Last Hero
Chapter I: King of Worms
The Imperial stood motionless, as her night eye allowed her sight in the otherwise dark cave. It smelt of dirt and rotting flesh and was only lit by a few torches. She had a hell of a time making her way threw the labyrinth like tunnels thick with the undead and their foolish masters. One by one she had cut them all down, until she had finally met her goal, here, in front of her now. She was sure he probably had not the faintest idea of the impending death that was about to approach him. But first she would have to think of the right way to do it, to kill this King of Worms.
Millamarco sat upon his throne, waiting for the so called 'Hero of the Mages Guild'. He scratched at the stone arms, anxious, hoping the hero could make it past his guards so he could turn him into a wormthrope himself. Arch mage Traven was a fool to send anyone else down here in place of himself. "Perhaps when I'm threw with his 'champion', I shall send his shell body to finish the Arch mage. Oh how delicious…defeated by his own star pupil. I cant wait." He chuckled to himself, unaware of the figure that approached him.
"Traven is dead." The King of Worms stood quickly, startled at the sudden company. He glared at the shadowed figure, but when it came into light, he couldn't suppress the grin that cracked his face. It was but a child no more then the age of 20, and an Imperial at that. She stood three stones tall, with silk black hair and cold blue eyes. She was paler then any Imperial he had seen that was not of the vampiric race. Her eyes seemed sunken with the dark circles that framed them. "Dead you say? How very unfortunate it could not be by my hand, but then again, he is dead all the same." His voice was raspy, the years spent in caves paying its toll on him. The Imperial merely rolled her head. Cracks could be heard as she turned it from left to right, relieving her neck of the tension. She did this before any major kill. When finished, she gazed upon the man before her, her eyes seeming to pierce his very soul. Millamarco winced at her stare, and began to feel uneasy. He coolly reached for the lever to the left of his throne, "No matter, I suppose disposing of his champion will be just as satisfying!" He shouted as he pulled the lever up. Gates of bone quickly rose from the ground, entrapping the Imperial and Millamarco. "Now there will be no escape for you!" The King of Worms boomed with laughter, confidence blinding him.
The girl flexed her right hand, three times before feeling cold death swim threw her veins from her wrists to the tips of her fingers. Before the King could even reach for his staff, she was upon him, her hand gripping his chest, the poisoned magic transferring to his heart. As his face tinted blue, she released him. The King gasped and weased, clawing at his chest. "In a moment your heart will burst…" The imperial looked down upon the fallen Bosmer, that was the Ruler of the Necromancers. Her eyes grew sad, hating to kill any living creature, even if it was for the greater good. "S-so yo-you've finally won…And my people and pa-practice will finally be lost to this world…" The dying elf managed to choke out his final words. As his world turned dark, he watched as the girl grabbed his staff and strike the ground with it. "No you old fool…" Her voice was sweet as she knelt down to close the old Kings eyes. "It is my practice now…" Millamarco died smiling, knowing the dark arts would live on.
The imperial stood and walked casually over to the lever next to the throne. After tugging it downwards the bone walls sunk into the ground they rose from. Her ears twitched as she heard a sudden noise erupt from the darkness. The sound of clapping. "Well done, Sioxux, well done!" A tall Nord came into light. He wore ceremonial eleven armor, with greaves and shield to match. A heavy glass claymore was strapped to his back. "Now hand me the staff, so I may present its broken pieces to the council and become the new Arch mage!" His voice boomed in the echoing caverns. Sioxux shook her head. "There will be no need to destroy this…With both extremes of opposing sides, perhaps we can have peace within the mages guild. Never again will there be a war between the necromancers and the mages." She held the staff tightly and attempted to walk past the large man. He grabbed her by the shoulder, stopping her as she predicted he would. Her hands turned into white fists as she stood, knowing she could not match him in strength. "Just a moment child…I believe my ears have failed me. Peace within the mages guild you say?" The Hero snickered at such a thought. "Now, if you please, hand me the staff."
"I said no!" She yanked her shoulder away from him and stood in fighter's stance. "Traven left me the position, knowing I can bring the two arts together. He also knew leaving the mage's guild to you meant utter dictatorship!" The staff was pointed at the Hero, daring him to make any sort of advance. The Hero merely chuckled. "You naïve fool, you think I hadn't the slightest idea of what that has-been of a mage was planning? Hah, I disposed of the note he left, and placed your dagger upon his body. By the time I'm finished with you, you will be sentenced to death, and I shall rule the Arcane university!" The Hero then drew out his sword and pointed it at the Imperial. "However, if you merely hand over thy staff, maybe I shall have mercy upon you. Perhaps I shall give you the honor of being my bride." He gave her a wicked smile, his rotted teeth showing threw his lips. "Hand me the staff, Imperial, and your life is spared. What say you?"
Her stomach churned at the thought of ever marrying such a man. She swished the saliva gathering in her mouth, and with it, a poison. Sioxux inhaled the musky air, before spitting sharply in the Hero's face. With a roar the Nord stumbled back, clutching his face. His sword dropped heavily to the ground as the Imperial mage wasted no time in dashing out of the cave. "You wench, I'll kill you!" The Hero's voice boomed throughout the cave's hollowed tunnels. Sioxux picked up speed.. 'Oh Sithis save me..' She thought as golden streams of light hit her face as she finally neared the exit. Smiling she leaped in the air, arm outstretched to push open the old wooden door, unfortunately any hope she had was crushed as she felt a calloused hand grip the back of her neck. She felt it squeeze her neck and uttered one word as she slipped into darkness, "M'raaj-dar…"