This is the Claymore/Skyrim challenge from the legend himself, Dany le fou, who has gvien me permission to write the story. He's also given me permission to use the alternate one shot for the first chapter and helped me in developing the story in general.. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Image used is not mine.
The dusty path was familiar to the lone man leading the cart away the remote town it led to. Not a road, just a well-worn trail which had been carved into the ground by the feet of travelers, the hooves of horses and the wheels of carts, but it suited its purpose well enough. There weren't enough people around to justify a paved road anyway, and the man was not expecting to meet anyone anytime soon. Unless of course he ran into bandits, but even this kind of encounter was preferable to some of the alternatives. Still he urged the two horses pulling the cart faster, eager to put as much distance between him and that place as soon as possible.
So it was with a bit of surprise that he noticed the lone figure walking the opposite way. Soon enough he could make out a long travel cloak covering the wanderer, their face hidden by a hood most likely to protect themselves from the dust. Nothing else from them could be seen, though it was probably a man judging by the height and build.
Sighing, the man on the cart stopped the horses and called. "Hey you! You don't want to go that way! Turn back while you can."
The voice that answered was indeed male, but oddly distorted, as if he was wearing a full helmet.
"Why? Has anything happened?"
"Damn straight it has! A Yoma! That's the third person that thing has eaten in three weeks!" The man on the cart cast a nervous glance up. "As if it wasn't bad enough, there's been sightings of dragons lately. You hear me, dragons! Man-eating monsters on the ground and fire-breathing lizards in the sky! I'm outta here! And you should the same if you're smart!" With this he snapped the reins, causing the horses to start walking again.
The man looked as the cart moved away until he was alone.
"Kipaarnaak." he muttered to himself before resuming his way.
()()()()
"Damn that Garm!" a man shouted as he kicked the broken door of his barn. "Bastard stole my cart and left! Must have done this during the night."
"Calm down Mirn," one of his neighbors ordered, "there are more important things to do. We must get money from everyone to call for a Claymore, they'll hunt down those Yoma to the last one."
"You don't need to tell me." Mirn shot back. "But that's what we did last time, and look at us now! Nothing's changed. We pay, they kill, but those damn beasts always come back. And now…"
"A dragon! I saw a dragon!" an old woman rambled. "As big as a mountain and as red as blood!"
Mirn sighed. "Poor Ma, looks like seeing that thing shook her. We thought she was going crazy and not even a week ago..."
The second man nodded. Right in the middle of the day, a deafening roar had filled the sky and a large shadow had circled over the town for a few minutes, and they had all seen the beast. Not red but bronze, with winged forelimbs, a long ridged neck and tail, and a maw that could swallow a man whole. The inhabitants had taken the children to safety inside their homes and hidden there until the monster had left, thankfully without attacking the helpless humans.
"Hey, look at that."
Mirn looked where he was pointed at, and saw that a foreigner had entered the town and was looking around from beneath their hood, getting some suspicious looks in return. He scowled at the sight as his mood was even worse than his compatriots and walked straight to the outsider, intending to kick him out and relieve some stress in the process.
"Hey you! We don't want any strangers here! Get out!" he ordered. Coming closer, he could see the figure was taller than him by a few inches, but entirely concealed under their hooded cloak. Much to his annoyance however, both his attempt at intimidation and his presence were completely ignored.
Around them small groups of people were gathering and observing the person, after all newcomers were rare in Doga.
Angry at being ignored, Mirn grabbed the person's shoulder and spun them around so they'd face him, pushing back the cowl to reveal their face in the process. "Listen to me you…"
His tirade died his throat as he looked at the person's face, or what would have been their face if they hadn't been wearing the single ugliest mask he had ever seen. It was a faceless yet artful golden metallic plate with small eye holes, and four short horns sweeping back on the upper sides. The chin however ended in five short curved spikes. All in all, it made the wearer look like some squid monster, with their hair hidden under a leather cowl affixed to the disturbing visage.
In addition, the cloak had shifted enough that it partially revealed the figure it covered. He, for the build showed it was a man, was wearing a cuirass that covered his entire torso, along with armored gloves and greaves. The set was an off white color, with bony protrusions on the shoulders, but the material didn't look like metal at all, more like the scales of a giant creature. It also looked tough yet flexible enough not to hinder mobility in the least, despite how much it covered.
Adding to the intimidation factor, the weapons he was carrying on his back were now visible as well, a huge serrated broadsword of a bone-like material, and a massive silvery war hammer with a red eye-like gem on each side of the spiked head.
All things considered, it was no surprise that Mirn fell on his rear in fright and quickly moved away from the man. The people who saw this also instinctively took a couple steps back.
The stranger looked at Mirn for a couple seconds before whispering something softly.
"Laas Yah Nir." He thenlooked around, as if searching for something. After a few seconds, he stopped, facing a specific group of villagers about thirty yards away, dropping a medium-sized travel pack and removing his cloak.
His unnerving mask never leaving the group, the man drew his sword, causing everyone to tense at the seemingly hostile move.
"Wuld Nah Kest."
With those three words, he all but disappeared from sight.
For one of the onlookers, the following events happened so fast he couldn't string them together into a coherent ensemble.
The man suddenly reappearing in front of him…
A brief moment of shock…
'Wha…'
The giant sword swinging…
'That's a really big sword.'
A sharp pain in his midsection…
'Hey that hurts!'
Falling backwards…
'Huh, are those my legs?'
Purple blood flying.
'Purple?'
Hitting the ground…
'The sky is so blue today.'
The blade coming down…
'I wanted to eat more guts.'
Death.
()()()()
The ensuing silence was broken by a scream of terror as the group realized the person in their midst had just murdered one of them. Poor Relo, a man they'd known for years, now laid on the ground, his body bisected at the waist, and a greatsword driven through his skull into the ground. His face was horribly twisted in death, golden eyes open his shock, fanged mouth frozen in a silent scream even as more purple blood soaked the ground beneath him.
Another scream tore through the air as the villagers understood just what Relo had been, and people backed away, either in fear of the dead monster, of its killer, or both.
