Children of the Void, The sequel to The Story of the Listener Options

[DarkHunter]

I think that cat needs to meet a decent archer...

This post has been edited by DarkHunter: Sep 9 2006, 03:11 PM

[Kayla]

Expect an update soon!

[minque]

I think that cat needs to meet a decent archer...

yeah..or a powerful mage.....hint hint...

[Kayla]

Verano looked up at me. “Is it alright if I come with you?”

I pondered the dangers of him knowing the relative location of the Night Mother. I remembered when I had first learned the truth of where she was. It really came as a surprise to me. Still, I was used to making this journey alone and Verano seemed decent enough to keep me company.

“Alright you can come.” I said. “Be prepared though. The trip isn’t exactly a short one.” I opened the door and walked toward Coventia’s room. “I’ll meet you at the stable outside of town when you’re ready to go. Don’t be too long!” I called back.

My boots didn’t make a noise as I swiftly walked through the dim halls. I came to Coventia’s room and opened the door to see that she was still talking to Ro’Vir. Coventia’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Ah, Listener. Hold on one second. I’m sending Ro’Vir out on a contract.” With that, she handed Ro’Vir a sealed envelope, then pushed him toward the door. He hissed, and looking over his shoulder glared at me with luminous yellow eyes.

“I will be the one to send you to hell, Listener.” He growled.

Coventia hurriedly pushed him out into the hallway then shut the door behind him.
“What have you come here for?” she asked.
“I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to speak with the Night Mother, then I’m going to the Arcane University for some alchemy ingredients. Verano will be coming with me.” I walked to the door to exit the room.
“You two seem to get along.” She said.
“I can agree with him on a lot of things. I also think he’ll be useful to us.” I replied.
“Is he Speaker material?” she asked, a hint of hope in her tone.
I looked up into her pale face. Her eyes had dark circles under them. She certainly looked like she could use some sleep.
I nodded. “Perhaps.”
I walked to the door and grabbed the doorknob.
“Be safe.” She said.
“Get some rest.” I answered.

I made my way through the sanctuary, reaching the ladder that extended through the well behind the abandoned house. I climbed up through the darkness, then emerged to a very cloudy evening sky. As I walked through Cheydinhal, the wind began to blow and low rumbling thunder could be heard. The people of the town all started scurrying back to their homes, not wanting to get caught in the evidently approaching storm.

I exited the city through the west gate and pushed open the stable fence gate. As I approached Shadowmere, I cast my gaze out across the countryside. The wind had picked up, blowing the grass in the distant lowlands in wave-like patterns. For a moment, it was as though I was looking out over an uneasy sea of emerald green.

Hearing grass crunching behind me, I turned around to see Verano. Standing there in his Dark Brotherhood armor and nearly black skin, he seemed to fit in well with the dark, ominous atmosphere.

”Are you ready?” I asked him.
He nodded.

I climbed on Shadowmere’s back and helped Verano on, then I directed Shadowmere on the south road.

As it got later and we journeyed further away from Cheydinhal, weather conditions just seemed to get worse. I looked up into the sky, to see the clouds twisting and writhing within one another. The low rumbling thunder didn’t seem to stop and it had yet to rain.

“Hmmm… this is no normal storm…” I mumbled.
“What do you mean?” Verano asked.
“I don’t know. It just makes me feel strange.” I said.

Suddenly, I heard a rusting in the brush near the road. I focused on the bushes, trying to spot some movement. I saw a white flash and a snarling grey wolf leapt out from the forest. It stalked our movements, blocking our path forward. I slowed Shadowmere to a stop and got off, being careful not to make any sudden movements.

The wolf paced back and forth on the road, not letting its gaze wander for a second. I looked into its eyes to see immense fear. What was it so afraid of?

“Sarelle, what’s going on here?” Verano asked as though I dealt with insane wolves everyday.
“I don’t know…” I answered, slowly making my way toward the frightened creature. I backed up, snarled, and growled, as I neared it. I watched the white frothy saliva drip from its mouth as it began to growl louder and bark. It didn’t seem to want to attack me though. The moment I got close enough, I cast a calm creature spell on it. It blinked, shook its head, whimpered, and quickly ran away.

