My name is Burcan Dergius, my brothers are Stenar, Leonde, and Andreus. Our father's name is Rufinu, and our mother's is Redaria. Our parent's were members of the Anvil Fighter's Guild, so naturally when Stenar, Leonde, and I turned fourteen we had to join the guild(Andreus was only 13 at the time) and were trained by our parents, Azzan, Llensi Llaram, Rhano, and Rufrius VInicius. We managed to complete enough contracts to work our way up to Journeyman rank. Life was going pretty well for us until…
One Morndas we had gone up to the Imperial City to watch an arena fight. After the fight we made our way to the market district, and were trying to decide where to eat. We settled on The Feed Bag, the food was good we ate ham, potatoes, and some cheese. Unfortunately for us we discovered that we didn't have enough money to pay for the food we had ordered. Leonde got it in his head that we should try to sneak out. As we made our way to the door Delos Fandas, the publican caught us and called for the guards. We were arrested and thrown into the Imperial City Prison for a month.
When we got to the prison we discovered that due to overcrowding we had to be placed in the same cell due to overcrowding. We were put in a cell across from some stupid dunmer named Valen Dreth, who constantly taunted us. One morning I woke up to find Dreth taunting us once again, but I also heard the clanking of armor and voices that did not sound like Imperial guards from the sounds of them, but that didn't stop Dreth from opening his big mouth.
"Look, the guards are coming…for you! HAHAHA!" he said
Stupid elf, the first chance I get I'm going to kill him. I thought. The voices were getting closer.
Baurus lock that door behind us." said a female voice.
"Yessir" Replied a male voice.
"My sons…They're dead aren't they" said a regal-sounding voice.
"We don't know that sire, the messenger only said they were attacked." replied the female.
I quickly woke up my two brothers, although Leonde didn't wake up until I kicked him.
"No, they're dead. I know it" said the regal voice.
"My job right now is to get you to safety." said the female, then she came to our cell. She was wearing gold and blue armor.
"What're these prisoners doing here? This cell is supposed to be off limits."
"Usual mix up with the watch. I…" said Baurus.
"Never mind" the female replied, "get that gate open. Stand back prisoners. We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way." We did as she said and moved to the back of the cell. Then she opened the gate and a man in exquisite robes along with a third guard walked into the cell with them. I realized then who these people were.
"These are the Blades, the Emperor's personal guard." I said.
"No…" replied Stenar.
"Yes." said Leonde.
The Emperor then did something unexpected, he walked right up to us and said "You… I've seen you. Let me see your faces." He moved closer. "You are the ones from my dreams. Then the stars were right and this is the day. Gods give me strength."
"What's going on?" asked Leonde.
The Emperor replied "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My Blades are leading me out of the city through a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell. Perhaps the gods have placed you here so that we may meet, as for what you have done…it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."
"Please sire, we must keep moving." Said the female Blade. She then pressed on a brick and part of the wall opened up to reveal a secret passage. The Blades and the Emperor then proceeded through the doorway into the escape route.
"Do we follow them?" I asked.
"What do you think?" came the sarcastic reply from Stenar.
"Yes, we have a chance to get out of here. I say we take it." said Leonde.
"Then I guess it's settled" I said, "We take the escape route."
We followed the Blades down the cave-like corridor, making sure to remain undetected. We came to an area filled with pillars and a gate near the far end. Suddenly, the Blades were ambushed by men wearing dark red robes, and conjured armor. The assassins were defeated but not before the female Blade was slain. We waited for the Blades and the Emperor to continue on before searching the Blades' dead body and retrieving a katana, short sword, and torch. I took the katana, Stenar took the short sword, and Leonde was forced to take the torch.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked.
"Light our way." replied Stenar.
"Or you could club any enemies we encounter with it." I offered.
"Ha ha, funny." was Leonde's only response. Then a section of the wall collapsed and a rat emerged from the hole, and started to make its way towards us, then it squeaked and leaped towards Stenar who quickly drew his sword and killed it.