Unconcerned by the panic he'd caused, the man picked his sword and, after shaking the blood off, slung it back in its place. He then reached for his cowl and pulled the mask off before folding it and placing it in a pouch at his waist, revealing the face of a young man.
"Seriously," he said in a calm voice, running his left hand into his messy brown hair, "I come back in this place after all those years and find it in trouble again." He ran his brown eyes over the crowd and sighed in disappointment. "And of course, she isn't here either."
()()()()
A sizable distance away, Renee, current Number Six and 'eye' of the Organization, stopped her trek as a Yoki signature she'd noticed vanished. A slight frown appeared on her face since she couldn't sense any warrior nearby, and this area wasn't the kind of place where the Yoki suppressants would be needed. Had the Yoma revealed itself and been killed by the inhabitants afterwards? No, even a lone Yoma could take on at least a dozen humans with little trouble, and most villages couldn't afford this kind of loss of lives.
So what had happened there?
()()()()
"A pile of rubble, heh. Figures." the traveler sighed as he gazed at what remained of his childhood home.
"Raki my boy, is that you?" an old man asked in shock. The village Elder had been drawn by the commotion, and had followed the man who'd killed the Yoma after he'd left the scene.
The man didn't answer and just turned to face the wizened leader. The old man's eyes widened as he indeed recognized the boy, now adult, he remembered. Tall and well-built, his face had lost its baby fat and left him with the features of a honest young man, only keeping that distinctive scar on the left side of his brow from this childhood. His eyes were warm yet guarded, looking too old for his age, as if he'd seen and experienced more in seven years than most people did as many decades.
"It is you! My boy, it is good to see you in good health." the elder smiled.
"Forgive me for doubting you considering I was thrown out of the village last time." Raki calmly reminded with an edge in his tone no one could remember him having.
"You must understand, they were scared, they thought…"
"That I was a Yoma?" Raki scoffed. "If I had been, I'd have been killed along with Zaki. That's what Claymores do."
"Chief… He… he killed the Yoma." Mirn stammered, having followed the Elder with some villagers. "He knew who it was. He was moving like a Claymore. And there's no way a boy could have survived alone all this time. He must be one of them now!"
A murmur started to rise from the crowd, and some people grabbed makeshift weapons. Raki sighed in annoyance; even though he'd have no qualms fighting a bunch of bandits, he couldn't kill people for acting irrationally out of fear.
Still, a bit of resentment wouldn't allow him to let them scot free either. As the group started to advance, he only said one word. "Faas!"
The effect was instant as they stopped in their tracks, eyes widening in sudden fear, as if that single word had commanded them to be afraid of the young man. No matter what, they just couldn't take another step, on the verge of being sent fleeing and screaming.
"If you want to know, I managed to find the Claymore who'd done the job. She saved me and allowed me to travel with her." Raki answered the paralyzed people. "Funny how the one you claim a monster showed me more humanity than the real humans, right?" he finished snidely.
He turned to the elder, who was as scared stiff as the rest, looking apologetic. "Sorry about the commotion, Elder. If the warrior from back then, Clare, ever comes here, could you please tell her I'm alive, and that we'll meet again? I'd be very thankful to you."
The frozen old man could only nod but Raki's subsequent smile did little to ease his frayed nerves. As he watched the young man leave, for the second time of his life, he felt like he'd been talking to a monster with a human form.
And for the life of him, he couldn't tell which one frightened him the most.
()()()()
As he walked back to the entrance of the village, Raki couldn't help mumbling bitterly under his breath. "I wasn't expecting a warm welcome but I had forgotten what nivahriin meyye the people here are."
So caught up in his thoughts, he completely missed the person gazing at him.
"The Yoma." a woman's voice said. "Are you the one who killed it?"
Coming back to reality, Raki noticed the newcomer. She was fairly tall for a woman, with silver eyes and blond hair, which was arranged in Redguard-like cornrows, marking her as a Claymore, but this aside, she looked quite different from her peers. Whereas most warriors had pale or creamy skin, hers was a deep, golden tan that gave her an exotic look, contrasting attractively with her hair and eye color.
The main other difference was her build. Unlike the slender figure Claymores usually possessed, this one was definitely on the athletic side, much like he remembered Miria. But if her form-fitting uniform highlighted her visibly well-toned body, it also showed that her bust size beat Clare's spiky-haired friend by one or two inches, at least.
Raki mentally Fus Ro Dah'ed his more hormonal side into a deep corner of his mind. He then Joor Zah Frul'ed it there for good measure.
Well, at least her attitude was something he was accustomed to, her face set in a look of confident competence most warriors shared, albeit with a hint of curiosity.
"What are you talking about?" Raki asked, as he was brought back to earth.
His confusion must have been obvious since the warrior explained. "I sensed a Yoki abruptly disappear in this town and decided to check it out. There I found the body."
Her voice remained calm but her eyes narrowed just a little as she continued. "The body was cut in one clean stroke. Cutting off a limb or a head is one thing, but severing a body at the waist requires physical strength well beyond the average human, and a blade that is large, heavy and sharp. Your build and that greatsword you carry fit perfectly."
Raki remained silent, and she concluded with a slight edge in her tone. "But what truly puzzles me is, how did you know who it was?"
A smile tugged at Raki's lips. "Now that would be telling. How about you answer a question of mine in return?"
Obviously the flippant answer wasn't what she expected, and her temper was shorter than it seemed as the smaller woman grabbed the front of his cloak, her face now set in a scowl. "Why you…" she hissed.
"You know, you shouldn't scowl that much, your face's gonna get stuck that way." Raki commented casually.
She scowled harder, and he raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, I'll tell you. Mind releasing me first?"
She did, and he smiled. "Better, thanks. Now, the reason I knew who it was is that…"
The warrior leaned forward expectantly.
"… it was written all over those wrinkles on your face. Told you scowling is bad for that pretty face of yours." With that, Raki gently flicked her nose and walked away, leaving behind the dumbfounded Claymore who tried to process his answer.
In fact Renee was so shocked that she barely registered the human leaving, him calling a 'Arvak', a cracking sound, or a horse galloping away.