“What the hell was that about?” Verano asked, visibly a bit shaken as I climbed back up on Shadowmere’s back.
I shrugged in response.

The rest of the journey to Bravil was quiet as we rode and observed the sky. When we stopped in Bravil, it was a little after nightfall and still very windy. Verano looked at me strangely.

“I thought we were going to the Imperial City.” He said.
“We’re making a quick detour. Wait here.” I said.
“Wait… Sarelle. The Night Mother is here?”
I looked back at him and hesitated for a moment.
“Is she?” he asked again.
“Yes.” I answered.
His eyes widened. “That’s amazing. I’ve heard so many stories… but, none of them come close to this…” he said, amazed.
“Listen, if you need anything in the city, you’re welcome to go inside. But, you may not follow me and you may not seek me out. I don’t intend to stay here fore very long, so whether or not you go inside, I’ll meet you right here.” I explained.
He nodded, and I turned around and walked through the city gate.

I made my way past two guards who were busy staring at the sky. I was glad that I hadn’t been the only one to notice the odd weather. Most of the people were in their houses by this time of night, save for the beggars and skooma addicts who aimlessly roamed the streets. I walked quickly to the statue of the lucky old lady and knelt.

“Good evening, Mother.”
“And what an excellent evening it is, Listener!” she exclaimed.
“Mother, this isn’t a typical storm. What’s happening?” I asked.
“Ah. I commend you on your observation. As to what is happening, you’ll find out soon enough.” She answered.

“Something is going on… but what could be happening that’s so big it would shroud all of Cyrodiil in shadow?” I asked myself, looking up into the sky.

The Night Mother’s voice brought me back to focus.
“You are going to the Imperial City, correct?” she asked.
I nodded.
“Good. We have a prospective member there. She’s currently living at the Arcane University.”

“What a coincidence…”

“I think you’ll know her when you see her.” The Night Mother said. “She’s not particularly proud of murdering another.”
I nodded.

The Night Mother then told me the names of some people who needed to be visited by a Speaker to talk business. I wrote down the names, said my goodbyes to the Night Mother, then made my way to the stable outside of town.

[The Metal Mallet]

Yay! Update! And a good one to boot. Sounds like we get to meet a new prospect soon, not quite sure who yet but the choice is limited since it's a female character... I'll be curious to find out.

This storm also has me intrigued, especially since it's an odd one that seems to be affecting the animals. I can't wait to see the motive behind this.

So many unanswered questions! Suspense: an author's best friend!

[Black Hand]

Yay!! Onward and update!

[Lord Revan]

Well I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing the prospective member is Swamp-Blossum right.
And is the'storm' from an Oblivion Gate?

Also this quote says your a great wtiter for me. [i]"Your doing well so far, Sergei might not know how valuable you are, but I do." -Josef, ex-KGB member. From Lucus Arts game Mercenaries

[jack cloudy]

Goodie, a new character. Yay!
I can't wait. And you're putting up a solid piece of work by the way.

[Kayla]

Sorry it's been so long between updates this time around! I've been so busy as of late, but I think that things have slowed down for awhile. I've really taken this time to get ahead on my writing. So, that I'm happy about. I hope you guys enjoy this update! Expect the next one to be sooner this time.
----
I was almost relieved to see Verano standing next to Shadowmere, petting her. He hadn’t tried to follow me. That was a wise decision. We climbed on Shadowmere’s back and started on our way to the Imperial City.

“Where did you get this horse?” Verano asked. “She’s certainly beautiful.”
“A good friend gave her to me.” I answered.
Verano smiled. “Friends just don’t give horses to each other. Who is he?”
I hesitated, not sure what he was asking.
“C’mon. You’re a pretty girl. There must be a special man in your life.” He persisted.
I cleared my throat. “He’s dead now.”
There was a moment of silence.
“I’m sorry, Sarelle.” He said, placing a sympathetic hand on my shoulder.
“No need to be. It was some time ago.” I said, keeping my gaze fixed on the road in front of us, while reaching up with my left hand and clutching my necklace.

