AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story takes place two years before No Man Left Behind. It covers the story-line of the War on the Imperial's side. The Dark Brotherhood will make little to no appearance. In this fiction, the main focus is the mages and will focus on their loyalty and camaraderie with one another.
Five young mages stood before the imposing gates of Solitude, their heads arched upward as they took in the impressive structure before them. They were all gifted in the Arcane Arts, but were a group made up of different races.
"Wow, you weren't kidding. This place is huge."
Onmund the Nord, a proud yet humble man that was an expert in the castings of frost spells.
"The guards up there look like ants! Hi! Hey, down here! Can you see all of Skyrim from that vantage point?"
Brelas the Wood Elf, feisty and energetic, her wielding of fire made her as dangerous as she was beautiful.
"J'Zargo did not come here to take in the sights. He came here to join in the fight against the rebellion. J'Zargo will kill many Stormcloaks."
J'Zargo the Khajiit, he was arrogant as they came, but his skills in his lightning casts gave warrant to his boasting.
"Well, we came all this way. No sense in delaying it any longer; are you ready, KaNack?"
Brelyna the Dark Elf, a quiet and kind caster, her training was specific in the art of restoration magic. She was a gifted healer.
"Yes, just give me a minute. This is the first time in years that I'm coming here as the Dragonborn. I'm not sure of the reception I am going to receive."
KaNack the Argonian, he was an expert conjurer as well as the legendary Dovahkiin. Not only was he gifted in the Arcane Arts, but possessed the ability to Shout Thu'ums like the mighty dragons that prowled the land. What was not known about him was that he was the Listener and leader of the infamous guild of assassins, the Dark Brotherhood.
Solitude was the capital city of Skyrim; set upon great stone which was bordered by the Karth River and surrounded by the impressive peaks of the Haafingar Mountains. Towering walls made up of strong blocks of rock encircled the city and for years had withstood the wear and tear of enemy forces that tried to invade it. Solitude was damn near impenetrable.
The five mages entered the stronghold and began to walk along the stony pathway that was surrounded by the local market and shops. Anything one might possibly need for a journey could be obtained in this city, but the casters did not come here for shopping.
This stronghold was not only the headquarters to the Imperial Legion, but the Thalmor as well. Only a fool would dare to try and commit acts of treason within the walls with such a threat guarding over it; a fool or a very clever assassin.
Three years prior, the group had taken a vow that once they had completed their studies in magic at the College of Winterhold, they would join the Imperial Legion led by General Tullius where their skills could be put to better use in defending their home and beliefs.
The Imperials had been at war with the rebellious Nords of Skyrim ever since the Jarl of Windhelm, Ulfric Stormcloak, had killed the High King in a malicious attempt to seize the throne. Just like KaNack, Ulfric had the ability to Shout, but used his voice not to assist Skyrim, but to selfishly try and attain a higher status that he felt he was deserving of.
Ulfric Stormcloak was known as many things outside of his loyal followers. He was considered a kingslayer, an opportunist and a racist. Khajiits and Argonians were forbidden to even enter Windhelm while the Dunmer were secluded to rundown and dismal parts of the city. Cruel treatment and racial slurs were not uncommon to be handed out by Stormcloak sympathizers.
KaNack felt a lump in his stomach as he got closer to the Imperial Legion headquarters in Castle Dour. He looked over at his four companions and saw nothing but anticipation in their eyes. They had no reason to be nervous; they had not wronged Tullius or the Empire in any way. The red and black reptile's conscious was not as clear as his friends' were.
Years ago, KaNack had been discovered to be the Dragonborn of Nordic legend and General Tullius had hoped that he would be the driving force needed to finally bring the war to an end. The commander had not taken into account the fact that the Argonian might not be ready for his duties as the Dovahkiin and simply vanish off the face of Tamriel one day.
KaNack was not prepared for the huge burden that had been placed on him. The mage had to undergo years of training and strife before he believed that it was time to return and take responsibility for his actions. The caster was older, stronger and unlike before, he was surrounded by friends who cared about him and he had come to trust with his life.
The conjurer had found it hard to get along with people in Skyrim. Somehow though, he had come upon this motley crew and could not imagine life without them.
KaNack had fallen in love with the Dark Elf Brelyna the moment he first laid eyes on her and now she was his adoring wife.
Despite the reputation of Nords despising elves, Onmund and Brelas were smitten with one another and proved that the Stormcloaks were not a proper representation of the Nordic race in general.