Getting away was probably the best thing to do as her brain caught up with his words and Mount Renee suddenly erupted. "I AM EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD! I DO NOT HAVE WRINKLES!" she yelled before quickly checking her reflection in her wristguard.
Twice.
"I DO NOT!" She looked around. "Wait where did he go? COME BACK HERE YOU SMUG HANDSOME BASTARD!"
()()()()
Raki was still laughing to himself at the memory of the Claymore's dumbfounded face. Judging he had gotten far enough that she couldn't catch up quickly, he had dismissed Arvak, the skeletal horse having enjoyed his run, and was currently walking through a forest, trying to decide where to go next.
'What did I do back then? After being chased out, I wandered through a desert for a couple days until I passed out and Clare found me. She took me to a town, and when I woke up I ran into that fake Claymore… maybe I should check there.'
His musings were cut short by an enraged voice. "YOU!"
Turning on his heel, Raki saw a red-faced Claymore glaring at him, her face scrunched in anger and visibly trying to keep herself under control. Her heavy breathing was doing some rather interesting things to her chest.
'Wow, reminds me of the time Farkas put a lizard in Aela's armor. Funny as hell, but boy was she pissed.' Of course, it had caused a huge panic in Whiterun when a large black werewolf was chased through the town by a furious red one, and Kodlak had thoroughly chewed the two out afterwards, since the guards had been on high alert for a while. Still, the memory of the chase (especially seeing the bratty Braith jump in Lars Battle-Born's arms in fright) drew a smile from him, which only infuriated the Claymore further as she mistook it for mockery.
"Oh, hello again. I didn't expect you to catch up." he said.
Renee's glare turned a bit smug as she stomped to him. "Your horse left tracks, and from there I followed my nose. It helps that I'm one of the fastest warriors around." she said, though she wondered why the tracks simply vanished as if his horse had disappeared into thin air. Then again, she had more important things to do, like catching the cheeky brat.
"Maybe, but to follow a mere harmless human like me… Don't you have anything better to do?"
"A mere harmless human does not slay Yoma without a scratch." she snapped. "And not until you've answered my questions."
"I told you…"
"I DO NOT HAVE WRINKLES! YOU STUPID…" Suddenly Renee's eyes went wide, and she shoved him away. "MOVE!" In the same movement she reached up for her claymore, only for her right hand to be disintegrated at the wrist, and she found herself stabbed multiple times in the chest and limbs.
Raki had stumbled backwards a few feet from the unexpected push, though not as far as Renee had wanted, and as such he received a couple glancing blows that left minor scratches in his armor and tears in his cloak. Recovering he saw the warrior suspended in the air by long black tendrils, and what looked like a thirteen years old girl in a white sundress standing before the captive warrior. The girl's haircut was odd, as it tapered off at different lengths so it looked like multiple ribbons. At second glance he could see the tendrils came from her hair.
"So you did sense me, albeit a little late. Still, it seems this was more due to anger clouding your thoughts than actual skill." the girl said as if in deep thought. Renee coughed up some blood and looked at her captor. Instantly her eyes went wide in fear. "Oh, so you can see beyond the outer layer of my Yoki. Then you should guess who I am."
"Riful… of the West…" Renee breathed in terrified realization.
The girl looked extremely satisfied at the answer. "Got it in one! Oh yes, you'll do nicely."
"An Awakened?" Raki wondered out loud, causing both women to look at him in surprise.
Riful's reddish-brown eyes blinked. "Oh, you're still here? I would have thought you'd have run away already. Odd, though not as much as you knowing that term."
Raki shrugged. "I used to travel with a warrior when I was younger. I learned a few things." he explained, choosing not to mention Clare's name for safety. Apparently Riful didn't care as she didn't press for answers.
"I see. Oh well, I have nothing against you and I'm not hungry at the moment, so I'll let you go." the Abyssal smiled.
"Considering you apparently sought to capture her, I don't suppose you'd let her go as well?" he asked, pointing at Renee.
"Nope, I need her for a certain task. Her survival depends on her willingness to carry it out." Riful answered with a smile, which drew a sigh from Raki.
"Then we have a small problem." He pulled off his cloak and took Miraak from his pouch, slipping the dragon priest mask on. He then drew his sword, shocking both females.
"Wha…" Renee looked in disbelief, actually forgetting about her situation for a moment. "Are you nuts?" she yelled. "She's the Abyssal of the West! There's an even bigger gap between her and an Awakened, than between an Awakened and a Yoma!"
"Sorry, I don't know what an Abyssal is."
"A number one who Awakened! That's what you fool!" Renee shouted. "Worse, she's the first ever female warrior who achieved that rank!" her rant was cut off as Riful stabbed her again, causing her to cry in pain.
"Silence." she ordered and looked at Raki, taking in the armor, weapons, the intimidating mask he'd donned, and his ready stance. "I am curious, why would you fight to defend a warrior? Humans tend not to care about them most of the time."
"I told you, I used to travel with one of them. Classic story actually, my brother was a Yoma, this warrior killed him, and my village cast me out in fear." Raki explained and Riful nodded since such a story wasn't uncommon even in her time. "She saved my life more times than I can count. I wouldn't be able to face her if I ran when one of her kin is in danger."
Riful looked like she was struggling to comprehend what he was saying and even Renee was shocked. "That's it? That's your reason?"
"Do I need another?"
Riful smirked a little. "I can think of a few… For example, expecting something in return. After all, she's quite the specimen." Riful hinted not so subtly and brought a ribbon up to stroke Renee's face, before lowering it to trace the side of her body with a gentleness that contrasted with her vicious nature. "Exotic looks, attractive face, great body. Especially these." she said while moving the ribbon back up to roughly squeeze the impressive breasts, the Claymore letting out hisses of pain though clenched teeth as she was groped by the monster in human skin.
The Awakened smiled evilly, wondering if she should show this man the truth of the warriors' bodies… if he turned his back on her captive, it would most likely shake her faith in mankind and make her much more receptive to Riful's request, or maybe even Awakening and joining her. She had brought a sharp ribbon at the center of her captive's shirt, about to slice it open when she heard a single word.
"Enough."