Suddenly, a startling thought entered my mind. That voice that woke me before Ro’Vir could strike me… it was Lucien’s! Lucien hadn’t visited me in a long time. I thought he had moved on to the next life. I had often found myself missing his visits…

“I don’t think anyone, no matter how strong they are, ever really gets over the pain of losing someone they love.” Verano said, an odd tone in his voice.

“Did I love Lucien?” I asked myself. “He loved me, didn’t he…?”

“Do you think you’ll try to give love another chance?” he asked.
Again, I hesitated, wondering what he was getting at.
He began to laugh. “I’m old enough to be your father. My time for love is over, but, finding love again might be good for you.”
“I don’t have the time for love… I… never did in the first place.” I muttered, becoming increasingly uncomfortable with this topic of conversation.

The grand Imperial City came into view. All we had to do was travel on the winding road next to Lake Rumare until we came to the beautiful bridge that led to the city gates. I could already see the Waterfront District from our position on the road across the lake. I thought about resting in my house at some point during the trip…

A loud crash of thunder interrupted my thoughts.
Verano sighed. “I wish I knew what was going on with the weather.”
“You’re not the only one. But the Night Mother said we would find out soon enough.” I said, pondering the possibilities.
“So, you talked to the Night Mother about it?” he asked.
I nodded. “I now have official business in the Imperial City. I have to meet someone.” I said.
Then, I realized something. “You’re not in the Arcane University, are you?” I asked Verano.
“No.” he replied. “I’ve never been much of a mage.”
“Then that means they won’t let you inside. I’ll let you stay in my house on the Waterfront until I’m finished with business at the University. Is that alright?”

Shadowmere’s hooves thudded on the white stone as we began to cross the bridge to the city.

“It’s fine.” He said. “I’m sorry to cause you so much trouble.”
I laughed. “No trouble at all. I’m accustomed to making this journey alone. It’s nice to have some company for a change.”

We arrived at the Imperial City stable. Leaving Shadowmere there, we entered the vast city.

The beggars, commoners, nobles, and guards alike were all peering up at the sky. Some were talking to others about the weather. I led Verano through the city to the Waterfront.

The Waterfront District of the Imperial City was a small port in Lake Rumare. It had many warehouse buildings as well as a lighthouse. The Waterfront was also known as the slums. Many beggars were known for wandering around there, as well as outlaws, pickpockets, and thieves. The houses there were cheap, however, and the people there didn’t bother me.

Dodging beggars, pirates, and reputed pickpockets, Verano and I arrived at my house. I fished the key out of my pocket, unlocked the door, and pushed it open. Inside, the small house was very dark and a bit cold. The fire in the fireplace had burned out long ago. I grabbed some logs from a crate outside, then stepped into the darkness and set them down in the fireplace. Once they were all situated inside, I cast a fire spell on the logs and the room was illuminated almost immediately. Small embers bounced out of the blaze, landing on the stone floor, and slowly fading.

Verano looked around the cozy, one-room house, from the small bed to the kitchen table. I sat down on the bed to rest my legs. Walking through the city was tougher than one would imagine.

After awhile, I stood.
“I hope you don’t mind staying here. I shouldn’t be out too long at the University.” I said.
Verano was slowly pacing about the room.
“I’m fine.” He said, looking up at me and smiling. “I’m sure I can find plenty of ways to entertain myself.”
“Good,” I said. “Just make yourself at home. You can use the bed to sleep, read some of my books, or take a look around the city. I’ll return shortly.”

When I exited my house, the wind was howling. The clouds in the early morning sky were writhing and twisting, covering the rising sun and making everything very dark.

