The City Of Thieves
By Ewald88
It was a typical snowy Morndas in the city of Bruma. I could feel the sweat dripping of my black hair down on to my forehead. I Corvus Umbranox have just stolen the Golden Chalice from Countess Narina Carvain.
The pounding footsteps of guards behind me grow louder as they get closer. Its at this moment that I know I'm caught. Once the guards get me, they will put me on a transport carriage and send me to the Imperial City Prison. I'm a member of the Thieves Guild. We are a group of Thieves that work under the Gray Fox! The Imperial Guards doesn't want our group to be discovered by the common folk. So when a member of the Guild is caught, they are sent to rot in the deepest depths of the Imperial Prison.
I sat down against the snowy wall of the Chapel of Bruma. I know I won't have a good meal for the rest of my life, so I pulled out a Sweetroll and a bottle of Skooma. I just sat there and ate.
Next thing I know there is an Iron Sword in my face. I look up and see the lifeless expression on the guard's face. The guard bent down looked at me in the eyes and said."
"Stop there criminal scum! No one breaks the law on my watch. Since your a member of the Guild Captain Burd has given us strict orders to turn you over to the Imperial Watch."
"I started at the guard, remembering my mission. If I was caught, I should not kill anyone. If I ever wanted to see the beloved City Of Thieves again, I must let them take me."
"Alright." I said. "You've caught me."
"That's too bad. I was hoping you would resist arrest so I could slice you in half with my new sword." The guard said in anger.
"The last thing I remember is getting bashed over the head by a guard. When I came to consciousness I was here in the Imperial City Prison. That's how I ended up in this jail cell." I said to the person in the cell across the hall.
"Sounds like you had one hell of a time." The man in the cell across from me replied.
"I'm busting out of here. Your welcome to come if you want." I said.
"Really! I've been stuck in this prison for the past 5 years. The names Armand Christophe. I'm a Doyen for guild."
Armand's, dark skin reflected off the slight torch light in the prison. I can't believe that this man was a Doyen for the guild.
"Your, a Doyen for the Guild!" I finally said.
"Yes, I am. If you help me escape, I promise that the Gray Fox, the leader of the guild will hear about this himself."
"Deal. Know let's figure out how to get out of this muggy place." I replied.
"I have an idea. I will yell for the guard. When he comes to see what I need, you pickpocket the key from him." Armand whisperd.
Armand was a genius. Our two cells were close enough together, that I could just be able to reach a guard's pocket.
"Ok, Armand, I'm ready when you are." I said as sweat dripped from my forehead. To say I was nervous was an understatement. Pickpocketing guards is not easy.
Armand smiled, and stepped to the front of his cell. For the first time, I could see his entire body. He was a tall strong looking Redguard.
"Guard! I demand to see you at this moment. I'm starving! Bring me my food." Armand yelled.
Sure enough a guard walked down the stairs of the prison, into our cell block. The guard stopped between Armand's cell and mine. He turned to look at Armand.
"Armand do I look like the Slop Drudge to you. If you ever yell at me again, I will personally see to it, that your head goes on the block."The guard said.
"I'm sorry, but I do have a quick question for you." Armand said, as he gave me wink. The wink meant it was time to pickpocket.
"What do you want you pathetic log?" The guard asked.
"Wow, there, I take that as an insult. You just hate me because I'm black." Armand scoffed.
"Oh, so know you are accusing me of hating Redguards." The guard said.
Armand was smarter than I thought. Racial equality was a hated topic among the guards. One mention about racial equality, and the guards would personally sit there and lecture you about how the Imperial people of Cyrodiil are the only people with power.
This was it, the perfect time to pickpocket him. I reached my hand into the guard's pocket. I felt around for a key. My hand landed on something metal so I pulled it out. I got 5 gold septims.
I reach back into his pocket and this time feel a key. I pull it out, and put it in my pocket. Oh but I was far from done. I had an idea. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a red juicy apple. It was no ordinary apple though. It was a poison apple.
The guard is wrapping up his talk with Armand, so I have to hurry. I slip the apple in the guards pocket. As I'm about to pull my hand out, I feel a piece of paper. My curiosity became the best of me, so I pulled it out.
What was on the piece of paper, shocked me. It was a nude painting of the famous Nord slut Helga.
I could not hold it in, I turned to the back of my cell and threw up.
The guard spun around to look in my cell.
"You in, there! You best not be getting that damned rat plague." The guard yelled.
"No, I'm fine." I replied.
"Good. Know I'm leaving. I better not hear from either of you two again. I'm going to eat my lunch." The guard said as he walked up the stairs.