Riful froze at the voice. It was at a perfectly normal volume, despite carrying a clear undertone of raw anger, but at the same time it seemed to hold such unfathomable power, like the air itself was vibrating,that Riful complied despite herself. What had been amused curiosity slowly turned into interest.
She couldn't see it but Riful knew he was scowling under his mask. "I'll understand that you don't have a high opinion of humans," he hissed, "heck, I'll admit some of them are the lowest scum. But assuming I'd sink as low as demanding sexual favors without knowing a single thing about me is plain insulting."
Hearing how genuinely offended he was, Riful frowned at herself. She was always disappointed that the warriors and Awakened she met lacked manners. And here was someone who had been nothing but civil and polite to her so far, even if it was just a human, and she acted in the way she hated so much from others. "You're right. That was uncalled for, and I shouldn't have assumed anything. I am sorry." she said sincerely.
Renee found herself staring at the pair in sheer disbelief. Riful of the West, a monster that tortured Claymores into Awakening and saw nothing wrong with it, had just apologized to a human? Without the pain she was in, she'd have thought she was dreaming.
"Thank you. Though I'll agree that she is quite attractive." Raki admitted.
Yep, she must be dreaming.
"So basically, you want to try and save her because it's the right thing to do?" Riful asked for confirmation.
Raki shrugged sheepishly, which looked odd considering his intimidating garb. "What can I say? I guess I'm an idiot."
Riful remained silent for a moment before laughing. "I see. Indeed this is a problem. No matter how impressed I am with such selflessness, I really don't want to relinquish her." She held out a hand before Raki could attack. "However to make up for my earlier insult, I'm willing to give you a fair chance."
Raki relaxed his stance. "Please go on."
"Dauf!" Riful called. From the trees, a brutish-looking man walked out. Tall and muscular albeit with a bit of a potbelly, visible as he was only wearing pants, he had short sandy-blond hair and small brown eyes.
"You called Riful? Who's that? Some squid man?" Dauf asked, leaving Raki to guess that he wasn't the sharpest sword in the rack.
"Here's the deal. If you manage to fend off Dauf for, say, ten minutes, I'll give her to you." the Abyssal smiled. "To be fair I'll warn you, even though I cannot brag about him, my mate here was nonetheless ranked third of the male generation. So of course I can't guarantee your safety if you accept. Dauf always tends to overdo it." Riful shrugged apologetically. "Or you can just walk away. As I said, I have nothing against you so I promise we won't come after you."
"Don't do it! Leave!" Renee shouted. "You cannot win against an Awakened, and even if you do, there's no guarantee she'll keep her word."
The Claymore was punched hard in the gut by Dauf and gasped in agony. "Don't insult Riful you bitch." the man growled before punching her again, in the face this time.
"Dauf, I didn't say you could break her yet." Riful chastised, causing the brute to relent, before she addressed Raki again. "Still this is true enough. But since you managed to stir my interest, I may be more inclined to keep it on the off chance you make it."
"Damn it leave you idiot! It's not worth it! I'm not worth it!" Renee wheezed.
Raki was looking around, apparently checking his surroundings. "If there's a chance you won't keep your word even if I win, it's also possible you wouldn't let me leave even if I didn't play your game. Likewise, I cannot be sure you won't change the rules half-way through. Am I wrong?" he asked calmly.
Riful looked amused. "Oh? Speaking from experience? Let's say this is my intention, what would you do then?"
Raki looked at Riful, his eyes hard behind his mask. "Isn't it obvious? First I'll defeat that man, and if you don't keep your word, I'll fight you as well." He then glared at the dumbfounded Renee. "And don't ever say your life is worthless."
"Oh my, aren't you confident? And such a beautiful display of friendship, I am so moved." Riful giggled happily before her smile turned dark, her true nature showing briefly. "So you agree to play along."
"Though I'd like it if we moved to a more spacious place first. It may be a bit cramped here."
Riful's cruel smirk grew. "Oh, allow me to fix that." She then flared her Yoki.
"Look out!" Renee shouted but there was no time. In less than three seconds the Abyssal's arms split and lashed all around them in a maelstrom of blades. All the trees in a wide radius were uprooted and cut to pieces, leaving a large clearing in the forest. Despite all this, not a single blade even grazed Raki, the spot he was standing was one of the two places untouched, the other being where Dauf stood.
Raki could only stare wide-eyed at the devastation the deceptively small creature had wrought in a blink of an eye.
"Will this do?" Riful purred, enjoying the obvious shock she had caused the human. She might feel a little bit of respect for him due to his willingness to risk his life for a Claymore, but his statement about fighting her made her want to remind him of who and what he was dealing with here. Still, she wondered if he was being cocky, or if he did have a good reason to be so confident.
Raki's eyes narrowed a bit. He knew that if it came down to it, he'd only have a very slim chance of defeating her on his own, and it would probably take the unbridled fury of Storm Call for that. Or he'd have to call for help. But he had more pressing matters at the moment.
"Yeah, that should be plenty of room." he said as he tossed his pack away.
"Are you nuts?! You cannot be serious!" Renee yelled as she thrashed against her bindings in an attempt to break free. All she received was a glare from the Abyssal.
"You should be more grateful, he's risking his life for you after all." she said in a scolding tone. "Now shut up, I want to watch." Unfortunately Renee didn't relent and Riful sent several more blades into her body while twisting those already there. Renee howled in pain before passing out.
"Hey!"
"What? I didn't like how rude she was being to you, so I made her shut up." Riful explained as if it was normal. Without releasing her captive, she walked to a fallen tree and sat comfortably on it. "Now, Dauf, if you will…"
The brutish man sneered as Yoki exploded from him. In front of Raki's eyes, Dauf's form expanded, shredding his pants. His body turned purple and was covered for the most part with some kind of organic armor (thankfully including a codpiece), and two rods were jutting from behind his elbows. Once the transformation was finished, the male Awakened was over twice, nearly thrice Raki's size, even crouching on his bent legs with his fists on the ground, in a posture that reminded Raki of Skyrim's trolls.
Raki turned to Riful. "You never said anything about him using his Awakened form."
"I never said anything against it either." Riful countered with a smile. "Oh, by the way, it's begun."