I walked across the city, my robes billowing in the strong wind. No matter what district of the city I entered, all the people were yelling over the shrieking wind and rumbling thunder to discuss their opinions about the odd weather conditions. Even the torches that burned on magicka at the Arcane University were dancing in the wind, threatening to go out.

I walked through the gate of the University to see that despite the vicious weather, the lives of the students continued. Apprentices and instructors hurried from one building to the next, often stopping momentarily to look up at the sky.

Walking past the many samples of plants that were swaying in the wind, I entered the Arcane University’s arboretum. The place was empty, save for one short Altmer woman. I found it strange that she was so short, considering all High Elves seemed to tower over the other races. The Altmer woman stared at me as I walked to a table adorned with alchemy apparatuses. The table was surrounded by glass cases filled with ingredients that were freely available to any student in the University.

I opened the large case, reached inside, and withdrew some Nightshade flowers, along with Spider Daedra silk, Daedroth teeth, and some flax seeds.

With nervous, uncertain steps, the Altmer woman approached me.
“You… you’re with the Dark Brotherhood, aren’t you?” she asked in a timid voice.
I smiled to myself at the thought of her asking every single person who walked in that very question.
I grabbed a small cloth sack from the corner of the room and began filling it with ingredients.
“Are… are you?” she asked, her tone hinting at slight panic.
I looked up into her wide, lilac colored eyes. They were filled with regret, fear, and great sorrow, as well as anxiety and fear.

“She is a possible member?” I asked myself. Usually people who killed others were more… hardened than this young Altmer woman. Still, she looked as though deep inside, she had a lot of inner strength.

“Yes. I am from the Dark Brotherhood. And as I understand, you’ve murdered someone recently.” I said.
“I… I…” she said, backing up a little.
“No need to explain yourself. I can understand murderous tendencies. I’ve come to invite you to join the Dark Brotherhood.” I said, smiling.
“Why me?” she asked.
“Your skill is commendable.” I answered.

She truly looked as though she regretted what she had done. I could tell she had a high respect for life. That was something to be admired.

She hesitated.
“I can see you’re not interested. I’ll leave you alone.” I said, gathering the ingredients I needed. “You don’t have to worry about me telling the authorities either. Have a good day.”
I headed toward the door.
“Wait.” She said, abruptly. “I’ll join you.”
I turned completely around to look at her face. Her purple eyes showed a newfound sense of determination and resiliency. Almost all the regret had dissappeared.
“What’s your name, Breton?” she asked, offering her hand. Her actions certainly puzzled me, but not in a bad way.
I shook her hand. “My name is Sarelle. What’s yours?”
“Sylvanna Swamp Blossom.” She replied with a charming smile.

“Odd name for an Altmer.” I thought to myself.

“If you’re ready, I’d like to take you to the Waterfront. I own a house there and I think I’m going to stay here in the city for a day or so to get some rest. A friend of mine, your new brother is staying there as well. The three of us can get better acquainted.” I said.
“Alright.” She said, “But first, I need to stop by my residence to gather a few belongings.”
I nodded and we both stepped outside, into the fierce wind, to walk the short distance to the large building in which the students of the Arcane University lived.

I waited outside while she went in to get her things. While I waited, I began to study some plants around the building, picking some Lady’s Smock and Tiger Lilly flowers to add to my bag of ingredients.

A clash of thunder sent my eyes straight up to the sky. As I was mindlessly looking up, someone bumped into me. For a fraction of a second, I felt an intense chill as our bodies touched. I brought my eyes down to see the person’s face. I only caught a glimpse of a male face, barely visible through the shadow a black cloak was creating over his face, and a pair of startled blue eyes. Without a word, he hurried past me. Briefly, I stood there, lost in thought.

“His eyes… Were they… blue?”

I turned around; looking in the direction he seemed to be going. There was no sign of him. I sighed, truly thinking I was going insane, and suddenly, it started to rain.

Sylvanna emerged soon after, to see me standing ther, lost in thought, and at the same time, getting soaked by the pouring rain.
“Oh my, Sarelle! Come! Lets hurry before it gets worse!”
We sprinted across the city. I’ll admit I was surprised at the shape she was in. most mages I knew couldn’t lift a claymore, much less run from one side of the Imperial City to the other.