Once that guard got out of sight, Armand yelled at me.
"What the hell Corvus! You could have got us caught!"
"Trust me Armand."I replied. "This picture I found is gross"
"Let me see it." Armand said.
I handed him the picture. Armand took a good look at it. He folded it up and put it in his pocket.
"Now, Corvus are you ready to bust out? You did get the key right?" Armand asked.
"Yes." I replied.
I quietly unlocked my cell door, then snuck across the hall to Armands.
"Ok, Armand. What's the plan from here?"
"Here is where things get, interesting. See that cell over there. It has a secret escape route into the Imperial City Sewer. The sewer runs through the entire city. We take the sewer system until we reach the guild hall."
Armand and I sneak over to the other cell. Once we get inside Armand taps a brick on the wall. The swung open into a dark hole.
"Jump." Armand said.
"What, are you crazy!" I yelled.
"No, now hurry and jump, before we are caught!"
I gulped, and jumped. As I was falling all I could see was darkness. It felt as if I was falling forever. Splash! I hit the bottom, but I was fine. I landed in the stinky smelling sewer water.
A few moments later down came Armand.
"Nice of you to drop in." I laughed.
"Corvus, we did it! We just have to get to the Guild hall and we are free!"
I followed Armand down the dark sewer passage. When we reached the end, we both took a sigh of relief. We had both made it back to the guild hall, the entrance to The City Of Thieves.
"After you." Armand said as he pointed toward the rusty metal ladder.
"Man, I can't wait." I cheered.
I reached the top of the ladder and pushed the sewer cover off. When I finally got out, I was in the small stone basement, of the Guild Hall.
"Corvus, thanks." Armand smiled.
I looked back and smiled. Armand was the first person I could call my friend.
We hiked up the stairs to the Guild Hall. What we found in the hall, was not what we expected. Dead Guild Members litter the halls.
"Holy shit! What in Oblivion happened here?" I yelled.
"I bet it was the damned Imperial Watch! They probably found the guild, but how?" Armand asked.
We both stared at each other with blank faces.
"Corvus, as a Doyen I have the right to tell you what to do. Quick run, run to the city of Anvil. In the Abandon House lives the Gray Fox! The leader of the guild. Inform him of what happened. I will try to clean up this mess." Corvus ordered. "Oh, and Corvus, take care of yourself."
"You to." I cried.
I turned and opened the door. I snuck outside. It was night time here in the Imperial City Waterfront. I turned my head and saw one of the Night Watchmen making one of their rounds.
I looked round frantically for an escape. The Imperial City Warehouse was next to the hall, so I picked the lock and snuck in there.
If I don't want to be recognized I should change my outfit.
The warehouse was filled with cargo boxes, from all over Tamriel.
"One of these boxes has to have clothes." I thought.
I heard sounds coming, so I snuck inside one of the wood cargo boxes. I stuck my ear to the side so I could hear what they were saying.
"Did you hear about the Prison Guard." a voice asked.
"Yeah, apparently one of the thieves in the prison, gave him a Poisoned Apple, and he unknowingly ate it." The second voice replied.
"I heard Captain Lex was pissed. Apparently Lex made a full on invasion of the Waterfront, and searched every house for the Guild Hall. When he did he killed all the thieves inside." The first voice replied.
"So I caused this." I whispered.
I hit my head against the box. I couldn't believe it was my fault all those people were dead.
A few hours later the two voice disappeared, so I went searching for clothes. I eventually found a box with fancy blue leather clothes. I snatched it and threw it on.
I snuck back out of the warehouse. The cool breeze of the water was in my face. It was around 1 in the morning.
When I was sure no one was coming, I took out my
map. I put the magic enchantment on it that let's me fast travel. All I have to do now is point to a location on the map and it will teleport me there. I dragged my finger south, west, till it landed on Anvil.
Next thing I know, the cool breeze of the Imperial City Waterfront, and the Imperial Lighthouse were gone.
When one teleports with a magic map, they must be outside, and away from danger. You get hurdled through the void, at a faster speed then you could ever imagine. Once you get to place you are going, the void will spit you out.
As I was getting thrown through the void, everything froze. I froze. I was just floating there. All the sudden a bright light came, and I could see two humongus red eyes. A voice came from far away.
"I have seen what you have done. You killed a guard just for the hell of it. You did not even think of what might happen. You then have the nerves to teleport through me. The man you killed was one of my targets. I would usually be mad, but maybe, you might be the one who can bring our two guilds together." The voice said.
Sweat dripped from my forehead.
"Who, are you? What do you mean I'm teleporting through you? This is the Void!" I yelled back.
