The main character of this story is inspired to the Fallen Angel race, so credits to its author. Anyway, i have merely taken inspiration, and there is no relation between the Fallen Angel's quest in Morrowind and the task of Benemoth, nor will i mention the Hecatean continent. The only thing i mintained is the denomination of the race and its main traits. I raccomand you to download this race mod because it's quality is really great.
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Disclaimer: I own nor The Elder Scroll series, nor do i have any right above the Fallen Angel Race mod.
The guard Titus Macomenos rose his face from the report he was writing for an instant, just to make sure none of the three prisoners were considering an escape.
Not that they had any reason to try. After all, they were scheduled for release as soon as the ship reached Vvardenfell.
One of them was a Dunmer of the worst kind, a beater from Camonna Tong who had messed with some Imperial tax collectors. Titus wondered why was he released instead of hung by the neck. The second was a quite average guy, freed by imperial decree, with the mark of the Blades instead of a sign.
The third one was the most mysterious. He was supposed to be kept away from the other convicts, and released first. He was freed by an Imperial Act of Grace, signed by Ocato himself, and motivated with "future services". Meaning he had some errand in the Dunmer lands to earn his freedom. Or, to be more precise, that he would've just vanished as soon as they released him and the errand wouldn't have ever been accomplished.
The prisoner had remained sitting in a corned covered by a mantle all the time. Titus wasn't even sure about his race. He was probably a Nord, though he had some aldmerish traits. The left side of his pale face was covered with strange runes. He had blood-red long hair, with a tuft covering his right eye.
There was something strange in his figure, he way he wore that mantle. It was unnatural, someway.
They landed in the early morning. Titus went to call the strange guy as soon as they approached the dock of Seyda Neen. The Blade's protegè was also going to be released there, while the gangster would've travelled with them to Kuhul.
"Wake up, scum, it's you turn."
The prisoned looked at him with a icy blue eye.
"You heard me. Rise up and leave that cloth where you found it, if you don't want to be back in jail soon."
He rose. He was much taller than Titus, actually he was tall even for being an Altmer. And more muscular than any High Elf. But he wasn't an Altmer at all, as the guard suddenly discovered. He stared at him, wild eyed.
"Oh my..."
"Shut up and lead the way, human. I don't have time to lose." he said, with a grave voice. His teeth were bigger than normal, like those of a vampire. But the really scary thing about him were his wings. He had great, dark red wings on his back. His shirt, smaller than his size, had two cuts to fit them. He had a somewhat majestic look, even being a prisoner. Titus noticed another series of runes tattooed on his arm, circular like a serpent climbing up the limb.
"Are we going to move or will you keep staring at me?"
The soldier pulled himself together.
"Surely. This way, prisoner. Let's try to make it quick."
They climbed to the top floor of the ship, and the convict was sent to the office for the release.
"Well. We were expecting you. The first special delivery of the day."
The clerk was a old, white haired man. He seemed kinda excited at the thought of these releases.
"I am here by Ocato's decree. Let's speed up the paperworks and be done."
"Sure, if not else because we must tend to the other graced prisoner, right? So, it's all written here... hmm... don't think to evade your task. We will be watching you."
He smiled, freezing the clerk's blood.
"If i had not a good reason to accomplish my ordeal, you would never see me again, human. And i bet you'd prefer so."
"Haem... let's not get so... unfriendly. You may go. The captain will give you what you need."
"I really hope so. For your sake."
The stranger walked out. Socucius Ergalla yelled the captain to let the other in.
"You will be granted a hundred Septims to take something. Not a coin more."
The captain was as friendly as a sea urchin. He didn't even look in the stranger's eyes, mainly because he hated to look at people from below. And you had to do so with that man, both literally and metaphorically. He made you feel small and insignificant.
"I guess i have no hope to see my gear again?"
"All your former belongings are imperial property. You won't have them again."
"Surely. The corrupted officer who has taken them surely finds them really useful."
"I don't like your tone, stranger. Remember you have been graced, but you aren't immune to imperial law."
"And you remember you can taunt me now, but you won't be so bold when you'll see my shadow approaching in the darkness."
"Get out of here!"
As he got out the building, he took a deep breath of the saline air of Seyda Neen. He never lived on the sea, so that had never been a very familiar smell. Now it smelled like freedom.