We walked into my house, dripping wet. Verano looked up from a book he was reading.

“Verano, this is Sylvanna Swamp Blossom. Sylvanna, this is Verano. Sylvanna is now the newest member of the Dark Brotherhood.”
Verano stood and politely bowed to Sylvanna.

I walked to the fireplace and peeled off my soaked black robe and draped it over the back of a chair. Then, I set the chair near the fireplace so that the robe would dry. The house felt warmer than it was when Verano and I had entered earlier.

Sylvanna stared at my Dark Brotherhood armor.
“You’ll get a set like it when we return to the sanctuary.” I said, smiling, and digging through a chest of drawers.
“Where is the sanctuary?” she asked.
“Cheydinhal.” I replied, handing her some dry clothes.
I turned to Verano.
“I think we’re going to stay here until tomorrow. I could use some rest.”
Verano nodded.
“If you two want to go tour the city, be my guest. I’m going to get some sleep.” I said, flopping down on the small yet comfortable bed. I could hear the sound of the rain hitting the roof as I drifted off into a comforted sleep.

I awoke abruptly to hear yelling outside.
I looked around the small house to see Sylvanna and Verano sitting at the table. They had obviously been talking. I was glad they’d taken the time to get to know each other.
“Do you know what’s going on outside?” I asked them, rubbing my eyes.
They shook their heads.
Feeling well rested, I got out of bed and went outside. The weather was cloudy and it was daytime. The wind had calmed down a bit and I wondered how long I had been asleep.

I noticed a large crowd of people standing near the docks and approached them. An Imperial man was standing in the middle of the crowd, a thick stack of papers under his arm.

“Get your copy of the Black Horse Courier! Very urgent news today!” he yelled.
More people were walking up now, curious about the “urgent” news.
“Here you go, lady!” he said, thrusting a paper into my hand.

What I read sent adrenaline pumping through my body. I pushed through the steadily growing crowd and jogged back to my house.

“C’mon, you two. We have to get back to Cheydinhal. Now.” I said, picking up my now dry Black Hand robe and putting it on. Then, I picked up the sack of ingredients I’d retrieved from the Arcane University.
“Sarelle, what’s wrong?” Verano asked, his blood red eyes filled with concern.
I looked at them, still sitting at the table, curious looks on both their faces.
“The Emperor was murdered last night. We’re going to be the first group they suspect. We have to get back to the sanctuary now.” I said.

[Lord Revan]

awesome! first post!

Indeed Kayla, it has been a long time since you last posted. I see that I was right about the new member being Swamp Blossum. Your still doing well, keep it up!!!!

[Black Hand]

VERY nice, it was certainly worth the wait Kayla. Remember that real life is more important, so do what you gotta do.

[The Metal Mallet]

I wish real life wasn't as important, writing is so much fun!

I have to say this is an exceptional update Kayla, well worth the wait indeed. I love the interaction between your characters and your attention to detail. It's also good to hear that the updates will possibly be more frequent.

I'm also curious as to who that man Sarelle bumped into is. I have a feeling he'll turn up again somewhere.

[Black Hand]

I wish real life wasn't as important, writing is so much fun!

So True.

I'm also curious as to who that man Sarelle bumped into is. I have a feeling he'll turn up again somewhere.

Of course he will, she understands the character perfectly, A sign of a good writer is too understand multiple perspectives and blend them together into great story like this one.

[Kayla]

*Blushes* Thank you for the comments! Working on another update right now.