From the corner of his eye Raki barely caught a glimpse of movement. The word was out of his mouth before he could think.
"Feim."
Dauf's fist crashed into the ground where he was standing, raising a cloud of dust and sending a shockwave through the clearing.
"Huh?" the male asked.
"What is it Dauf?" Riful asked curiously.
"I dunno, I hit him but I didn't hit him."
Raki calmly walked out from the cloud. His voice distorted by Miraak, he said, "So I won't be able to play it safe it seems. Very well…" With this, the Dragonborn threw one of his trump cards on the table. "Mul Qah Diiv!"
He felt the intoxicating rush of power as the ethereal armor flashed into existence, granting him the sheer might and resilience of a Dov, and a part of his soul roared in anticipation and contentment as it became complete. Sometimes Raki wondered if this was what Claymores felt when they Awakened, like becoming what you were meant to be.
The human looked at Dauf who still had his fist buried into the ground with most of his weight on it.
"What's that?" the Awakened asked, only for Raki to kick the arm to the side. To Dauf's surprise his arm was knocked aside causing him to pitch forward face first, only to be met by Raki's fist to his nose. Dauf's massive head was snapped backwards, the giant stumbling a bit as the low center of gravity of his hunched posture prevented him from falling.
"You… punched me?" he snarled. Dauf brought his head back toward the human, displaying his bloody nose, and opened his mouth to launch a rod. This time however it wasn't a fist that connected with his face, but the Hammer of Might. The rod was still in his mouth when the dreaded artifact of Malacath collided with his cheek, swung with the full strength of a dragon currently compressed into a human shape.
From her watching point, Riful's eyes widened as her mate was lifted off the ground, his hulking body twirling a couple of times in mid-air before crashing back down into the clearing. She also idly noticed a tooth flying from his mouth. "I see… It seems he did have something up his sleeve." she mused. Under her childish guise, her eyes turned much more serious and calculating, her attention now fully on the fight. "This could be more interesting than I'd expected."
Raki ran to Dauf's head and prepared to swing Volendrung again, but before he could, Dauf opened his mouth, expelling a rod the size of a column and probably just as heavy. Raki was hit head-on and it was his turn to be thrown to the ground, pinned under the projectile. Against Dauf's expectations however, he easily tossed it away and stood back up, bringing Volendrung into a ready stance, seemingly unaffected by the blow.
Dauf growled and launched himself forward. The pair met in half-way and began trading blows under Riful's gaze.
"So it's not just strength, this odd armor also increases his durability… a match for Dauf… no, a bit higher even..." the Awakened analysed. She watched as Dauf brought his fist down on the human who used the shaft of his weapon to block, but nonetheless buckled slightly under the blow. With a heave and a grunt, Raki pushed Dauf away and closed the distance, swinging again only for Dauf to block with his forearm, the blow nonetheless leaving a sizeable dent in the armor.
"Good choice of weapon too. Blunt weapons work better than swords against Dauf's armor. I wonder what that hammer is made of to withstand Dauf's punches though." she commented to herself. She then realized they had passed the five minutes mark and frowned before calling her mate. "Dauf! I really don't want to lose that warrior, so if you lose I'll beat you up!"
"What? But Riful…" Dauf turned to Riful to protest and got a broken collarbone for his carelessness, screaming in pain in response before returning his attention to the fight. "Gotta make him stand still." he muttered as he had noticed the human was quite agile. He threw an open-palm blow with his right hand, causing Raki to jump back. Just as the Dragonborn landed, a rod extended from the hand. Sheer reflexes allowed Raki to duck to the side, unfortunately he landed right into Dauf's left hand, which instantly closed on him.
"Gotcha!" Dauf sneered triumphantly as he brought his other hand around Raki who was now trapped, the arm holding Volendrung pressed against his own body while the other was free. "I'm gonna crush you to paste!"
With all his borrowed strength and a grunt of effort Raki pushed back against the closed hands, and actually managed to loosen them a bit to Dauf's surprise, causing the Awakened to tighten his hold. No way he was letting that annoying human get away!
Raki found himself in a stalemate against his opponent. He was strong enough to avoid being crushed, but lacked the leverage to fully free himself. Of course he could become ethereal to slip from the grasp, but with his mind influenced by the Dragon Aspect, merely escaping didn't appeal to him.
Besides if he was forced to resort to his Thu'um, he might as well make sure his enemy felt it, right?
Behind his mask, his eyes narrowed wickedly.
Further away Riful watched the struggle appraisingly. "Oh, too bad. He was doing so well. And such a nice man too." she commented sadly. "Should I tell Dauf to just hold him until time runs out? He might be useful in the future if we could remain on good terms…"
Raki's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Yol Toor Shul!"
The Abyssal of the West was brought back to reality when she saw Raki breathe a stream of actual fire from his mouth (or so she assumed because of the mask he was wearing), expanding a good forty feet in length and lasting about half a minute. Even from this distance, she could feel the heat of the flames.
The awe she felt was somewhat dampened by the fact that he did so right in Dauf's face, the flames engulfing his head instantly.
The massive Awakened's ensuing scream was nothing short of an animalistic howl of pure agony as his organic armor melted under the heat. The stench of cooking flesh filled the air, and Riful felt genuine concern for her mate even as she recoiled instinctively. The mere idea of being completely set on fire triggered in her the same primal fear any living being would feel.
Yes, she could be cut with little actual damage, but this was entirely different.
Out of reflex Dauf flung his captive away and clutched at his face. Raki crashed down heavily but picked himself up with a growl. Seeing Dauf flailing around wildly, he rushed forward, still holding Volendrung, and, with all the might granted to him by the Dragon Aspect, slammed the massive war hammer into the Awakened's side, throwing him to the ground and probably smashing a kidney in the process. The ground actually shook from the impact when the Awakened crashed down.
Before Raki could press the advantage however, he was caught in the chest by a wild mule kick sent at random. He mentally thanked his increased durability and his dragonscale armor, as the blow would have caved a man's chest in. As it was, it only drove the air from his lungs, tossed him away and possibly cracked a rib or two, which was still a testament of the former Number Three's brute strength.
