Shining Ebony

Written By: Kraayx

Author's Note:

The Ebony Warrior was probably one of the most memorable fights in Skyrim for me (if you don't know, he's an extra challenge given by the expansion, Dragonborn, to fight you when you get to level eighty). It got me wondering though... Who is this Ebony Warrior? Where did he come from? What's his story? I have decided to write a story about probably the biggest match that has ever come across the Dovahkiin. Strange how one simple quest has brought me more speculation than many of the quests I have encountered. I'll post a new chapter every week until the story is over. Now, here is the story of the Ebony Warrior.

Chapter One: I'll Always Be With You

Hammerfell... the beautiful desert province of Tamriel... is the home of the Redguards. They are the proud, dark-skinned warriors who are known to never back down from a fight no matter the circumstances. There is one tale about a notable man that the Redguards have begun to speak of. This man was known as... The Ebony Warrior. This is the story of his trials... The story of his legend.

The Abecean Sea... Shining, glimmering and splendid. It is a grand jewel of this desert province of Hammerfell. This is where the tale of the Ebony Warrior begins...

"Adrian, your son has arrived."

"By Akatosh," responded Adrian, "Doctor, are you sure? Can I go see him?"

"That is fine, but the baby is sleeping. Be careful not to wake him up."

The Redguard, Adrian, approached the door to the room where his newborn son lay. The room rocked slightly, as if swaying to the wind.

"This ship is no place to raise a son," Adrian mumbled to himself. Adrian touched the door, feeling the wood against the palm of his hand, and slowly pushed the door outwards, seeing the few doctors, his wife, Isra and his newborn son.

"What's his name?" Isra asked.

Adrian picked up the small child, still fast asleep in his arms.

"Siris," he said, "His name is Siris." Isra looked at her husband, then she looked at her son, Siris.

"Take care of him," she said.

With that, she laid back,

and she died.

"Doctor... Doctor! There's something wrong! What did you do? What happened?!"

"She was dying," the doctor responded, "she was dying going through childbirth and she wouldn't allow us to tell you. We have done everything we could. I'm sure the captain will give his most utter grievances for the loss of your wife... I'm sorry."

"May she find eternal rest in Sovngarde."

"Sir, I think you mean..."

"Oh... Forget that I mentioned it."

Adrian touched the palm of his hand to the forehead of his dead wife, and said,

"Goodbye, Isra."

"Siris... Siris... Wake up, silly."

"Uh... Aisha, it's too early. It can't be more than five in the morning," responded Siris.

"Well, you know that the kids don't work on Tirdas. We need as much time as we can to explore the ship."

"Sure, just give me five minutes."

With that, Siris fell back asleep.

"Uggh! get up silly," Aisha said as she pulled the covers off of Siris and pushed him off of his bed. Siris fell to the wooden floor with a thud.

"Fine, I'll come," said Siris.

Siris dressed and the two snuck as quietly as they could past Siris' sleeping father, which wasn't really necessary since Adrian was such a heavy sleeper, and they went out to the main deck.

Once they were outside, the two ran around the main deck. They played a game of tag and a simple game of hide and seek. Siris pretended to be a slaughterfish and chased Aisha around. Afterwards, they went up to the steering wheel to observe it.

"Hey! What are you two doing!" yelled the Hawk.

The children never remembered this man's name, since he always stayed up in the crow's nest, so they came up with the name, Hawk, and the name simply stuck with the rest of the crew. He was a nice fellow, and the two sometimes kept him company when he wasn't in the crow's nest.

"We weren't going to touch it," said Aisha, "We were just looking at it. Do you know how it works?"

"Frankly, I don't know that myself. I should be reporting you two to the captain. But, since you're so adorable, I think I'll let it pass this time. Just don't let me catch you two ten-year-olds near the wheel again. If the ship were to change course, I think I would be banished to Oblivion, or worse... I would have to deal with the captain."

The three laughed.

"Don't worry, Hawk," Siris said, "we won't go near it again."

"Actually, my name's... You know what, that's not really important. Have fun, kids."

Hawk then scampered up the net to the crow's nest in fear that someone would catch him off his post. Aisha walked over to the front of the ship. She looked at Siris and said,

"You know, I don't really get to see the sun rising too much. I'm glad I'll be able to see it with..." She didn't finish her sentence because she slipped.

"Ahhh!" She yelled as she fell.

Luckily, Siris grabbed her before she fell down far. He pulled, and pulled and pulled, but his arms didn't seem to be strong enough to pull her up.

"Pull me up!" she yelled. Siris slowly pulled her up and she grabbed the ledge.

Aisha climbed on top of the ship and lay down, panting.

"Thank you, Siris. Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we not talk about this to your father, or my parents?"

"Sure."

The two then watched as the sun appeared to rise over the sea.