The Khajiit, J'Zargo, had started out as a bitter rival for the reptile, but over time the two had learned to finally respect each other when they found out that they had something in common- they both hated Ulfric Stormcloak and wanted him dead.
The five came to a halt in front of the large steel doors of Castle Dour. Once they stepped inside everything was going to change. The mages would no longer be kept safe behind the gates of Winterhold or under the protective watch of their beloved Arch Mage, Savos.
KaNack swallowed and his hand trembled as he hesitated to push open the door.
"Come on, Lizard Wizard!" hissed the Khajiit, always the impatient one, as he crossed his arms. "We don't have all day!"
"J'Zargo," started the Argonian quietly, "it's been years since I've faced the General. I'm not quite sure how he is going to react once he sees me."
Onmund let out a sigh and made his way to the front, pushing the door open himself. "Whatever happens, happens," he insisted before entering the castle without a second thought. "We took a vow! Now is not the time to get cold feet!"
The reptile grunted as he felt someone forcefully push him inside after the Nord. Glaring over his shoulder, he saw the amused face of Brelas. The Wood Elf chuckled lightly and strode past him, followed by the eager Khajiit. Brelyna gently took a hold of the Argonian's arm and smiled warmly at him.
"KaNack, we're all here for you. Whatever the General does once he recognizes you, know that your friends are here and we won't let anything bad happen."
The Dunmer's words did give KaNack some peace of mind. She leaned up to kiss him on his scaly cheek before leading him through the narrow passage in the castle. The two mages found themselves in a dim stone chamber where the other three were greeting two people that the Argonian was very familiar with.
One was the proud and strong Imperial, General Tullius, and the other was the brawny and fearless Nord, Legate Rikke. She was one of the Imperial Legion's most trusted and loyal officers and had no time or patience for nonsense of any kind. KaNack and she had never gotten along when he was still working alongside the Empire.
"Are my men giving free reign to anyone who wanders into the castle?" the commander grumbled, giving the J'Zargo a dark look as he leaned up from the map of Skyrim. "Do you have some reason to be here, citizens?"
KaNack remained hidden behind the group, not ready to face Tullius yet. Brelyna kept a gentle hold on his arm and leaned against her husband, trying to settle his nerves.
"General Tullius!" Onmund announced proudly as he saluted the man before him. "We have all come from Winterhold so that we can join the Imperial Army and fight the Stormcloaks!"
"Isn't Winterhold under the influence of the Stormcloaks? Sure you are on the right side?" Tullius growled not at all pleased that his preparation for his next move in the war had been interrupted by a gang of youths. He turned to his officer and gestured towards the group with his hand. "Rikke, I believe recruiting is your area?" Leaving her to handle the mages, the Imperial returned to the table to resume working.
"You're a little small for a Nord, aren't you?" the Legate remarked as she approached the group and scowled at the Nordic mage before her. "Wait, you're from Winterhold?" She shook her head in disappointment. "That explains your shrouds. So you're a pack of mages? You must be fresh ones if you've only just left that college."
The Nord turned her nose up at the crew before her. "Sorry, we don't need young casters who will turn around and run the second the battle starts to become too dangerous for them." She shook her head dismissively. "I am sure you mean well, but we've worked with casters in the past and were terribly disappointed."
"Run away?!" Brelas snapped as her hands burst out in flames. "We are not spellcasting children! We've fought before!"
Onmund and J'Zargo quickly grabbed the Wood Elf's hands and pulled them down.
"J'Zargo thinks burning the Legate's face off is not the best first impression," the cat muttered to her.
"She's just a little spitfire, isn't she?" growled Rikke.
"Please, give us a chance!" Onmund pleaded as he let go of the Bosmer and held out his hands towards the woman. "Ulfric Stormcloak himself came to our town years ago and attacked us! His presence is a threat to everyone, mages included! We've been training for years just so that we would be ready to fight alongside the Imperial Army!"
"Ulfric attacked you?" the General stated as he could not help but overhear the conversation. "Oh, yes. I think I remember receiving word about that. "A frown formed on Tullius face as he stared at Onmund. "From what I heard, he almost killed one of the students. Believe me, the Empire cares about all those whom are loyal to it. You're all fresh out of the school and right now you think you're invincible, but this war is not for the meek." Leaving it at that, the General returned to looking over his plans.