"Corvus Umbranox I never want to hear you ask me such a demand again. If you are so curious on who I am I will tell you. I'm the Void, or better known as Sithis! I am the father of the Dark Brotherhood. The Assassins Guild!"
"So the stories are true." I said.
"Of course they are. Now listen Corvus. If the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild can come to an allyship, our power will be unstoppable. You must convince the guild to ally with us."
"How can I trust you?"
"You can't Corvus, but you have to believe. See I can show you the world. I can show you the future."
Sure enough the Void's blackness faded to an overview of The Imperial City. I was floating above, in the same place I was. Sithis two red eyes have now vanished.
"Corvus, I am showing you the future. Not to long from now the Guild will suffer a tremendous loss. The Gray Fox the man who has lived for thousands of years, and is believed to be immortal will die.
You Corvus, will be handed the Gray Cowl, and become the new Gray Fax. The Guild will suffer, there will be a huge loss in money. Tamriel's economy will fall.
In a year or so Daedra will invade Cyrodiil. Emperor Uriel Septim VII will be killed.
The Guild will be crushed. With loss of the Emperor, and the fall of the economy, most of the people will lose everything they have. There will be no one to steal from.
Corvus, if our two groups join forces, the Dark Brotherhood can help the Guild stay on its feet. We can kill the power people. That way there will be more money in Cyrodiil. The rich will get all the money." Sithis said in a persuasive tone.
"Ok, Sithis. I accept. I've been meaning to think about joining the Dark Brotherhood anyway. Now please let me get to Anvil." I said.
"Corvus you have made the right choice. Good bye for now."
I unfroze and was back on track.
Eventually I was spit out. I was finally in the coastal city of Anvil.
I walked down the cold stone road of Anvil, in search of the Abandon House. I was about to give up looking, but then I saw it, hidden behind the Fighters Guild hall.
I opened the door to the wooden house, and entered.
The inside was poorly lit my a candle. There was a staircase in the back corner. I climbed to the top, and found one door to the right. I stepped inside.
Standing before me was a man the same height as me. He was wearing a Gray Mask.
"Corvus Umbranox, I have seen what has happened. I'm sure you have questions, but I will answer them eventually. I am the Gray Fox."
"The Gray Fox, what an honor to meet you." I said.
"Corvus, I'm getting old, and will die any time know."
"But, how! The Gray Fox can't die. He's Immortal."
"No Corvus. There has been more than one Gray Fox. See this cowl, it was stolen from the goddess Nocturnal by the first Gray Fox. Nocturnal put a curse on this cowl. If anyone puts this on, there name will be erased from history. You will be known as the Gray Fox. When you take it off, you will be known to all as the Mysterious Man. Only you will remember who you were before you put on the cowl."
"That makes so much sense now." I thought.
"Corvus, you came to inform me about what happened at the Guild Hall. I already know. As the Gray Fox I have the power to see everything that goes on in my Guild. Corvus I'm dieing, there is nothing I can do to help. But you Corvus, you can."
"What do you mean me? How am I supposed to do anything." I cried in confusion.
"Corvus, take this." The Gray Fox said as he took his mask off.
I finally saw the Gray Foxes face. It was simple. So simple I can't even describe it.
"You want me to take the Cowl of Nocturnal?" I asked.
"Yes Corvus, you will succeed me. You are the new Gray Fox. Corvus you will be able to fix the Guild, bring us out of these dark times."
"You can't just expect me to become the Gray Fox, that's a big responsibility. I have a wife. I'm not just gonna leave her." I shouted.
It was to late, the Gray Fox was dead. I did not have a choice. It was time for me to put on the cowl, and take leadership of the Guild.
I pulled the cowl down onto my head, there was a mask attached so no one could see my face. I fell to the ground. Immense pain was shooting through my body. I passed out.
When I came to my senses I arose in the Guild Hall. Armand was standing over me.
"Gray Fox, sir are you alright? I found you unconscious in the Abandon House." Armand said.
"Armand its me Corvus." I cried.
"Gray Fox its an honor to meet you." Armand said.
Armand didn't hear me. He did not understand when I said I was Corvus. The cowl really does erase your name from history.
"Gray Fox please help us. We need to fix up the Guild. We have been torn apart." Armand begged.
"Armand I will help you. We must recruit new members. Spread the word of the Guild."
"It will be done." Armand replied.
20 years have past since I've become the leader of the Guild. Armand has recruited many new members. The Thieves Guild is now feared all over the country.
I have accomplished everything, that I need to. So I went back to the Abandon House, to live out the rest of my life. I wait here, for another to come and take my place, and maybe someday, I can return to my wife.
THE END