[Kayla]

Just a small update for today.
----
Verano’s eyes widened in shock, but he stood, ready to leave.
Sylvanna stayed in her seat, staring at us with an intensity I had yet to see in her. She squinted her lavender eyes at me.
“So, that’s what you two were here for… You’re the ones who assassinated the Emperor!” she exclaimed.
“No… no we didn’t.” Verano said coolly, but obviously uncomfortable with the accusation.
“You’ve been with us since we came to the city...” He continued.
She cut him off immediately.
“How do I know that? I could have joined you after you killed him!” she said.
“You’re being paranoid.” I said. “We’re a group of assassins and we’re not ashamed of what we do. If we had really killed him, we’d be truthful with you.”
She was quiet for a moment but then stood.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

We walked hastily to the stable. There, we all climbed on Shadowmere and took off on the southern road to Cheydinhal. I decided that I would stop by Bravil to tell the Night Mother of what had happened before returning to the sanctuary.

Despite the situation, Sylvanna was quite talkative during the journey. She asked many questions about the Dark Brotherhood, most of which Verano answered. I was quite busy with my own thoughts, planning the necessary precautions we would have to take to conceal our sanctuary from prying eyes, as well as keeping information about us away from the wrong people.

Once we arrived at Bravil, I dismounted before Shadowmere even came to a complete stop.

“The both of you wait here. I won’t be long.” I said, quickly walking through the city gates.

Sprinting through the city, I listened as the people talked of the Emperor’s death. I’d never noticed so many people outside of their houses in Bravil before. Bartenders and drunks alike had emerged from the pubs, the mages from the guild in town squinted in the sunlight, shielding their eyes, tired from reading tomes of spells from the sunlight that sifted through the dark clouds. The shady thieves and beggars conversed with the warriors from the fighters guild, talking of what they would like to do should they ever meet the man who had slain their Emperor.

Slightly winded, I arrived at the statue of the lucky old lady and knelt.

“Dearest Mother, I am sure you know of what has happened…” I said, taking slow deep breaths of the humid air while trying to gather my thoughts.
“Yes, the assassination of the Emperor. I know of this.” She said.
“Of course, I’m sure the Imperial Legion already suspects us…” I said.
“Indeed they do.” She replied, coldly.
Just hearing my thoughts confirmed made me fear for the safety of the sanctuary.
“Well, I am confident I can handle this. I have a plan, and it wasn’t us anyway. I’m sure the heat will be off us after awhile.” I said.
“I too am confident you can handle this, Listener, but I’m sorry. I have another, very urgent task for you.” This statement brought an entirely new wave of stress crashing down on me.
“What?” I stood, balling my fists. “The Imperial Legion is hunting us down and you want me out on a mission?” I was outraged. This was a very delicate and urgent situation, and I didn’t want Coventia, or anyone else in the sanctuary taking care of it alone.
“Listener,” she said, raising her voice. “this is a time of distress, I know, but this contract is for the well-being of the Dark Brotherhood!”

My shoulders involuntarily slumped and my gaze wandered to the ground. I’d never heard the Night Mother raise her voice before.

“I’m sorry, Mother. I am not one to question your judgment. Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Your apology is accepted. Now, I want you to go to the city of Kvatch. Locate the leader of the Imperial Guard there and kill him.” She said.
“Yes, Mother.” I said, turning and walking away.

I couldn’t say that I was pleased with having to travel all the way across the continent at a time like this, but the Night Mother had demanded it.

I exited the city to find Verano and Sylvanna right where I’d left them. I walked up to them and asked them to get off the horse.

“What’s wrong?” Verano asked. I supposed my face showed my disappointment in this new situation.
“It turns out that I have to go to Kvatch due to orders from the Night Mother.” I turned to Verano. “I have a job for you. Return to the sanctuary. Tell Coventia of what has happened. Tell her to block off the well entrance and put a hold on all contracts for now.” Verano nodded, understandingly. “Then, I want you to kill the Count of Cheydinhal. He knows where our sanctuary is and he’s a weak-minded man. He’d crack under the pressure of an interrogation. We can’t afford that. Make his death look like an accident, and there will be a nice promotion for you.”
I looked at Sylvanna, dug into my pocket, then handed her five thousand coins, practically all the money I was carrying with me.
“You two buy a horse and get to Cheydinhal quickly. I’m taking Shadowmere with me.”
She nodded.