"Land Ho!" Hawk yelled, "Stros M'kai lies over the horizon."

Adrian then appeared from the decks and walked up to Siris, and said to him. "Siris, we're leaving the ship today."

A few hours later, the ship docked in the island of Stros M'kai. Adrian and Siris gathered their belongings and prepared to leave the ship.

"Do you really have to go?" Aisha asked Siris.

"I guess," Siris answered, "My father says that he has enough gold to get us a boat ride to Hammerfell, and carriage to some place called Dragonstar. He said we're living in a house outside the city."

"Well, I'm sorry you have to go. I guess Hawk can keep me company. Here, I want you to have this."

Aisha handed Siris a necklace. There was a shell attached to it. The shell was white with several rigid, black stripes.

"Where did this come from?"

"I found it. I found it under one of the barrels the other sailors moved a few days ago. If you wear it, I'll always be with you."

"Thanks Aisha... I'll never, ever forget you," responded Siris."

"I won't forget you either," Aisha said back.

Adrian and his son moved into a small house on the outskirts of Dragonstar. Every week, Adrian gave money to Siris to spend in the markets of Dragonstar for food and any other supplies needed. When he came back from the markets, he told his father about all of the most recent news. Whenever there was a sandstorm, a raise in the prices in the markets, tales of Wereboars, or even news of the Great War beginning, Siris would always inform his father. Every day, Adrian taught Siris the way of the sword and the bow. He taught him how to protect himself in heavy armor, and how to cast a potent paralysis spell. Adrian had protected the ship from several pirate attacks and he always trained himself as well.

Seven years after Siris and his father left the ship, he returned from the markets with news of the Empire surrendering to the Aldmeri Dominion, and the signing of the White-Gold Concordat. Adrian smashed a bottle of mead, yelling,

"How could they do this! How could our emperor do this to us! We have to continue the fight, not bow down to the elves!"

"Actually, Hammerfell is seceding from the Empire," Siris replied, "we're still at war with them."

"Well it seems not everything is lost."

"Do you think I can join the army?"

"No son, it's too dangerous. I know, I want to fight too, but we've got to stay out of it for now. Ive got to watch you as well. It would be what your mother wanted. Right now, we'll let events play out."

Two years passed, and the Redguard father and son continued to live in the house. One day in the markets, Siris heard a yell. Somebody was calling for someone by their name. Siris followed the yell, for he recognized the name being called. It was his own. The yell came from an older, lightly-skinned Imperial. He certainly wasn't Redguard.

"I'm Siris," Siris replied.

"Wait, let me see you," the Imperial responded, "yes, you have your mother's eyes."

"Wait, how do you know what my mother looks like."

"I don't have time to explain. I just know that you and your father are in danger. Take this key,"

"Wait."

"And this sword."

"What?"

"Now run, run back to your house before it's too late!"

Siris ran and pushed his way through the crowd without looking back at the Imperial. He ran as fast as he could back to his home. When he arrived, he saw what had happened.

The house was aflame. Almost everything was gone. Siris readied his sword, but didn't find any living people. He knew immediately who did it though. Five elven bodies lay lifeless on the ground.

"Thalmor," Siris said to himself.

He then looked over to his side, and to his horror...

saw his father, Adrian, stuck on a pike, and burned.

Siris knelt to the ground and wept. He didn't know what happened, because he woke up hours later on the ground. He got up and looked through the smoldering house. The key he was given had to do something. He looked throughout the house until he found it. An iron trap door took the place of where his father's tiny armory once stood. Siris used the key and entered a large cavern.

There were weapons and shields around, and even statues wearing strange armor sets. He found a large table and a note on top of it. Siris picked it up, and it read,

Siris... This is your father, Adrian. I know that you've grown up to be a skilled swordsmen, no matter what age you're reading this letter at. If you are reading this letter, however, that means that I'm most likely dead. Maybe you already know, maybe you don't.

Son, I must tell you that I was once part of a secret organization. We were once known as... The Blades...

We were entrusted with the lives of the Septim emperors. We were to keep them safe from harm. As you know, the time of the Septims have passed. Our purpose is now currently meaningless. However, since the war started, the Thalmor have been hunting us. Many of my friends and colleagues have been slaughtered by those damn elves, and now I most likely am too.

Son... Siris... I want you to fight in the war against the Aldmeri Dominion. I want you to avenge me, and I want you to free Hammerfell from the possibility of elven dominion.

I love you, Siris.

Your loving father,

Adrian

And at the bottom of the note lay three symbols, and the words,

These are words are written in dragon... They mean Fus... Ro... and Dah.

Then Siris, with a tear in his eye, looked up and saw a mannequin wearing a helmet, armor, boots, and gauntlets, and a bow and sword placed above it...

...all crafted in Ebony.

To be continued.