Dauf had apparently recovered and turned his ruined face toward him, glaring hatefully. Raki winced as the sight was especially horrific, the heat of his Thu'um having caused Dauf's armor on his face and shoulders to fuse with his flesh.
Dauf coughed a good amount of blood, proving that Volendrung had also most likely dealt some serious internal damage. This only renewed his fury that this midget had actually managed to mess him up this bad. Him, the former Number Three of the male generation!
"You little piece of shit! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" the Awakened bellowed.
Organic rods extended from Dauf's fingers, each as long as a man and as thick as a leg. Seeing the projectiles being readied, Raki focused briefly. 'Push the world away from you, but don't let it push you back. With but a whisper, move everything aside... Let nothing stand in your way. Let everything be blown away…'
The ten rods was thrown at him, and the Last Dragonborn's response wasn't a whisper, but the Thu'um that had surpassed Alduin's.
"FUS RO DAH!"
A deafening sound akin to a dozen thunderclaps filled the clearing and Riful could only stare wide-eyed as the air in front of Raki visibly distorted, the heavy projectiles were batted aside like straw in the wind and the ground was torn apart; when the Unrelenting Force reached Dauf, the massive Awakened was tossed away like a rag doll, parts of his armor being ripped off his body, and he disappeared out of the clearing. Even then, the Thu'um kept going undaunted, toppling and splintering trees and leaving a trail of devastation in its wake, audible in the distance.
Riful felt Dauf's Yoki shut down a fair distance away, indicating her mate had lost consciousness. She turned to look at the human, almost giddy with awe. Yes, she'd been quite impressed but this! Only the stronger or larger Awakened could cause so much destruction so quickly, yet it had come from a human! She was half-tempted not to hold her side of the bargain just to see what else he could do, but she had to admit, he had more than earned his prize.
Daintily clapping her small hands, Riful approached the young man with the unconscious Renee still bound in her hair. Maybe she had overdone it a little if the warrior was still unconscious after this ruckus.
"That was impressive. Very impressive." she praised, idly admiring the simple beauty of Raki's ethereal armor, a horned and ridged silhouette that reminded her of some kind of beast, superimposed over him with small currents of power flowing through it.
"So?" Raki asked, a fair bit of weariness in his voice, not that she could blame him as Dauf had landed his fair share of hits during the fight. Riful also noticed he didn't release his ethereal armor. Either he couldn't, meaning it worked for a set time, or he was keeping it on in case he had to fight her.
Riful sighed in disappointment. "It's my loss I guess. So as promised, I'll give her to you."
Renee was gently deposited in Raki's arms, and the tendrils still stabbing her were removed. Fresh blood spurted out of the wounds.
"What? You won't make me go through another round?" Raki asked half-jokingly.
"Nope, in all honesty you've earned it. You did go toe to toe with my man after all. Not many can claim that." Riful shrugged before continuing. "It also helps that you're quite well-mannered. It makes me more willing to honor my side of the deal. You wouldn't believe how rude the people I usually deal with are."
"Well, thank you for being a good sport." Raki said honestly. Despite supposedly being a complete monster, Riful was actually far more honorable than Ophelia.
"You're welcome." Riful sighed. "Now excuse me, I must go check on my idiotic mate. Then I'll kick his ass for losing."
She started walking away before pausing, as if an afterthought. "Oh, and one more thing," she pointed at the Claymore in Raki's arms, "she's a defensive type so she should be able to regenerate that hand. However this won't be possible if you bind the stump. You can treat her others wounds however."
With this, the ruler of the West left, a small cunning smile on lips unseen by Raki as the bait had been thrown.
()()()()
Renee jolted awake with a loud gasp, her right arm instinctively searching for her claymore while her eyes frantically looked around. Then a wave of dizziness hit her and she brought her right hand to her head to try and massage it, but found her hand not obeying her commands.
Looking at it, she saw the mangled and partially regenerated appendage in front of her. The hand itself was mostly reconstructed, but she still had no fingers. She could feel her body continuing its unpleasant task at a quick pace, but wondered how long she had been out since the process was fairly advanced, and where she was.
Somewhat placated by the fact that she couldn't sense any Yoki in her immediate proximity, she allowed herself to look around her more calmly. It was night so she had been unconscious for hours at best, and one or more days at worst. She tried to use her regeneration to get an idea of how long it had been but what she got didn't match. Considering her other injuries, the work already done would normally take a couple of days, but the pace at which it was still going indicated it hadn't been that long.
Frowning at the contradiction, she noticed she was now sitting in a sleeping bag. It must have been made of the fur of an animal, probably a bear. Running her valid hand though the material, her fingers closed on something familiar and she looked down to see her claymore on the ground on her left. Having her weapon back was a huge relief and caused her to relax some more.
"Well, looks like you're awake now." Raki's voice said happily. The man stood from where he'd been sitting near the campfire and walked to her after grabbing a bowl. He was no longer wearing his armor, instead having donned some loose clothes.
"What… you… Riful… how?" Renee asked as she remembered the events before the Abyssal knocked her out.
"She kept her word after I won her little game." Raki shrugged as if was no big deal. Renee then remembered what the game had been and was about to yell at him, either for being a fool or demanding how he'd managed to win, but he offered the bowl before she could.
"Eat." he ordered gently before returning to the fire, and Renee realized she was starving. She studied the food : a roasted rabbit leg with some herbs for flavor, and some fruits on the side. Not quite enough for a human, way too much for a warrior in normal circumstances, but perfect for one who needed to recover. She also noticed it only consisted of things she could eat one-handed, probably so she wouldn't need to ask for help. It was quite thoughtful of him, just like leaving her claymore where she'd find it. Maybe he wasn't that bad after all. Infuriating as hell, but not bad. Her hunger made itself known again and she eagerly ate the food.
She found the meal quite tasty despite how simple it was. Once she was done, she was about to thank the odd young man, but her voice died when she saw what he was doing.
Raki was holding a needle and thread, and carefully fixing a shirt.
Her shirt.
Renee's eyes went wide and she looked down at herself. She was still wearing her pants, but her torso was clad in a plain cream tunic too big for her, and she couldn't feel the neck cloth that bore her symbol. Another check revealed that the stab wounds on her limbs were almost completely gone by now, and she had been cleaned off from the blood.
