Eh heh... Hi everyone! I know its been like... two years since I updated Duty Bound and here I am creating a different story but I promise that I'm going to start updating it too! I haven't had a computer but now I do so expect plenty of updates now! :D I apologize for making you guys wait so long though. I'll also be posting another story here soon :3 Thank you all for being so patient with me! Love you all!
I had never to been one to brag, at least as far as I remember. Which, granted, my memory really only started with me waking up in a carriage on my way to my execution but that's a minor detail. Bragging just didn't seem to fit my personality, amnesia or not. When my head almost got chopped of my the headsman I was still humble, though thankful when it got interrupted. No one wants to die for a crime they don't even remember committing. When I learned I was Dovahkiin I took the responsibility without abusing the power too much, though an occasional chicken may or may not have been a victim to fus ro dah; once again a minor detail. When I brought the Thieve's Guild back to life I only took my fair share, unlike the old guild master. And when I learned that I was the listener for the Night Mother I only used my prowess to kill my target, never going on a murdering spree. I was thane in all nine holds, had explored almost every cavern and grove in this cold, beautiful land and before I knew it I had completed every task that had been asked of me. Sure on occasion a job with the Companions would pop up or an experiment at the Mage's College would go haywire that would need to be cleaned up but other than that the land of Skyrim was peaceful. Alduin the World Eater was gone, Miraak defeated, and Lord Harkon was no longer trying to plunge Nirn into an everlasting night. And the worst part of it was though everyone was thankful for the quiet I hated every second of the peace that I had helped create. I felt the most alive when running through the lands, the wind ruffling my fur and caressing my ears as they picked out every sound the wilds had to offer. But now the most exciting part of my day was talking to the fetcher near my house in Solitude, where I spent most of my stagnant days. Which is why when a sudden spring of murders started I was morbidly excited. The city was full of unrest and wonderful chaos and fear, just like when Alduin was threatening the existence of the world. When the guards came knocking on my door asking for help I gleefully accepted, not even bothering to listen to the details. I was just so excited to have something to do other than sit in my house all day. I trotted behind the guards as they lead my to the latest corpse, trying not to look too happy.
"This is the tenth one this week. It seems the killer is only going after men, by the looks of things. They've already killed four of our best guards, a mage, and several wandering adventurers. All of the skulls were removed." The female guard who was leading stated smartly as we reached the guard that had recently been killed. It wasn't the first time I helped with catching a serial murderer, but the missing skulls was both peculiar and gruesome. I knelled next to the body, examining it for the finishing one had a large hole going through it's chest, right where the heart would be.
"This was a perfect kill. They hit no other body part, so we can assume this person is very skilled. What time have these murders been occurring?" Most killers seemed to enjoy killing around the same time, making them surprisingly predictable.
"Sporactiacally throughout the night, my Thane." Well that'll be tricky. I guess it didn't really matter since its not like I sleep anyways with this beast blood.
"I want everyone, including guards, to go inside tonight and lock the doors. Do not come out, no matter what you hear, until dawn. Do I make myself clear? If you don't listen to me there will be a lot more deaths." I didn't bother looking at her to confirm that she heard me, opting to cover my face with Krosis, a dragon priest mask that I had recovered from a dragon lair. I could feel its magic humming through me increasing my archery skills; I knew that I would have to be at the top of my game tonight. My ears twitched as the guards left, spreading the word and soon the streets were empty. I took a deep breath and blended into the shadows, pulling out my weapon, a dragon bone bow enchanted to steal the souls it kills, and waited for the sun to set.
"Laas Yah Nir" The shout was a mere whisper but its effect was immediate. The world came back into focus with a faint difference. A blurry red figure appeared, just a few streets from where I was. Even from this distance I knew that whoever the killer was large. Larger than any man I have seen. I began to move slowly towards the figure, crouched down with an arrow notched and another shout on my tongue. As I moved the aura shout faded and in its place was a man that was large and heavily muscled.
'This is a hand to hand fight I need to avoid at all cost.' My race wasn't the largest of them and I was on the small side of that, usually a head or two shorter than my peers. He looked around, almost like he was confused and I used this moment to fire the strongest arrow I had in my arsenal. It lodged itself in his muscled neck right as it had turned in my direction and it made a gurgling sound. But instead of falling to the ground it charged at me, roaring like a sabertooth lion.
"SHIT! Krii Lun Aus!" I had been hoping to take him down with one shot and without having to use the Marked For Death shout but that hope had been quickly wiped out. I notched another arrow as my shout hit its target, but he was on me before I could fire my second shot. He had pulled some kind of spear during his charge towards me. I dodge out of the way but the end of it connected to my face. I thanked my stars that the mask had blunted most of the blow but it still hurt something awful. I rolled again as he brought a heavy foot down and I shot another arrow, this one lodging itself next to its brethren. I gathered air in my lungs and hit him with another shout to destroy even more of his defense. Chunks of armor fell off of him, exposing scaly skin. 'An argonian?' That race didn't match his build and his lack of a tail but it was the only race I knew that had scales. I shot another arrow and this one proudly landed in a missing chunk in his mask. This time he dropped. I pulled out a dagger, just in case he got back up and slowly moved towards him, finally able to take in his appearance.
His armor was fashioned in a strange way that was foreign to Tamriel and underneath there was a fabric similar to a Fisher's net. I pulled the arrows out, a little disappointed when one broke in half, then preceded to remove his mask to reveal his identity. I was still expecting an Argonian so when I saw the mandibles I was definitely surprised.
"What are you...?" I touched one of the tusk that sprouted out of his mouth then moved to explore what I could only assume was hair. They were almost like the popular hairstyle that many of my people commonly wore, though these were smooth and almost hollow feeling. I was still investigating the strange man-creature when a roar similar to the one he gave me early rang out from nearby. 'Don't tell me that there are more...' I spun around as three more of the giant creatures rounded the corner. I could almost see there eyes darting back and forth between the corpse I had just been examining and the broken arrow still in he's head. I knew I needed to get space between us. NOW. I sucked in some air, preparing my whirlwind sprint but before I could release it I found myself trapped inside a net. I began struggling as the largest out of them picked me up.
"You will make a fine rug." I could almost sense his sneer through his mask and though the language he spoke was the common tongue I knew he wasn't a nord like the usual ones that threw that insult around simply because of his little buddy's mouth. I hissed at him and attempted to stab him with my dagger through the net but he simply made a noise similar to a chuckle.
"And you will certainly pay for what you did to my brother." He then proceeded to take the back of his stick and bash the back of my head in and my world went black.