparks flying as he completed his work.

He stopped suddenly, panting for air both from exhaustion and the severe lack of the sweet substance from being nearly choked to death. He bent over, putting his hands on his knees for support.

Aldaril picked up a few pieces of the scrap that Sel had created before finally speaking. "Well done, my boy." he said with a huge grin on his face. "You're hired."

Sel was too busy trying to breathe to even consider replying with any more than a small nod.

[minque]

Now what a relief! Sel not being deprived of his life by a metal-thingy! Ehh actually I didn´t expect anything less from Sel than victory!

So now he´s hired......hmmm good job I´d say....But what about Vysi? I am worried about her......still..

I expect a new update rather soon my friend! You might regard it as a firm request....

Anyway.....don´t take it literally......but please update as soon as you find it possible m´kay?

[Soulseeker3.0]

Great update Dantrag, A close call.

[mplantinga]

Definitely a close call, but it sounds like Sel and the mage make a good team. I'll be looking forward to following some more of their adventures.

[Dantrag]

*Note*

I realized a major inconsistency within my story, so I took the liberty of editing it out. Basically, Bolvyn Venim shouldn't have been alive at this point, having been slain by the Nerevarine two years before, so I put that fact in, and replaced the old councillor with his brother.

Check back through the story if you want, or just put this note into memory.

(you may be able to expect an update soon)

-Dantrag

[Dantrag]

Sel gathered up random dwemer items that Aldaril assured him were of the utmost importance. Cups, plates, knives, forks, cogs, and an occasional weapon. Anything that could be carried, they took.

Sel dragged a large back behind him, the sound of the metal items dragging against the floor was not a pleasant one, but Sel was too tired to even try to pick the bag all the way up.

When they were outside, they set up a small tent by the ruins and Aldaril told stories concerning the Nerevarine, and Sel figured that they were all legends and rumors, much like the puzzle box they were looking for.

"So, what's the next thing on your list?" Sel asked.

"I told you about this, right?" he said, pulling out a sketch of Chrysamere again. When Sel nodded, Alaril began telling of the sword's history and where it was last seen. "We are going to look for it once I get more information, we take a break, and put these things away." he said, motioning towards the enormous sack of dwemer junk.

"So I can go home and you'll come back for me?"

Aldaril nodded. "I have a small place near here. I'll drop these things off, and you can be on your way. I usually go to Ald'ruhn to get items for travel, and Edwinna i nthe Mages Guild always has useful information. I'll visit you again when it's time."

Sel looked up at the night sky, hoping that Vysi wasn't too lonely. He hated leaving her like this, but it had to be done, he supposed.

"Here." Aldaril said, putting a pouch of coins in Sel's hand. "I owe you more, but it's all I have until I sell a few of the things we aquired."

Sel counted, and it was little over a hundred gold pieces. Enough to buy food for a good while. "Thanks."

"No thanks needed; it's merely an equal exchange. Money for sesrvices." the altmer said before lying down to sleep.

Sel did likewise, and the next morning he and Aldaril parted ways. At least until the next adventure.

[Kiln]

Finally you update, been waiting for some time now Dantrag. I just read this story for the first time a while back and I don't believe I've ever replied to your writing before...pity that I'd missed such an interesting story. I hope you find the time to update soon but as for this part...

[jack cloudy]

First time I read this one. And I have to admit one thing. I like it! Keep the updates coming!

[minque]

Ahhh.....an update! yay! As always a vivid description of Sel and his hard work. heh the poor boy is really working hard to get somewhere, and yet he never forgets his sister....I can´t wait for the next update!