"J'Zargo is not meek," the feline grumbled.
"You'd be going into the fight with no armor and only a limited supply of magicka to power your attacks. None of you would survive the first encounter with the Stormcloaks." Rikke pointed towards the door. "Just go back to your school and continue your studies."
"We've only just gotten here!" Brelas snapped. "You don't know us or what we are capable of! Maybe if you allow mages to join your legion you will have an advantage over Ulfric and his men!"
"I understand why you feel this way, Legate Rikke. Nords by trade don't embrace magic and think it's the tool of cowards," Onmund said as he stared defiantly at her. "I know I've faced my share of ridicule for becoming a mage, but it won't be the Stormcloaks laughing when they experience firsthand the powers of the Arcane Arts! The rebels not being used to facing casters is what will give you a leg up in this war."
"I just don't trust mages," stated the officer as she pointed towards the door once more. "You'd just run off like the other one did. There is no place for you in this war; go back to your school where your skills might be put to some better use."
KaNack had heard enough from the officer and made his way to the front of the group. "Do you not trust mages because of me?"
The Imperial's head slowly lifted and his gray eyes widened in shock as he recognized the mage who had nudged his way to the front of the group. It had been years since he had last seen him and the Argonian had grown in size a bit, but he could never forget those red and black markings.
"By the Eight," muttered Rikke as she took a few steps back at the sight of the reptile. "Dragonborn?"
"You," the General uttered darkly as he stormed forward and stood toe-to-toe with the conjurer before him. "You have a lot of nerve showing your face here, absconder!"
"I have no idea what that word means, I'll just assume it's something bad," the reptile answered as he rested his hands on his hips and tried to hide the fact that deep within he was intimidated by the man's presence. "Tullius, it's been some time."
"That's General Tullius to you!" the commander demanded angrily. "How dare you come in here like you belong! You abandoned the Imperial Legion! You left your duty as the Dragonborn! Because of you, hundreds of lives have been lost!"
A shiver ran up the mage's spine and KaNack turned his head to look behind him. The sight of his wife and friends gave him all the encouragement he needed to stand up to the furious Imperial before him.
"General, I was very young. I was thrown into this without warning and with little to no instruction. I would have been useless to you if I had stayed." A smile formed on his scaled face. "Now I am older and much more skilled. I am prepared to join you and fight the Stormcloaks!" KaNack gestured to the mages behind them. "These are four of the finest casters I know, and all of us have taken a vow to serve you loyally and fight for the liberation of Skyrim!"
Brelyna and the others made their way forward so that they were all standing alongside the Argonian.
"None of us will be running away, General Tullius," the Dunmer insisted in a small voice. "We know the hazards of war and have had firsthand experience as to just how dangerous the Stormcloaks can be. Yet, here we are, willing to fight."
"The fact that you are associated with this reptile gives me all the more reason to have not have faith in any of you!" Tullis barked as he kept his furious stare up with the Dragonborn. "KaNack, you disappear without so much as a word and you expect me to just welcome you and your friends into the Legion?" he asked as his entire body stiffened up. "You're a coward, KaNack. I don't need or want cowards fighting alongside my men and getting them killed."
"Cowards?" snarled the Argonian as his lip curled up in a snarl. "You're calling my friends cowards?" He pointed a claw in the General's face. "They faced Ulfric Stormcloak without a second thought when he came to Winterhold! You only had the guts to do so when he was gagged! We've come here because we want to stand up for our rights! Ulfric's intolerable nature has hurt every single one of us! Who are you to deny us our right to fight for what we believe in?!"
"Stand DOWN!"
The voice was incensed and booming. It rattled the stone walls of the chamber and upset everyone who was in the room. Even the Argonian took a step back from the might of General Tullius' bellowing shout. Brelas had been so startled that she forgot herself and was more than slightly embarrassed to find herself hiding behind Onmund.
"Well," chuckled the reptile, once again smirking trying to not let the Imperial think that he had intimidated him. "I didn't know you could produce Thu'ums of your own, General."
"Obnoxious and brazen as you ever were," the commander muttered as he shook his head in disappointment, staring daggers at the mage before him. "Nothing can change the fact that you deserted us when we needed you, Dragonborn. You ran away once and that means you it could happen again. I am not willing to have any more of my soldiers die because of you."