Realization hit her.
Her throat was dry as she asked, "Did you… tend to my wounds?"
He looked up and smiled. "Well, I couldn't quite leave you to bleed without doing anything, fast healer or not, right? Don't worry, I didn't do anything inappropriate."
Renee's hand fisted the tunic almost fearfully. "Then you saw…"
His smile turned a little sheepish, but he didn't look away from her, and his voice gained an embarrassed tone.
"Yeah. I won't lie and say I wasn't shocked, but I've seen worse." he said, chasing away the memory of ripping out a Forsworn Briarheart's heart from his chest through the gaping hole there, with his bare hands.
Oh yeah, and despite the disturbing sight, he could also remember Renee's more attractive features… smooth golden skin, muscled but feminine shoulders and arms, slim waist, hard and finely sculpted stomach, and large, perfect mounds tipped with dark pink nipples…
Hey, he had been a gentleman but he was still a red-blooded man, Dragonborn or not! At least he hadn't stared like an idiot and treated her injuries with his, admittedly passable, skill in restoration magic before covering her. Following Riful's advice, he had left her missing hand alone once he saw it was starting to regenerate by itself. He had also briefly attempted to do something about the stitched cut over the Claymore's body, but he found out it seemed to reopen whenever he tried to heal it, not to mention her other wounds healed slower when he did.
Of course there was something else he could try, but it wasn't an option until her hand was fixed. Moreover he'd have to talk to her about it and she was uncomfortable enough at the moment.
He also made a mental note about having a few words with Father Vincent about the proper care for an injured patient, because the priest placing the bandages over Clare's clothes made sense now, and Raki didn't like it at all.
Seeing that the Claymore was looking uncomfortable, he decided to change the subject and grinned. "Well, I just realized we forgot to introduce ourselves in the whole day. I'm Raki."
Renee blinked. "Renee, current Number Six."
'So it's no longer Miria.' Raki thought. 'Could she have been promoted, demoted or…'
"My, aren't you getting cozy?" a voice interrupted his thoughts.
Human and Claymore jumped to their feet, weapons already in hand, only to find Riful of the West casually sitting on a fallen tree. For the second time today Renee cursed herself for being so lax that she hadn't noticed the Awakened until it was too late.
Ignoring the cautious looks she was getting, Riful gazed at Renee and sighed. "So, it looks like I lost after all."
"What?" Renee asked bewildered while Raki's eyes narrowed.
"I had thought he would cast you out once he saw your body, then I'd have claimed you back." Riful said in a disappointed tone. "However it seems I underestimated him again." She then turned to Raki. "So, I guess you really won't give her back to me?"
Raki shrugged. "Nope, sorry, I keep her."
"Hey!" Renee protested.
The Abyssal remained silent for a long moment, and Renee braced herself for an attack, confident that there was no way she'd go with it. And suddenly the last thing she expected happened.
Riful laughed.
The sound was all the more chilling for Renee because there was no malice in it. No evil, no cruelty, just a plain, honest laugh of pure mirth, as if Riful had heard the most amusing thing ever. To Renee's increasing disbelief, the Awakened fell to the ground from laughing too hard, clutching her stomach and tears forming at the corners of her eyes.
"I just can't believe it! This is too much!" Riful wheezed painfully. "I lost completely! To a human! TWICE! And the worst thing is, I can't bring myself to be mad at him."
She stood up, a small smirk on her lips. "However…" A brief surge of Yoki was the only warning, but even on high alert Renee was unable to avoid the attack as Riful's hair once again extended and trapped her. Raki was caught unaware and suffered the same fate, now bound on the ground within the ribbons, unable to move his sword hand.
One of the ribbons was also wrapped around his cheeks, acting as a makeshift gag.
Riful smirked as she walked to Raki. "So, you do need to be able to talk to use those abilities of yours." A purple glow within his left hand got her attention, and she saw an ethereal sword forming. "Oh, not quite defenseless yet?" Before he could swing the bound sword, she gently ensnared that arm too. Her smile turned predatory.
"Now, since you managed to win something from me, I believe I deserve a consolation prize. It is only fair, right?"
The ribbon blocking his mouth was removed, but before he could blink something else prevented him from speaking.
That something being Riful's mouth being pressed firmly onto his own.
Renee's stared in shock as the Abyssal of the West straddled the human and roughly kissed him, her hands firmly gripping his head to prevent him from moving away while her tongue plundered his mouth demandingly. Then her jaw dropped open when Raki kissed Riful back with equal fierceness as, unknown to both women, his draconic soul demanded he fight back. From her position the Claymore could see their tongues duel for dominance, tangling and pushing against each other as neither surrendered to the other.
Finally Riful broke the kiss and sat back up, a pleased smirk on her face even though she was currently fighting the urge to grind her hips against his rock-hard chest. "Mmm…Very nice, yes, that should do it." she licked her slightly swollen lips and moaned in satisfaction.
And a fair bit of arousal, as the now blushing Renee could sense in her Yoki.
Below Riful Raki raised an eyebrow, his own breathing quite heavy. "Good because going further would make me a couple breaker, and this is where I draw the line." he said.
"Spoilsport." she muttered before standing up and releasing her two captives. "You took it pretty well." she observed.
Raki stood up too and shrugged. "To be honest it's not the first time I've been kissed by a non-human woman with peculiar eating habits." Hey, Aela wasn't especially picky when she hunted in wolf form, and Serana often fed on some foolish bandit. Honestly, the only thing he found unsettling in this situation was Riful's apparent age, and that had become moot once the dragon in him had recognized her true nature beneath the mask.
Riful thought about it for a moment. "That's a nicer way to put it than man-eating monster I guess."
"You've been perfectly civil with me so far, so there's no reason to be rude. Heck even Renee here hasn't tried to attack you."
Riful noted the Claymore's stunned face with amusement. "I think she's too shocked to even think about grabbing her sword."
Raki looked at the buxom warrior, who looked like Sheogorath had appeared in front of her dressed in a pink dress and offering her a strawberry pie. "Yeah, that too." he scratched his head sheepishly. He then walked to her and snapped his fingers to bring her back to reality.