There was one more thing to do. He ran on the top of the lighthouse, looked at the village below, and jumped. His wings stretched after years of inactivity and filled with the wind of the south. He wasn't able to fly, only to glide, but the sensation was just... the best thing on the world. He landed in the central way- actually the only way on the village, between the shocked expressions of everyone. He felt better than any moment in the past ten years.
As the winged man entered Arrille's trade-house, he was greeted by suspicious gazes.
"I need to get to Vivec as quick as i can Which is the best way?"
"Ask the redguard upstairs" answered the Aldmer. "But i wouldn't recommend to travel without a decent weapon or armor... i happen to have quite a selection of both and..."
"Maybe later, Mer. I have something to do, now."
The upper floor was crowded with people, no one met his attention particularly. The explorer, Elone, was playing dice with a Nord.
"What.. i mean, who are you?" she asked, as soon as the winged one approached her.
"I have may names. Call me the Benemoth."
"As you wish. Can i help you then, Benemoth?"
"I need to go to Vivec. And soon. What is the quickest way?"
"I'd suggest to take the strider. It's cheap and quick. And forgive me, but you don't seem equipped to make the trip on foot."
"You're right. Thank you, Elone."
"I never told you my name!"
"I never needed you to."
She looked at him puzzled. He smiled and descended.
"So are you going to buy something, my good sir?"
"How much would a decent bow cost to me?"
"I have a fine bonemold one, great precision, fine string..."
"How much?"
"For you... three hundred Septims."
He took the weapon, pondered it, tried to pull the string."
"This is crap." he stated in the end. "If such a toy costs costs three hundred, a decent weapon must be too expensive even for the Emperor."
Arrille took the bow back and looked at Benemoth exiting.
"Anyway the Emperor always shops here and he has never been disappointed!" he yelled.
Tolovise, his Dunmer wife, stared at him.
"This was a bit far-fetched, wasn't it?"
She nodded. "A bit and more."
Getting a passage to Vivec would've costed too much, the problem was mainly to avoid too much people to see him. If the news that a Fallen Angel was freely walking in Morrowind his mission was finished before starting.
Luckily, there wasn't anyone on the Slit Strider, save for a Argonian who had precisely the same need for secrecy as him.
He got to the the Sacred City under a heavy rain.
I hope i remember her address right. Benemoth thought. He climbed up to the top floor of the Foreign quarter and searched the area behind the Mages Guild. The old, reassuring barred door was where he had left it, fifteen years ago, before he moved to Cyrodiil. He knocked three times.
"We're closed, return tomorrow" a harsh voice answered from within.
"Won't you make an exception for me?"
The planks which seemed to jam the door slid on invisible rails into the wall and the door burst open.
"You knew this day would've come." Benemoth said.
"I always feared it. Come in." She was a orc, huge even for the standards of her species. She was a little taller than Benemoth, and as fat as an orc can get when she has free access to the quarter's food storages.
She sat on a enormous armchair, big enough for an Ogrim, and poured two glasses of brandy.
"You have never forgotten it, have you, Dra.."
"Don't say that name aloud. I'm not called that way any more. Now i'm Behemoth."
"You're here for him, then?"
"Why else? You know i can't avoid this."
"I heard they caught you."
"They did. I have an agreement with someone in very high position.
"So do you need my help?"
"Aye. Just like old times."
"Nothing is like then. Everything has grown worse. The Morag Tong won't tolerate our business. And Tolakh has sided with the Camonna. Lyrann and Bahus are dead. The new recruits are just incapable of anything. It all started when you left."
"I had no choice, you know this."
"Yeah. But i can't just give you a knife and his location. He is more powerful than you'd imagine."
"Why? What has he done?"
"He has sided with the temple. He is a bishop, or something like that."
"And then?"
"And then he has the Ordinators at his bidding and he is in some secret temple. He has many enemies beside you."
"No matter. For many enemies he has, no one is like me.
Ocato drank a small sip of Surrile Brothers from his crystal glass.
"How many have you sent to take care of him?" asked his companion, a figure in a black, hooded cape.
"Just one. A single prisoner. But he will do what i ask, trust me."
"What assures you he is not going to just escape, or get killed?"
"He is a true professional. He won't be easily taken. As for his fidelity... he has very good reasons to fulfil his objectives."
"I hope i can trust you" the caped one took up his glass. It was full of a red liquid, not wine though.
"So let us toast to this mission!"
"To my enemy's fell!"
"To the Behemoth!"
The glasses clink echoed in the high chambers of the White Tower.
Nexy chapter out September 18th, or later.