"Bloody hell, I didn't know they jump like that." Stenar said.
Ignoring him I said "Looks like that gate's locked, we should head through that hole and see where it leads."
"Agreed." added Leonde.
So, we went through the hole into a cave-like room with a dead goblin near the exit and a skeleton leaning up against the wall, in the skeleton's hand was a bow and a quiver of arrows was on his back. Leonde walked over and picked up the bow and arrows.
"Good, I finally have something to protect myself now." He said.
We walked out of that room through an old wooden door and into another room that contained only a couple of rats, which were dispatched of easily. After that we proceeded down a corridor on one side of the room, then two rats rounded the corner as well as a zombie.
"Hold on, I've got this." said Leonde. He knocked an arrow, drew back the bowstring, and fired striking one rat. He repeated the process for the second rat, and then shot a third arrow into the zombie's mouth.
We continued down the corridor, and through another wooden door. On the other side was a goblin that had its back toward us.
"I"ll take this one." I said. I withdrew the katana from its sheath, snuck around until I was behind the goblin and then ran it through with the katana. I motioned for the others to follow me. We turned the corner to find another goblin, this one had spotted us and was charging in our direction. It tried to attack me by swinging its shortsword sideways. I parried the blow, which knocked the blade out of its hand and brought the katana across the goblins throat, spraying its blood over the walls, myself, and the floor.
"Ugh, disgusting." I said.
"Yeah, well you can clean yourself up later" said Stenar, "right now we need to keep moving."
We moved on, killing goblins whenever we came across them. Soon we came across the secret passageway once again. The emperor and his guards were in this room. They were under attack by assassins, but the assassins were quickly dispatched. As we approached the unidentified guard said "Dammit, it's those prisoners again! Kill them, they might be working with the assassins!".
"No, they are not with them." said the Emperor, "They can help us. They must help us." Then he approached us and said "They cannot understand why I trust you. They've not seen what I've seen. How can I explain. Listen, you know the Nine? How they guide our fates with an invisible hand?"
"The Nine guide and protect us." I said
"I've served the Nine and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens" said the Emperor, "the skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire and everyone a sign. I know these stars well and I wonder, which sign marked your births?"
"The warrior marked our births." said Leonde.
" The signs I read show the end of my path." Said the Emperor, " My death, a necessary end will come when it will come. However your stars are not mine, and today the warrior shall prove a stalwart companion when fortune fades. Many men know of their doom, but not the hour. I am blessed to know the hour of my death, to face my apportioned fate then fall."
"Where do we go now?" asked Stenar
The Emperor replied "I go to my grave, a tongue shriller than all the music calls me. You shall follow me for a while, then we must part."
"Then let's continue on." said Leonde.
We proceeded down a set of stairs into another section of the passageway. In this section, the assassins had once again set up an ambush. They sprang from behind pillars and rushed towards our group. We formed a protective semicircle around the Emperor. Leonde shot an arrow between the eyes of one assassin, Stenar stabbed one in the chest, and I ran one through the stomach with my katana and ended him by stabbing him in the chest. The Blades managed to kill the rest, and we continued on. In the next area the unidentified Blade tried to open a gate on the right side of the room.
"Dammit the gate is barred from the other side! A trap!" He yelled.
"What about that side passage over there?" suggested Baurus, indicating a passageway on the north west side of the room.
"Worth a try" said the other Blade, "let's go."
The sixof us went into the passageway, only to discover that it was a dead end.
"It's a dead end" said Baurus, "What's your call sire?"
"They're behind us!" cried the other Blade "Wait her sire."
"Wait here with the emperor, guard him with your lives." said Baurus, and then the Blades charged out of the room to meet the approaching threat.
"I can go no further" said the Emperor, "you four must stand against the prince of destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings! Take the amulet to Jauffre, only he knows where to find my last son. Find him and close shut the jaws of Oblivion." As soon as he said that, a door opened behind him and an assassin jumped out and stabbed the Emperor in the chest, and he fell to the floor. Dead.