“I’ll see the both of you soon.” I said.

[The Metal Mallet]

A nice little teaser for the next part Kayla. I wonder if she's gonna get caught in Kvatch when the Daedra attack, hopefully if that's the case she'll be her usual resourceful self and survive.

I look forward to the next update.

[Kayla]

Sorry for the double post. Lag.

This post has been edited by Kayla: Oct 29 2006, 09:04 PM

[Kayla]

Well, it's been awhile. I hope none of you have missed me too much! I'm proud to post my next update! Hope you like it!
----
Shadowmere galloped on the road, her hooves thudding at a fast pace and kicking up dust behind us. The wind blew in my face with a slight stinging sensation.

“Why would the Night Mother send me to Kvatch at a time like this?” I asked myself. “Why is killing this member of the Imperial Legion so important? Things are really going to get hectic now that the Emperor is dead…”

As I neared the city of Kvatch, I noticed the weather picked up, becoming oddly ominous again. I could hear the low rumble of distant thunder, and the atmosphere became moist. It was probably going to rain soon.

Kvatch was a nice city, though I rarely went there. The city itself was located on top of a splendid hill. The towering temple of Akatosh there served as the center of the city and could be seen for miles.

“I wonder who really killed the Emperor… but, I guess it doesn’t have anything to do with me…” I thought.

I followed the winding road as I kept my eye on the temple of Akatosh. The leaves on the trees were beginning to change colors, painting a beautiful picture of the outer Gold Coast region. The orange, red, yellow, and even a rare bit of green mixed together as the wind blew the leaves and grasses. I reasoned that I should visit this part of Cyrodiil more often.

The sun was setting when I finally arrived in Kvatch. I left Shadowmere at the stable and walked through the gates into the city. Of course, the guards posted near the gates were talking about the assassination of the Emperor. They were so absorbed in their conversation, they paid little attention to my arrival.

The people of the city were busily heading back to their homes before the ensuing night. I watched the guards patrol the area, wondering where their captain would be. I wanted to finish this contract as soon as possible so I could return to Cheydinhal. I stopped momentarily, staring up at the temple of Akatosh, thinking over the events of the past few days. I wondered why Lucien had stopped contacting me, then after all this time, he was trying to reach out to me again. I thought of the mysterious man I’d encountered at the Arcane University. Who was he? Maybe he was no one… maybe he was just someone who was in a hurry and happened to bump into me. I thought over the contract I had been assigned, wondering why it was so important at such an urgent time.

I sighed and began looking for the Watch Building. I was sure that I could find out the guard captain’s name and quite possibly his current location there. As my boots crunched in the grass, people hurried past me, and the wind picked up. I heard a rumbling sound and was quick to dismiss it as thunder. I kept walking, almost certain that I had spotted the Watch Building ahead of me… when the ground started to shake. At first, so slightly I thought that I was just imagining things, then it quickly became violent. I stopped, and looked around, struggling to keep my balance.

“What the hell is happening?” someone near me screamed.

I watched as the quaint brick and wood houses, and eventually the more reinforced stone buildings around me began to fall apart. I cursed out loud as I dodged pieces of falling brick, stone, and wood. Though the ground was still shaking, I ran, looking for an exit to the town. Screams and cries for help filled the night air. The city guard was shakily assembling, though I had no idea what they thought they could do at this time. I half ran, half stumbled over the shaking ground, dodging pieces of stone that seemed to rain from the sky. The city was now in complete chaos.

Just as I thought nothing worse could happen, a wall of fire shot up from the ground right in front of me. If I had taken just a few more steps forward, the wall probably would have incinerated me. My eyes watered from the immense heat it was giving off, as I cautiously backed up.

“What the…?”

Suddenly, a huge clawed hand emerged from the wall of fire, and began to thrash around, the long, sharp claws whistling through the air. I backed up more, quickly brandishing my shortsword. No sooner had I pulled the blade from the sheath, the huge clawed hand revealed itself as belonging to a Daedroth. The monstrous creature leapt from the wall of flames, gnashing its hungry jaws at me. I dodged its initial attack, ducking under its huge frame and slashing a large wound in its scaly back. I jumped over it as it turned to face me, then I quickly decapitated it.