"They will continue to die if you don't accept our help," the reptile stated calmly. "When Ulfric came to Winterhold, he told me that whoever had the Dragonborn on their side would have an advantage in this war. It does not matter what happened in the past, the fact is that I am here now and I am ready to help you!"
"If the past did not matter, no one would care that Ulfric murdered High King Torygg," the General said miserably as he turned away from the group and took a seat by the table where the map was laid out. "You really disappointed me that day, KaNack. I had thought that maybe you had been killed or captured, but when the Greybeards sensed your presence in Ivarstead, I knew then that you had simply run away."
The Imperial's eyes narrowed. "And Ulfric Stormcloak just saw this as an excuse to call me incompetent in that I couldn't even get the famous Dovahkiin to fight by my side. Then when our Emperor was killed under my watch…" The man's head dropped slightly. "I don't like being made to look a fool. The Jarl of Windhelm is laughing at me and thinks that nothing is going to stand in the way of him becoming High King. I can't imagine what ruin would befall Skyrim and its people if that happens."
The Argonian felt his anger lift slightly; he had done more than just leave the Imperial Legion to fight without him, he made the General look weak in front of the enemy. The mage motioned for his friends to stay back before approaching the exhausted commander. The guilt of the Emperor's assassination could not have been easy for the Imperial to deal with; it was remarkable that Tullius kept the Stormcloaks at bay for as long as he had.
"General, I know that it must have been a terrible blow to your pride to hear that oaf speak of you in such a way. That is why it's so vital that you allow me to once again fight by your side. Now that I am a little older and a little wiser, I will be able to serve you and the Empire to the best of my ability. " KaNack took a knee and looked up at the older man before him. "Give me a second chance, General Tullius. I will not disappoint you this time, I swear it."
"General," Rikke spoke up after a long period of silence. "I'd hate to admit it, but we could use all the help we can get and the legend of the Dovahkiin's power is known by all of the Nords. Letting the Argonian fight for us might be just what we need to advance in this damn war."
Tullius grumbled under his breath and then slowly rose out of his seat, causing the conjurer to stand as well. The Imperial motioned for the other mages to come forward and the casters cautiously approached and joined the Dragonborn's side.
"My trust is not something that is easily gained, and you betrayed the trust I had in you, KaNack," the man began as he started to pace before the group. "Rikke does have a valid point though. Neither Ulfric or myself have made much progress in this war and maybe if we accept the help of the Dragonborn, we'll be able to conquer some of the territories under control of the Rebellion." A small smirk formed on the older man's face.
"The jarl of Windhelm is a Nord and his followers are too proud to rely on magic in their battles. The Stormcloaks will not be prepared to clash with forces as unpredictable as the Arcane Arts, because as of late, no mages have had the courage to want to fight for us."
"So, you will accept our offer and let us join the Imperial Legion?" KaNack asked as he and the other casters' anticipation grew at the sight of the commander's change of heart.
"Perhaps," answered Tullius as he turned to face Rikke. "Legate, maybe these five can prove their devotion to the Empire by passing a little test. Do you remember that fort that we both agreed would be a good place to locate some of our auxiliaries?"
"Ah, that's a good idea, General. This will give the mages a chance to prove just how well they can handle themselves in a scrap." The Nord turned to face the mages and a stern expression formed on her face causing the group to stand up straighter. "Listen up, you casters!" she began. "This is your one and only opportunity to find yourself in the good graces of the Imperial Legion!" She walked over to the map and pointed to a part that was close to the Sea of Ghosts. "Northwest of here is a structure known as Fort Hraggstad. It is a sturdy stronghold and would be a great place to locate some of our soldiers in order to intercept any Stormcloaks who might be making a move towards Solitude."
The woman approached the mages and shot an annoyed look at Onmund. The Nord caster was only a few inches taller than the Legate. It was almost comically since for the longest time he had been one of the biggest mages in Winterhold and now that he was no longer amongst just mages, he became aware of just how small he was compared to Nord barbarians.
"By the Eight, I keep forgetting how little mages are," she muttered under her breath before continuing. "This fort had been overtaken by bandits. Go to Fort Hraggstad and clear it of all the scum inhabiting it. Burn them, freeze them, Shout their heads off, I don't care! Just make sure that there isn't one left there so that it is clear for the auxiliaries to move in at once!"
"You want us to kill all the bandits?" J'Zargo asked. "How many of them are there?"