"Wha…" the startled woman said. She looked around and backed away upon seeing that Riful was still here. Riful giggled in amusement at her reaction, the only thing that made sense in this situation. Here she was, the feared Abyssal of the West, having a friendly chat with an odd, but nice human who should be her prey and had even managed to win something she'd wanted. And while she could take it back by force, she was loath to do it after the politeness he'd shown her.
"Sorry, I'd offer something to eat, but I don't think I have anything you'd enjoy. Well, nothing that does not involve my death." Raki joked.
See? Such a nice man. If only warriors had such manners.
Riful smiled and helped herself on the meat he'd cooked. At the pair's surprised looks, she explained, "A little known fact about Yoma and Awakened is, we can eat normal food. It's just that, for one, it tastes disgusting to us, and two, we don't get any nourishment from it." She took a bite and chewed slowly. "Surprisingly this doesn't taste bad at all. But it'll only deceive my hunger until I can find some guts."
The odd trio sat silently for a while until Renee couldn't take it anymore. "So that's it? He won, you lost, and you'll let us go just like that?"
"Of course." Riful acquiesced.
"You won't attack? You won't ask about whatever you wanted me to do?"
"I don't like it, but I won't."
"So I can return to the Organization, no catch?"
"Ah, actually this is the catch. You may go, but you cannot return to the Organization." Riful smiled sweetly.
"What do you mean?" Raki asked in confusion. "You said you'd let us go."
Riful wagged her finger in disagreement. "Not quite. I said I'd give her to you, and this is exactly what I'm doing. As long as she's with you, I won't come after her. However, this means she can't go back to them. She's all yours now."
The Awakened laughed at the pair's dumbfounded stares, then her grin turned wicked as she looked at Renee. "If I ever catch you without any indication this man is nearby, I'll do what I intended from the start and torture you into doing my bidding. Of course you might die in the process, or maybe even Awaken, whichever comes first."
She turned to Raki. "And I'll do the same if you release her after I leave, and there will be no bargain this time. You did say 'I keep her' after all."
Raki found himself on the receiving end of a silver-eyed glare. "I didn't mean it like that…" he pleaded sheepishly, which caused the Abyssal to laugh.
"Too bad for you then. Anyway," Riful flared her Yoki threateningly and narrowed her eyes at Renee, "make your choice. You can try and return to the Organization, and suffer my wrath sooner or later, because we both know they won't think twice about sending back into my territory."
The simple truth of this statement got a wince Renee. She had no illusions on the Organization allowing her to stay away from the West, Eye or not. Nor did she think she'd be able to avoid the Abyssal unless she used the masking medicine, blinding herself in the process. And she doubted Raki would want to accompany her on all her missions just to ensure her safety.
"Or," Riful placed her chin in her hands and continued, "you can stay with him and be safe from me, but be branded a traitor. Unless of course you want to try to kill me right here, right now, which would solve the problem altogether." she told Raki.
Raki shook his head. "In other circumstances, maybe. But you've been pretty friendly all things considered. To be honest, I really don't want to treat you as an enemy, Riful."
"Same here. Raki, right? You are quite interesting. If you were a warrior I'd make you Awaken and join me."
"Lucky me I guess. Though I'm flattered. Kinda."
"Though I am still very curious about those abilities of yours. Still, trying to get answers now isn't worth alienating a potential ally."
Raki raised an eyebrow and even Renee looked puzzled. Riful smirked but remained silent. Call it a hunch, but she knew this man could become someone important in Toulouse, much like the Abyssals and the Organization were. She had seen the flying beasts that roamed the skies and for some reason, she had a feeling there was a connection between them and Raki. Riful trusted her instincts, and if she was right, the setback of relinquishing Renee would be worth it in the end, as it would allow her a friendly relationship with a potential rising power.
After all, they had gotten off the right foot, no need to ruin this by resorting to violence. In this case, a little bit of diplomacy could yield much greater results in the long run. All Riful wanted was to protect her hunting grounds, she didn't care about expanding them. A new player didn't bother her, as long as he didn't encroach.
If Raki was indeed powerful enough to protect the newly-rogue warrior from the Organization, it would only prove her right. If Renee Awakened, it would also serve her goals. And she could always find another Claymore to wake up the sleeping sisters anyways, since Isley seemed content enough to stay in the South at the moment. Riful could afford to be patient.
On the other hand Raki was frowning to himself. The Greybeards and Delphine agreed on one thing, all the Dragonborns had been destined for greatness, though for the Master of the Blades, this mostly meant 'be our weapon against dragons' – which hadn't gone well with him at all. Paarthurnax had once said, domination is in the Dov's blood. And now one of the most powerful beings in Toulouse seemed to imply the same. He had no desire to rule anything, only find Clare as he had promised. But it seemed once again the Gods had other designs for him. Was he walking in Tiber Septim's footsteps without even realizing it?
Already Odahviing and Sahrotaar had pledged their allegiance to him, the former when he had defeated Alduin and the latter when he had saved him by killing Miraak before the ancient priest could use the dragon's life force to restore his own during their fight in Apocrypha. If you counted Durnehviir, he had three dragons as his allies, which meant a lot of power at his beck and call if he so wanted.
"So? What will it be?" Riful asked the Claymore, interrupting his thoughts.
"Looks like I have no choice." Renee sighed resignedly before glaring at Raki. "This is all your fault!"
"Sorry." Raki said sheepishly.
"Good!" Riful got to her feet, joining her hands in a happy gesture. "I am so glad to witness the beginning of such a beautiful friendship! I hope you realize how lucky you are." she told Renee.
"I'm bouncing with joy." Renee deadpanned.
"Anyway, now that this is settled I'll take my leave. But I'm sure we'll meet again, hopefully on such friendly terms." With that the Ruler of the West disappeared in the night, leaving the Dragonborn and the Claymore alone.
"Raki?" Renee asked.
"Yes?"
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"
()()()()
Translations :
Kipaarnaak : Yoma (lit : Guts-Eat, similar to how Sosnaak, Blood-Eat, means vampire)
nivahriin meyye : cowardly fools