I turned my gaze back to the wall of fire. Daedra were now flooding out of it, running into the city to wreak havoc. I quickly dispatched of what Daedra I could, knowing that there was no way I could kill all of them at the rate they were coming out.

Over the sounds of armor clanging together, swords connecting with bone, and the roars of the Daedra, I heard a loud, commanding voice.
“Retreat! Everyone get outside the city walls!”

Shoving my sword through the face of a scamp, I broke into a run toward the city gate. There was a lot of debris blocking my path, such as huge pieces of the chapel tower, but I was sure I could scale it.

I jumped on top of a stone chunk to see a group of guards and citizens fleeing the doomed city. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone casting a spell. I turned completely and saw that there was a mage fighting a Dremora. Not a lot of people really stood a chance against such a powerful Daedroth, but this mage was doing pretty well. Due to the deep green cloak they were wearing, I could not tell if it was a man or a woman, but I could see that they were a powerful spellcaster.

The majority of mages I’d seen throughout my life had trouble using magic in fast paced combat. This was because magic was very different from a sword. Having a sword, a bit of strength, and some common combat knowledge could help you succeed in a fight, but in order to effectively use magic in combat, you had to be good at pacing yourself, and have the ability to anticipate the moves of you opponent. The way mages practiced spells at the guild was far different from using them to actually hurt or hinder an enemy. The only way to be good at magic in combat was to have true combat experience.

I ran across the chunk of stone until I was near the Dremora, then I jumped off, and buried my sword in its neck. Both the Dremora and the person fighting it seemed surprised by my sudden attack. I looked more closely at the person. The hood on the cloak cast a shadow over their face, making it impossible to see. I shoved my sword through the back of the Dremora’s head, then kicked it squarely in the back. It fell limply to the ground.

“Many thanks, Breton.” A female voice said, through the shadow of her hood.
“It would be wise to leave now.” I said.

I helped her climb the debris to escape the city.

“It’s unfortunate… getting caught up with a Dremora.” I said, as I ensured she didn’t lose her balance.
“Ah. You know a bit about Daedra, do you?” She asked.

Besides the fact that I was a proficient conjurer, I found reading about the Daedra to be quite entertaining. They were quite the interesting beings.

“Yeah. You could say that.” I said, climbing down the debris pile, then offering to help her. It was then that I noticed quite a bit of the city had caught on fire. When I helped her down, we ran through a horde of Daedra, finally bursting through the city gates. As I pushed them closed before the Daedra could escape, it began to rain. A swift breeze blew the woman’s hood down, allowing me a view of her face.

Her dark eyes were a contrast to her light skin showed kindness and compassion, and her wavy dark brown hair blew softly in the wind.

“Thank you very much for your help.” She said, smiling. Her voice was deep and comforting. “Unfortunately, this is a time of crisis and there is someone out there who is very precious to me… someone that I must protect. I’m sure they are quite scared right now without me by their side… I must take my leave of you now… Though I would very much like to stay here and help the people of the city…” her eyes showed a bit of sadness and remorse.

I nodded, understandingly. I knew how she felt.

“Thank you once again for your help.” She said, offering another smile.

Then the woman pulled her hood back up, and walked away, leaving the chaos of Kvatch behind her.

This post has been edited by Kayla: Oct 29 2006, 09:08 PM

[The Metal Mallet]

Yay! Update!

Consistantly good like always, Kayla. We meet another interesting character, whom I'm sure we'll meet again, and the Daedra are showing up now. Things are going to get interesting indeed.

Whenever your next update will be, I'll certainly read it.

[Black Hand]

Yes!! Very Nice. It would make more sense for the events of the Dark Brotherhood to have either preceded or come after the gates, after all, if the Daedra destroy everything, the DB has no business.