"Scared, cat?" Rikke asked stiffly as she poked the feline in the chest. "Stormcloaks are much worse than bandits! If you are having second thoughts, perhaps you aren't ready to join the Imperial Legion after all!"
"J'Zargo NEVER turns down a challenge!" the feline hissed before grinning at her wickedly. "This Khajiit could take out the entire fort singlehandedly."
"You won't of course," Brelas growled over at the furry mage. "We're going to work together on this, J'Zargo."
"Yes, J'Zargo understands," the feline purred as he twirled one of his long black whiskers in his claws.
"Mages, clear out Fort Hraggstad and you will prove that you are indeed worthy of taking the oath and being accepted into the proud Imperial Legion." Rikke walked over to the General and stood by his side as she crossed her arms. "If you fail, don't even bothering stepping foot back in Castle Dour."
"We'll be coming back," the Argonian insisted as he narrowed his eyes at the Legate, "and all of us will be taking that oath!"
"Assuming you don't run away again, of course," Tullius remarked bitterly. KaNack bared his small sharp teeth as the General and then jerked his head to the side as he started for the door.
"Let's go. The war's not going to wait around for us."
It was a huge relief for all of the mages once they were outside of the castle and felt the cool breeze and breathed in the refreshing air. Brelyna once again took her husband's hand as they began to make their way through the city towards the large iron gates.
"KaNack, are you alright?" the Dunmer asked quietly.
"I'm fine," he hissed. "I don't care what Tullius calls me, I know I deserve it. That woman had no right to speak to you like that! Who does Rikke think she is looking down on Onmund and the rest of you?"
"Don't worry about it, KaNack," muttered the Nord in the back. "Believe me, my family made no secret of how small I was compared to the other boys growing up." A smirk crawled up his face. " It wasn't until I finally went to Winterhold that I started feeling big."
"Mages are naturally smaller than the ungifted members of their races," Brelas said as she jumped onto her lover's back and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You'll always be our gentle giant though!"
"It would be a mistake for anyone to doubt us merely due to our size! The smaller the package, the bigger the punch!" J'Zargo laughed loudly as he sped forward between the Argonian and Dunmer and pulled them both to his side. "Mage beats might!"
"You mean 'magic beats might', right?" Brelyna asked the Khajiit.
"No!"
KaNack couldn't help but laugh when he noticed how unfazed the others seemed to be even after being snubbed by the Imperial Legion. They came to a stop before the heavy iron doors and KaNack pulled away from J'Zargo so they he could face all four of his companions.
"Tullius doesn't have any faith in mages now because of me," he explained as his tail flicked from side-to-side. "Let's prove to him and the rest of the Empire just how dangerous a pack of casters can actually be. We're not weak and we're not cowards! The magicka that flows through our veins is older than time itself! The only reason Ulfric has not been stopped is because he and his rebels have not had to deal with wizards before!"
"Then what are we waiting for?" Onmund asked as he adjusted his hold on the Wood Elf that was still riding on his back. "Let's go clear that fort of bandits!"
"Yeah, let's kill someone!" laughed Brelas as she raised a fist triumphantly in the air.
The Bosmer's exclamation made KaNack think back to the family he left in Dawnstar. It would probably be some time before he would have an opportunity to see them again. His brothers and sister knew that he was going off to war and had been remarkably understanding about why it was so important to the mage to bring Ulfric Stormcloak to justice.
The Argonian couldn't spend too much time dwelling on the Dark Brotherhood. For now, he had to put all his focus into the task at hand and embrace his other family; his family from Winterhold. He pulled open one of the large iron doors and was immediately greeted by a misty breeze coming in from the Solitude docks. It was refreshing and seemed to be a positive sign of things to come.
"Three years ago Ulfric Stormcloak came to Winterhold and thought he could intimidate us to get his way," the Argonian started quietly as the other mages joined his side. He gave them a sideways glance and there was a wicked twinkle in his eye. "It was there that we all stood together and faced him as a whole and showed that kingslayer that we weren't afraid of him."
"Let's finish what we started then," Onmund said as he peered at the road ahead of them in anticipation. "Watch out Ulfric! Here come the mages of Winterhold!"
"HUZZAH!"
All shouting as one, the five casters charged forth to Solitude stables to mount their steeds. Rikke's assignment for the group might not seemed to be much compared to what was to come, but KaNack and the others were filled with pride as they had just taken their first steps in aiding the Imperial Army. As far as the party was concerned, they were officially a part of the Legion.